Learning by Doing: The Industrial and Applied Mathematics Program at Eindhoven University of Technology

The Industrial and Applied Mathematics (IAM) master’s program of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Eindhoven University of Technology was awarded the INFORMS UPS George D. Smith Prize in 2022. This paper provides an overview of the department’s history, highlights the program’s innovative aspects that led to its recognition, and describes how the program aims at educating operations research (OR) practitioners for today’s society. Eindhoven University of Technology emphasizes collaboration with industry, societal involvement, and scientific excellence. These principles permeate all of its departments and programs. We explain how IAM contributes to this mission, and we explore the educational approaches that are used to prepare skilled OR practitioners.