Editing Heerlen (section)

==Education==
Among the educational institutes in Heerlen is [[Hogeschool Zuyd|Zuyd Hogeschool]], which is a [[Vocational university#Netherlands|University of Applied Sciences]] with branches in Heerlen, [[Sittard]] and [[Maastricht]]. Also based in Heerlen is the administrative office of the [[Open University of the Netherlands]] ([[Open Universiteit]] or OU in Dutch), which is a university for [[distance learning]] with tens of thousands of students throughout the Netherlands. Heerlen was also the location of the now-defunct [[University of Theology and Pastorate]] ([[Universiteit van Theologie en Pastoraat]] or UTP in Dutch), which had to close down due to lack of students. Jokingly it was said that Heerlen was the location of the biggest (OU) and the smallest (UTP) university of the Netherlands.