Our history

2025: A challenging year for all of us  

“I do not have a crystal ball, but I am quite sure 2025 will be a challenging year for all of us. We will be facing budget cuts and a bleak political climate. However, I am confident we can tackle these challenges together. After all, our greatest strength lies in our strong BUas community, our shared commitment to each other, and to our common drive to Create Meaningful Experiences—for each other, and with each other,” Jorrit Snijder said at the start of the new year. 

2022: Something extra

Under the inspiring guidance of Jorrit Snijder, President of the Executive Board, BUas takes the next step. Empowering young professionals on their journey to shape a better world, and preparing students for their role as young professionals in a continuously changing world, requires ‘something extra’. Defining and delivering that + is the core of the new strategy. By using each other’s strengths, involving our industry partners, and experimenting together, the BUas community will give shape to BUas+.

2021: Operating in a continuously changing world

Despite the corona pandemic, the BUas community continues to work hard on small-scale quality education and on developing a portfolio in line with future industry needs. The master’s offerings have grown considerably and in September 2021 a new bachelor’s programme in the field of Applied Data Science and Artificial Intelligence was launched.

2020: All BUas study programmes on one campus

Since January 2020, all programmes of Breda University of Applied Sciences have been housed on the new campus, located at Mgr. Hopmansstraat in Breda. We are happy with our beautiful campus, where we are close together, but less than two months later we are all sitting at home working and teaching only online. The corona pandemic has helped us become even more creative.

2018: A new name 

New residents in the convent 

Breda University of Applied Sciences became the new name of NHTV Breda on 1 September 2018. In the first year of the new strategy period (2018-2021), we also developed a new logo and a new corporate identity, consistent with our positioning targets. The first academies took up residence in the historical convent.

2017: Start of the convent renovations 

On our way to a new campus...

After years of planning, designing and inviting tenders, renovation work on the convent – which will be part of the new campus - was started in May 2017.

2016: NHTV Breda celebrated its 50th anniversary 

Opening of the academic year in the Great Church of Breda 

In the academic year of 2016-2017, NHTV Breda celebrated its 50th anniversary with a range of festivities, for instance the NHTV Festival Week. Highlights included the official key handover ceremony, the Experience Tour for industry professionals and the alumni party.

2014: First academic master’s programme

Academic Master in Leisure studies was launched

In September 2014, the academic Master in Leisure Studies was launched in cooperation with Tilburg University.

2012: Academic higher education institute

Preparing for the first academic master’s programme 

In September 2012, NHTV launched its academic pre-master’s programme in Leisure Studies for students with a hbo-diploma. This pre-master’s programme was previously taught at Tilburg University. The start of this pre-master’s track was a next step for NHTV in the process of developing into an ‘academic higher education institute’. Then it was time to prepare for yet another step: NHTV’s plans to take over the academic master’s programme in Leisure Studies from Tilburg University.

2009: NHTV leading the way

Start of academic bachelor’s programmes 

In 2009, NHTV started the development of two academic bachelor’s programmes: Bachelor of Science in Leisure Studies and Bachelor of Science in Tourism. From this time on, students also had the option of attending academic education at NHTV. NHTV was the first university of applied sciences in the Netherlands to offer professional (‘hbo’) as well as academic (‘wo’) bachelor’s programmes.

2006: Re-connect!

Celebration of NHTV’s 40th anniversary on 25 November 2006

On 25 November 2006, NHTV’s 40th anniversary was celebrated in a big way with the ‘Re-connect!’ reunion. Some 3,000 former students as well as former and current staff members took the opportunity to reconnect with each other.

2002: Growth

New bachelor’s and master’s programmes 

In 2002, Facility Management and International Media and Entertainment Management were newcomers. They were followed in 2004 by Profession-Oriented Tourism and Recreation as the successor of the ‘Kort-hbo’ programmes. September 2006 saw the start of International Game Architecture and Design and the master’s programmes of Imagineering and Tourism Destination Management.

2001: International

International instead of national

As a result of the international positioning ambitions, the name of the institute was changed in September 2001 to ‘NHTV internationale hogeschool Breda’. NHTV was no longer an abbreviation, but a brand name. English-taught courses were becoming the rule rather than the exception.

