Dare to think with AILAS

AILAS encourages independent thought

Discover our academic courses in the liberal arts and sciences

See our courses on offer

Overview and insight

You are taking a degree that suits you but you lack overview, the position of your discipline in the big picture. Perhaps you work in a specialised field, but you also want to acquire broader knowledge in order to be able to better respond to our time and current developments. Or perhaps you have always been interested in the foundations of our society and you would like to know more? As an academic institute, this is the greater depth we offer.

The Amstel Institute for the Liberal Arts and Sciences (AILAS) is currently offering a taught programme for:

  • Bachelor students

  • Master students

  • Professionals with an academic degree

  • Others with academic degrees

In our programmes you will become acquainted with the origins of our society, the sources within the Western tradition. Such fundamental knowledge provides overview as well as insight, and stimulates independent thought, important to both career and personal development.

See our programme
“It is really not just about teaching, but also about formation.”

AILAS: understanding the world better

AILAS is an initiative by university lecturers, researchers, and others who want to give much more attention to general, fundamental academic knowledge and skills. We believe that studying and drawing connections between foundations within the Western tradition is important for improved understanding of today’s society and developments.

To this end, we have programmes especially aimed at Bachelor students, also open to Master students, academically schooled professionals, and others with an academic degree.

For the future we are working on:

  • support for academic research into fundamental sources within the Western tradition
  • courses for specific groups of professionals (such as civil servants, physicians or lawyers)
  • support for teachers in secondary schools preparing for university, as well as for university lecturers
  • programmes for pupils in secondary schools preparing for university

Our courses are also open to students from outside the Netherlands. For the development and implementation of the programme we are in contact with academics from Europe, the United States, and elsewhere.

AILAS in brief:

AILAS focuses on the transmission of fundamental academic knowledge and skills by studying foundations within the Western tradition.

By studying facts and drawing connections between them it becomes possible subsequently to arrive at a grounded autonomous judgment.

An open and free exchange of arguments between the students, teachers, and researchers is always paramount.

To be a community where students, researchers, and professionals can develop their autonomous judgment by making use of fundamental sources within the Western tradition.

Would you like to know more about the mission and vision of AILAS? Discover it at ‘About AILAS’.

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“I enjoyed the seminar format of the sessions and the small group; it ensured engagement without pressure being exercised.”

More information?

Everything about our programme of study and more background about the organisation of our teaching can be found on this website. For more information, please mail us with no obligation.

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