SCOPE Maastricht is a study association (in the legal form of a Dutch vereniging) at the School of Business and Economics (commonly abbreviated as SBE) at Maastricht University, representing over 3500 students and organizing social, academic and career-oriented activities and events. It serves as umbrella association for the more study-specific associations SCOPE | 3MA (Marketing, Management, Organization), SCOPE | Economics (Economic Studies), SCOPE | FOCUS (Finance, Accounting, Controlling) and SCOPE | Vectum (Econometrics, Operations Research). SCOPE Maastricht as well as its sub-associations, operate on a non-profit basis and form in terms of absolute members and consolidated revenue the second biggest study association in the south of the Netherlands. Revenue is generated through membership fees and sponsor contributions by local and multinational companies.
SCOPE Maastricht was created in 2011 as a merger from study associations EFM Academy and FAME Cooperation. Back then, FAME Cooperation used to be the umbrella organization for study association at the School of Business and Economics, operating a bookstore inside the faculty building. Other study association under FAME included: 3MA (now: SCOPE | 3MA), FS FOCUS (now: SCOPE | FOCUS), IES Network (now: SCOPE | Economics) and Vectum (now: SCOPE | Vectum). EFM Academy was formed as a vereniging under Dutch law in 2002 in a merger of EFM Alfa and EFM Imperator, two study associations that focused on Dutch and international students of the faculty respectively. EFM Academy focused on all first and second-year bachelor students in the B.Sc. programs International Business and Economics. Effectively, most students became member of EFM Academy in the beginning of their studies and stayed in the association for two or three semesters, before their membership was transferred to a study association specialized on their major or study track.
Maastricht (Dutch: [maːˈstrɪxt];Limburgish (incl. Maastrichtian): Mestreech [məˈstʀeˑx]; French: Maestricht (archaic); Spanish: Mastrique (archaic)) is a town and a municipality in the southeast of the Netherlands. It is the capital city of the province of Limburg.
Maastricht is located on both sides of the Meuse river (Dutch: Maas), at the point where the Jeker River (French: Geer) joins it.
In history Maastricht developed from a Belgic settlement, that in the Gallic Wars was conquered by the Romans and thus became a Roman settlement, to a religious centre, a garrison city and an early industrial city. Nowadays, it is known as an especially cultured city (including local folklore) and education. Maastricht's rich history shows from the fact that in this town no fewer than 1677 national heritage sites (Rijksmonumenten) are located, which is the second highest number in a Dutch town, after Amsterdam. Furthermore, it has become known, by way of the Maastricht Treaty, as the birthplace of the European Union, European citizenship, and the single European currency, the euro. The town is popular with tourists for shopping and recreation, and has a large growing international student population. Maastricht is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network and is part of the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion, which includes nearby cities Aachen, Eupen, Hasselt, Liège and Tongeren.