International Studies

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Nederland
The Hague
International Studies

The English-language International Studies Bachelor degree offers a unique combination of comparative area studies and foreign language acquisition.

This Leiden University Humanities programme is located in The Hague. In the course of the programme, students focus on a particular world area and study its cultural, political, economical and historical aspects. Language acquisition of (at least) one of the area’s main languages is essential to the degree, as a tool of communication and to provide the context for the specific area study. You lear

n to study regions in their own right and within a global and comparative perspective. The degree is taught and examined in English.

15/04/2026

🌏 This February, the South and Southeast Asia Track of BAIS hosted an academic debate surrounding the question: “Will India become a superpower by 2047?”
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👥 The event brought together scholars in International Relations from Leiden University and beyond for a dynamic debate, marking the first major academic event at our new Spui Campus. With around 200 attendees, the evening welcomed a diverse audience of students, faculty, diplomats, policymakers, and media professionals.
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💬 The discussion explored contrasting perspectives on India’s global trajectory. Proponents highlighted India’s economic transformation, advances in digitalisation and military modernisation, and its unique position as a bridge between the Global South and the West. Critical voices, however, pointed to persistent structural challenges, limitations in global network dominance, and the strategic constraints posed by its regional environment.
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🤝 The event was initiated by students from the SSEA track themselves, and co-organized in collaboration with lecturers: a stron gexample of student-staff collaboration!
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✨ Thanks to the audience for the insightful questions and to the speakers for their invaluable contributions!
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Panel members: Dr Garima Mohan, Dr Vineet Thakur, Dr Rogier Creemers and Dr Nicholas Blarel
Moderation: Richard Ghiasy
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14/01/2026

GRADUATE Q&A🎓✨
�📚 As the new semester is around the corner, many students start thinking about their next steps: whether that’s continuing their studies, exploring new fields, or taking a well-deserved break.

👏 In this final part of the Graduate Q&A, our class of 2025 graduates share what they’ve been up to since finishing International Studies. From master’s programmes to exciting career paths, they show just how many directions this degree can take you!

😇 We wish all our graduates the best of luck in their new endeavours, and to our current students: may this inspire you for what’s ahead! ✨
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10/12/2025

During their third year, International Studies students can go abroad for an exchange 🌍. This semester, our student Fréderique took her studies to Montevideo, Uruguay 🇺🇾👇🏼
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“Hi! My name is Fréderique and within BAIS I specialise in Latin America. I am now wrapping up my exchange semester in Montevideo, Uruguay, at the Universidad de Montevideo (UM).

When I began my courses in August (winter here!), I immediately noticed how different the teaching style was compared to Leiden. UM offers small, interactive weekly classes, which makes the learning environment very personal. This format allowed me to build close relationships with my professors, and the informal atmosphere (like having food in class or communicating via WhatsApp) was a new but very positive experience.

BAIS gave me a strong foundation in Latin American politics, history and culture, and it was incredibly rewarding to apply this knowledge in real life. I was able to have meaningful conversations with Uruguayans, and I felt better prepared to understand and adjust to the local culture.

Student life in Montevideo is vibrant and welcoming. At UM there were even more Dutch students than I expected, and the university’s international office organised events, parties and trips that made it easy to connect with other exchange students. I also travelled a lot during my semester: I visited Buenos Aires five times because it is so close, and I was lucky enough to explore Rio de Janeiro and Peru as well.

Montevideo is an amazing home base: safe, relaxed, and with a very high quality of life. Uruguay is one of the most chilled-out countries I’ve ever been in, which was such a contrast to the structured culture of the Netherlands. Especially in spring and summer, when you are able to go to the beach, the city is very vibrant and everyone is outside.

Overall, I loved my time in Montevideo. I met wonderful people, learned so much, and experienced parts of Latin America I had only studied before. I feel like I have developed as a person by adjusting to a completely new culture on the other side of the world, where everything is the opposite of the Netherlands. I would highly recommend this exchange!”

17/11/2025

Graduate Q&A 🎓✨

❓As we move into the final weeks of the semester, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what we’ve learned — and what advice we’d pass on to others!

🙏 In this part of our Graduate Q&A, the class of 2025 shares their best tips for current and future International Studies students. From study-life balance to making the most of your time in The Hague — their advice might be just what you need to finish the semester strong! 💪

Will you be using any of the advice given by our graduates? Let us know in the comments! 💬
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30/10/2025

🌍 A world of choices at the Area Fair!
 Last Friday, the annual Area Fair took place at Schouwburgstraat! 🎉 This event helps first-year students explore the different areas and languages they can choose for their specialisation in the second semester.

🎓 Throughout the afternoon, lecturers gave short presentations about each region, while current students and staff were there to answer questions and share their experiences. It was a great opportunity to get inspired and start thinking about your specialisation! ✨

Did the Area Fair help you decide which area or language you’d like to choose? Let us know in the comments! 💬 . . . . . . 

