University of Harderwijk

The University of Harderwijk (1648–1811), also named the Guelders Academy, was located in the city of Harderwijk, in the Republic of the United Provinces (now: the Netherlands). It was founded by the province of Guelders (Gelre). History The university of Harderwijk did not have a good reputation, because of its low standards. Nevertheless, it attracted many students with its low fees. Many students went to Harderwijk to graduate. In Samuel Johnson's Life of Herman Boerhaave, it says: "He went to Hardewich, in order to take the degree of doctor in physick, which he obtained in July, 1693, having performed a publick disputation, "de utilitate explorandorum excrementorum in ægris, ut signorum." The title of this Latin disputation in English is "On the usefulness of examination of excrement as a sign of disease". The most famous foreign graduate, Linnaeus, stayed only a week, much of which time was spent printing his dissertation. The saying was that rich students could afford Leiden University and the poorer ones had to make do with Harderwijk. In many European cities, it was not possible to get a doctor's degree, and the Netherlands had a reputation for producing very good doctors; David de Gorter is an example of such a doctor. He was a professor at the University of Harderwijk and friends with Linnaeus. He also was a royal physician to Empress Elizabeth of Russia.