The Network University (TNU) is a centre for collaborative learning and training on socio-economic developments and key societal challenges. It was established in 1998 and is rooted in the University of Amsterdam.
TNU offers innovative academic courses via the Internet to a worldwide audience of students and professionals. We aim to facilitate the interdisciplinary exchange of information, knowledge and practices at the international, regional and local levels. Having more than 5 years of experience in creating effective online training programmes our activities have been rewarded by several awards in the field of online learning and interaction.

TNU tries to prevent a situation whereby disengaged students sit in front of their computers, relatively isolated from a broader community of students and lecturers. We focus on collaborative learning as an inspiring, stimulating and effective approach towards learning. Collaborative learning challenges the participants to rethink their own arguments and positions and to either defend, reformulate or elaborate on them.

TNU's activities are aimed at generating new knowledge and insights and then spreading these throughout the participating networks. These activities include the development and supervision of:

• online courses
• online debates
• commissioned research
• workshops combining online and face-to-face learning experiences
• consultancy and strategy development on E-learning