WELCOME TO ERASMUS UNIVERSITY

From medieval times, universities have been the most prominent of

cultural institutions. Even today, universities are the places where the

spiritual and scientific legacy of the ages is maintained and passed on to subsequent

generations. Long before the first university was founded in Bologna,

philosophy was at the core of human thinking and philosophy still remains at the root

of all modern disciplines. The establishment of the earliest universities

in Europe is related specifically to the rediscovery of ancient philosophy.

Our university is very pleased to bear the name of Erasmus Roterodamus,

one of the greatest of the late medieval philosophers. His writings are studied

even now and reprinted all over the world. 

Erasmus University is very happy to host  the 2002 Conference of the

International Association for Philosophy and Literature, organized by our

colleagues in the Philosophy Faculty.   Some of the themes of this

Conference are very appropriate for a city like Rotterdam with its global

span and multicultural population.

On behalf of Erasmus University Rotterdam, I wholeheartedly welcome all participants

to our dynamic city and university.

Prof.dr.ir. Jan H. van Bemmel Rector magnificus Erasmus University