Bernardinuscollege is a school in Heerlen, the Netherlands. The school was founded by Franciscan friars in 1903 as a monastery, that was later converted to a Hogere Burgerschool, because of the need for education in the wake of the blooming mining industry. In September 1913 the first students arrived. History Sint-Bernardinus was expanded with a midlevel-business school and in 1919 the 3-year HBS (Higher Citizen School) course was changed to a 5-year one. In 1930 the school was further expanded with a Gymnasium. In 1970 the 'Sint' was dropped from the school name, giving it its current name: Bernardinuscollege. Bernardinuscollege is part of SVOPL together with Charlemagne College, Herlecollege, Praktijkonderwijs Parkstad Limburg, and Sintermeertencollege. In 2009, Bernardinuscollege did not accept any new vmbo-t students. From that moment on, only havo, atheneum and gymnasium students are accepted. In 2013, Bernardinuscollege launched the Technasium, a more technical oriented study, which adds the subject O&O ('Onderzoek en oriëntatie' - Research and orientation) to the profiles of Atheneum and Gymnasium students. In early 2014, Bernardinuscollege was certified as a Vecon Businessschool, which allows them to give out an extra certificate to students when they finish their Economy exams. Notable people Students Jan Hanlo (1912–1969), poet and author Jo Ritzen (b. 1945), Minister of Education Frans Timmermans (b. 1961), Minister of Foreign Affairs, First Vice-President of the European Commission Teachers Peter Winkels (1954–2021), writer and television presenter Gallery References External links Main website Bernardinuscollege Educational institutions established in 1911 1911 establishments in the Netherlands Christian schools in the Netherlands Secondary schools in the Netherlands Schools in Limburg (Netherlands) Buildings and structures in Heerlen