The University of Aruba academic year for 2026–2027 has officially opened, with 899 students enrolled.
Enrolment has grown from 50 students
The opening comes 38 years after the Aruban government reached an agreement with the Diocese of Willemstad to use Huize de la Salle, the former residence and place of worship of the Frères.
The university began that year with 50 students. Its current enrolment of 899 reflects the institution’s expansion over nearly four decades.
Leaders mark the new academic year
The ceremony brought together Governor Alfonso Boekhoudt, Prime Minister Mike Eman, Education Minister Gerlien Croes, members of Parliament, the Board of Trustees and members of the university community.
Croes formally declared the 2026–2027 year open. Rector Sue-Ann Lee used her remarks to discuss leadership, responsibility and resilience. She described institutional resilience in terms of how a community responds, learns, adapts and takes responsibility when it encounters difficulty or disagreement.
The ceremony continued a university tradition that recognizes education and leadership as part of Aruba’s future development.
