Horizon College is an institute for vocational education and is situated in the province of North Holland. We train young people from the age of 16 in various professions, from baker to nurse and from carpenter to software developer. We offer 130 vocational courses in technology, trade & services, health care, social care, sports & activities, and economics. Educations are offered at EQF levels 1 to 4, school-based and work-based.
Horizon College has 1,300 employees and approximately 12,000 students. We have campuses in Alkmaar, Heerhugowaard, Hoorn and Purmerend. These attractive and pleasant cities are located near the sea and the dunes, the IJsselmeer and Amsterdam. If you wish to visit our school and see more of our province, there are plenty of cultural and outdoor activities to enjoy.
Horizon College considers it important for students and staff to gain international experience. For students this is directed towards personal growth and development of competencies, management, staff and personnel share knowledge and experience in various international networks. The goal is to learn from each other and to contribute to the international competences of students. Students who follow an internship or part of their studies abroad are well prepared for the labour market, which is becoming increasingly internationally oriented.
For Horizon College, internationalization is a logical consequence of the internationally oriented history of the business and service sector in the Netherlands and its focus on the European Union. Internationalization contributes to European and international ambitions such as sustainability, social inclusion, lifelong learning and the development of new technologies. Our focus on internationalization is a Unique Selling Point and distinguishes us from other vocational colleges in the Netherlands.
We welcome teachers and students from abroad, who want to get to know us and who want to share knowledge and experiences. We are part of a network of European schools and organize regular exchanges, job shadowing and training activities for students and teachers. We have ties with schools and companies in Belgium, UK, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, France, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, Spain and Greece.
Horizon College has conducted or participated in international projects with European funding since 1996 and has been awarded two VET Mobility Charters for having carried out high-quality student mobility projects. Our Engineering mobility in Europe (EMEU) projects have won two European KA2 prizes, for Best Practice and Success Story. In the Netherlands the projects were runners-up in the prestigious orange carpet award competition in 2018.
Horizon College is the leader of the CHIC consortium with MBO Rijnland and Clusius College and recently received Erasmus+ accreditation for 2021-2027 with a 100% score.
Visitors to Horizon College can make a reservation at our own Bed & Business, run by our hospitality students. This accommodation offers single and double rooms, including breakfast and laundry services. Our Bed & Business is located in Heerhugowaard, conveniently situated for a visit to all our campuses. For more information, check the website.
All our campuses are within walking distance of a train station. It takes a train-ride of half an hour to an hour from Schiphol Airport (near Amsterdam) to one of our locations. More information on train tickets and timetables can be found here.
Horizon College has four campuses:
Horizon College Alkmaar
Kruseman van Eltenweg 4
1817 BC Alkmaar
0031 72 – 547 6600
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Horizon College Heerhugowaard
Umbriӫllaan 2
1702 AJ Heerhugowaard
0031 72 – 547 6476
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Horizon College Hoorn
Maelsonstraat 24
1624 NP Hoorn
0031 229 – 287 100
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Horizon College Purmerend
Karekietpark 4
1444 HV Purmerend
0031 299 – 455 300
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