Leiden is a typical university city, hosting the oldest university in the Netherlands (1575). The University permeates the local surroundings; University premises are scattered throughout the city, and the students who live and study in Leiden give the city its relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere.

Leiden University is one of Europe's foremost research universities. This prominent position gives our graduates a leading edge in applying for academic posts and for functions outside academia.

CML is an institute within the Faculty of Science of Leiden University with two departments. Research at the Industrial Ecology Department of CML (CML-IE) addresses environmental problems, in their socio-economic and political context, usually from a global systems context. The other department at CML, Conservation Biology (CML-CB) analyses the sustainability of agricultural and horticultural practices, including pesticide use and the co-use of nature in developing countries.