University Campus Spui opens as joint university and research hub in The Hague

The Hague - On 2 February University Campus Spui will open its doors officially as a university campus and knowledge hub bringing together around 4,000 students and staff of five universities: Leiden University, TU Delft, the Open University, Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), and Universities of The Netherlands.

The campus focuses on education and research around three key themes: Climate & Energy, Digitalisation, and Safety & Security. It is designed as a place where students, researchers, and professionals can work together on research that addresses societal challenges. With flexible teaching rooms, study areas, and open collaboration spaces, University Campus Spui supports interdisciplinary work across technical, social, cybersecurity, and policy domains.

The programmes connect closely with The Hague’s profile as the International City of Peace and Justice and the administrative centre of The Netherlands.

The campus focuses on education and research around three key themes: Climate & Energy, Digitalisation, and Safety & Security. It is designed as a place where students, researchers, and professionals can work together on research that addresses societal challenges. With flexible teaching rooms, study areas, and open collaboration spaces, University Campus Spui supports interdisciplinary work across technical, social, cybersecurity, and policy domains.

The programmes connect closely with The Hague’s profile as the International City of Peace and Justice and the administrative centre of the Netherlands.

From department store to university campus

The space is where a familiar department store, the Vroom & Dreesman, also known as V&D once stood. The department store opened its doors on Spuistraat in 1927 and remained a familiar presence in the city centre for generations. When the store closed in 2015, it occupied three buildings, including a protected art deco structure on the main street, Spui.

CBRE Investment Management (CBRE IM), which acquired the buildings in 2017, explored new uses for the space to attract different audiences and revitalise the area. This ambition aligned with the Municipality of The Hague’s broader vision to develop a lively, green, and connected city centre with a diverse mix of functions beyond retail and hospitality.

Leiden University, with three existing campuses in The Hague and seeking space for further growth, became the ideal partner. Together with public and private stakeholders, plans were developed to transform the former department store into a university campus. To support the project, the Municipality of The Hague invested €10 million.

“This is an important development for the city centre. The campus is designed to connect research, education and society. It strengthens The Hague’s economic profile and reflects strong cooperation between partners in the city.” – Saskia Bruines, Alderman for Economic Development, City of The Hague.