1990: Master’s programme

First master’s programme was offered

The first step in the plan to start offering master’s programmes was taken in 1990 with the Master in European Tourism Management. In 1994, NHTV expanded its set of study programmes to include the study programme in ‘Vrijetijdskunde’, which name was later changed to ‘Vrijetijdsmanagement’. Other new study programmes, which started in 2001, were Hotel Management and Logistics & Economics.

1987: Merger

Merger between NWIT and VAT on 1 August 1987

On 1 August 1987, NWIT and VAT continued together under the name ‘Nationale hogeschool voor toerisme en verkeer’, soon abbreviated to ‘NHTV’. It was not until 1994 that the merging parties got together physically at the location of Mgr. Hopmansstraat 1 in Breda. ‘Kort-hbo toerisme en recreatie’ was housed at the Sibeliuslaan location.

1986: Expansion of NWIT course offerings

Expansion of NWIT course offerings in 1986

In 1986, the ‘Nationaal Gids’ programme was added to NWIT’s course offerings. This programme had been developed in cooperation with industry partners. Another programme, ‘Kort-hbo toerisme en recreatie’, was added in 1989, which was a two-year tourism programme until the end of 2005.

1978: VAT celebrations

New programmes at Verkeersakademie (Traffic Academy) 

The study programme of ‘Ruimtelijke ordening en planologie’ (Urban and Rural Planning) was added to the Verkeersacademie in 1978, followed by ‘Logistiek en technische vervoerskunde’ (Logistics and Transport Management) in 1980. 

1977: Sibeliuslaan

NWIT moved to Sibeliuslaan

In 1977, NWIT moved to a new building. The previous locations at Etnastraat, Haagweg and Karnemelkstraat stood in marked contrast to the stylish premises at Sibeliuslaan, one of Breda’s upmarket neighbourhoods.

1975: X, Y, Z

NWIT changed its study areas

In 1975, NWIT changed its study areas. ‘Recreatie en planologie’ (Z) became ‘recreatie-economisch’ (RE) and ‘recreatie-sociologisch’ (RS). ‘Inkomend toerisme’ (Y) was split up into ‘toerisme-economisch inkomend’ (TEY) and ‘toerisme-sociologisch inkomend’ (TSY). ‘Reisorganisatie’ (X) was changed to ‘toerisme-economisch uitgaand’ (TEX) and ‘toerisme-sociologisch uitgaand’ (TSX). X, Y-BOP, Y-MAN, Y-PRV and Z were added later. Academies, degree programmes and study areas are changing and developing all the time. Find out all about it on this site!

1972: VAT

Verkeersakademie Tilburg (VAT) was founded

In 1972, Verkeersakademie Tilburg started with 90 students, 9 staff members and 1 course programme – ‘Verkeerskunde’ (Traffic Management). Bringing technology, people and society together, the programme was innovative in its approach. Moreover, the programme was characterised by a contemporary structure, consisting of lots of projects and practical components.

1966: First lecture

NWIT in Breda started its lectures 

On 6 September 1966, newspaper De Stem wrote, “Lectures at the Dutch Scientific Institute for Tourism (NWIT) in Breda started yesterday. On this occasion, the institute’s director – Dr L. van Egeraat – gave a public lecture in Café ’t Zuid at Grote Markt in Breda, discussing the theme of Recreation in Noord-Brabant.” Three weeks after this first day of lectures, student association Phileas Fogg was founded, still ‘travelling’ along with us today! NWIT started with 58 students and 12 staff members, and the course programme lasted two years and three months. The duration of the programme was extended to three years in 1972 and another year was added to it in 1986.

1963: Toerist Officier

NWIT, a school that trains students to become 'Toerist Officier'

A school that trains students to become ‘Toerist Officier’ (Tourist Officer) – that was the idea of Mr Sliepen, director of the Breda Tourist Information Office, back in 1963. This school was to be a national scientific institute, consisting of a research department and a course programme. As this school was new of its kind, educational material was mainly obtained through its own research efforts.