21/10/2025

Graduate Q&A 🎓✨

🌤️ Midterm season is here! And while our current students are busy studying, we’d like to take a moment to celebrate the good times our graduates have shared during their studies at International Studies!

💬 In this first part of the Graduate Q&A with the class of 2025, we asked them what they’ll miss the most about their time in the programme. From friends and lecturers to group projects and coffee breaks at Wijnhaven ☕: what would you miss the most?

Tell us in the comments below ⬇️
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01/10/2025

📚✨ Semester opening! On Friday 19 September, BA International Studies kicked off the new academic year with the semester opening lecture by Dr. Steije Hofhuis.

🧙 Dr. Hofhuis gave a lecture titled “Viral Hunts: A Darwinian Analysis of European Witch-Hunting.” He explored how beliefs in witchcraft spread across Europe between the 15th and 17th centuries, through cultural dynamics that resemble viral processes. Using Darwinian cultural evolution as a lens, he showed how these ideas thrived in their historical context, and what the scientific contribution of this perspective can be.

✨ An engaging start to the semester that sparked many questions and discussions among students and staff.

🙏🏻 We would like to thank Dr. Steije Hofhuis for his wonderful contribution to the start of our semester. We look forward to many more inspiring lectures and discussions this year! . . . .

04/09/2025

🎓 On 29 August 2025, 370 students received their Bachelor’s degree in International Studies! The diplomas were awarded in the historic setting of the Pieterskerk in Leiden, with family, friends, and staff filling the church to celebrate this joyous occasion.

🎤 This year’s alumni speech was delivered by Ola Szczepanik, alumna and former member of the Programme Board. Ola emphasised that while the skills you develop may take time to fully take shape, the most valuable outcome of your studies is the people you’ve shared the journey with.

✨ The commencement speech was given by Dr Casper Wits, lecturer for the East Asia region. Reflecting on his opening lecture to this cohort three years ago, he encouraged graduates to view global issues through the eyes of often‑overlooked cultures and individuals. Quoting Emerson’s Self‑Reliance and Bertrand Russell “Conformity means death”, he reminded the graduates that International Studies is more than knowledge: it’s a toolbox empowering you to go against the grain and embrace new perspectives.

💙 We wish all the newly graduated all the best in their future endeavours, and hope to see you again someday! • • • • • • 

23/06/2025

✨ On Wednesday 18 June the first pre-union for the new first year students took place on campus!

The pre-union is used as a first introduction for new students to what the program feels like and to meet other prospective students. Last week 66 students were present on campus!

👨‍🏫The pre-union commenced with a word of welcome, followed by an introductory lecture by lecturer Lennart Jacobs about Maoism. After the lecture students participated in an International Studies Pubquiz in groups to learn more about the programme and the university.

This Wednesday, 25 June, the online pre-union will take place from 14:00 to 16:00, do you still want to sign up and get to know your fellow students? Check the link below:

https://leidenuniv.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0xoyo0uFW2nDj6J

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08/04/2025

⭐️Today we have a new post of our Alumni Dreams series!

👨🏻‍🎓Today’s alumni is Lila Menard, Lila is a part of the class of 2024 and specialised in North America. Lila chose this BA because it offered a unique blend of political science within the broader humanities spectrum, a combination she found nowhere else. The multidisciplinary approach within IS provided Lila with meaningful insights and the ability to conduct original analyses in the field of international politics.

✅ During her time in the BA IS program, Lila was able to participate in an exchange in Québec, Canada, where she studied North American politics from a less US-centered perspective. She also challenged herself by taking courses in political communication and marketing, which sparked a newfound interest in political communication and reshaped her professional goals. She is now pursuing an internship as a communication specialist in the cabinet of an elected representative and aspires to contribute to French diplomacy in the future. One of the most valuable skills Lila gained from the BA IS program is the ability to think critically and apply rigorous methods of analysis. She believes these analytical skills are crucial not only for her academic and professional life but also for solving everyday problems.

🙏🏻 After graduating from BA IS, Lila began a Master’s degree in International Relations at the Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli (LUISS) in Rome, Italy, where she was awarded a scholarship. In her master’s program, Lila is focusing on diplomacy and foreign affairs, with a minor in Political Thought in the MENA region and ongoing studies in Arabic. She envisions a career in political communication, particularly in the context of Franco-American relations or working in French embassies, as well as in areas such as education, migration, and culture.

Lila highly recommends the university to anyone interested in political humanities. “I would 100% recommend Leiden University and the BA IS program,” she says, noting that the experiences gained there continue to shape her professional aspirations.

Adres

Turfmarkt 99
The Hague
2511DV

Website

http://internationalstudies.leiden.edu/

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