The Gibraltar National Museum has announced that it has reached a research collaboration agreement with Leiden University in the Netherlands.

The work brings together Leiden’s prestigious zooarchaeology laboratory with researchers at the Gibraltar National Museum. For two years, Leiden has been sending students on summer placements to work in the Gorham’s Cave Complex UNESCO World Heritage Site and this agreement will provide a collaborative platform heading forward. It is envisaged that staff and students from Leiden will be involved in aspects of the important zooarchaeological work being carried out in Gibraltar. This will include joint research projects, student training including options for higher degree dissertations and theses. The agreement also means that very specialised, cutting-edge, work will be carried out on the unique Gibraltar material.

In addition to this agreement, this prestigious institution has appointed Professor Clive Finlayson, Professor Geraldine Finlayson and Dr Stewart Finlayson as Researchers. This appointment also strengthens ties between the Gibraltar National Museum and the Gorham’s Cave Complex UNESCO World Heritage Site with Leiden University and gives further opportunities for international students to be taught and supervised locally in Gibraltar.

Leiden University in the Netherlands is a public research university. It was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, as a reward to the city of Leiden for its defence against Spanish attacks during the Eighty Years' War. As the oldest institution of higher education in the Netherlands, it enjoys a solid reputation across the world and is one of Europe's leading international research universities. The university has produced sixteen Nobel Laureates, including Albert Einstein. It is closely associated with the Dutch royal family and ten Prime Ministers of the Netherlands are also alumni.