Mission statement

The Leiden Institute of Education and Child Studies aims to conduct high-quality research that addresses major social issues. This inspires its BSc, MSc and PhD programmes.

• Introduction
• Organisational structure
• Departments
• Teaching
• Research
• Contact

Introduction

Social issues that are currently being investigated include child abuse, the quality of daycare, children’s reading problems, and the early diagnosis of children with severe mental and physical handicaps. The Institute's faculty cooperate with other institutes believing that an interdisciplinary approach is fundamental to our understanding.

The research of the Institute is an important inspiring source for the curricula of the Bachelor and Master's programmes. Most reseachers have a leading role in the teaching programme. A wide range of courses is offered yearly to more than a 1000 (under)graduate students and over 50 Research Master's and PhD students. The teaching programmes aim to train students to become academic professionals, with advanced research skills and substantial practical research experience.  

Organisational structure

The Institute of Education and Child Studies is part of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (Leiden University). The Institute is governed by an Executive Board consisting of representatives of all its major sections within the Institute under the direction of a rotating chairman, i.e., the Scientific Director. The day-to-day running including the management of student, personnel, and other organisational affairs is carried out by the Central Office of the Institute.           

Decisions concerning teaching and research, i.e., allocation of resources, PhD posts, content of Bachelor and Master's programmes, etc. are taken by the Executive Board. The research programmes are primarily carried out within the three departments of the Institute in parallel with their educational tasks in the same fields.

Departments

The Leiden Institute of Education and Child studies is divided into three departments and the Rommert Casimir Institute. They are supported by the Central Office:

• Child and Family Studies
  
• Clinical Child and Adolescent Studies (Dutch)
                      - Ambulatorium (Dutch)
                      - Learning Problems and Impairments (Dutch)

• Educational Studies (Dutch)
  
• The Rommert Casimir Institute is embedded in the Leiden Graduate School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, and its principal aims consist of teaching and conducting research.
  
• The Central Office 

Teaching

The language of instruction and examination of the Bachelor's programme is Dutch. The Master's and PhD students courses are offered in Dutch and English.

Research

The policy of the Institute of Education and Child Studies is to try and find a balance between "knowledge versus society-driven" research. The Institute strongly believes on the one hand that pure science provides knowledge useful for application, whereas on the other hand practical problems generate questions to be addressed in basic research. The policy of the institute is to accept externally-funded research, only if at least some spin-off for basic research is guaranteed.  

Three main research programmes:

• Attachment across the Life Span
• Behavioural, Developmental and Learning Disorders: Assessment and Treatment
• Self-regulated learning

Links between the programmes are, e.g., joint research concerning autism and attachment, and literacy and attachment. In addition, a joint interest in biological measurements is emerging.

Contact

Visit our contact website.