Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Encyclopedia
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is a Flemish
university
located in Brussels
, Belgium
. It has two campuses referred to as Etterbeek
and Jette
.
The university's name is sometimes abbreviated by "VUB" or translated to "Free University of Brussels
". However, it is an official policy of the university not to use abbreviations or translations of its name, because of possible confusion with another university that has the same translated name: the French
-speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles
.
In fact, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel was formed by the splitting in 1970 of the same Université Libre de Bruxelles, which was founded in 1834 by the Flemish-Brussels lawyer Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen
. He wanted to establish a university independent from state and church, where academic freedom
would be prevalent. This is today still reflected in the university's motto
Scientia vincere tenebras, or Conquering darkness by science, and in its more recent slogan Redelijk eigenzinnig , or Reasonably opinionated. Accordingly, the university is pluralistic — it is open to all students on the basis of equality regardless of their ideological, political, cultural or social background — and it is managed using democratic
structures, which means that all members — from students to faculty — participate in the decision-making processes.
The university is organised into 8 faculties that accomplish the three central missions of the university: education
, research
, and service
to the community. The faculties cover a broad range of fields of knowledge including the natural science
s, classics
, life sciences, social sciences
, humanities
, and engineering
. The university provides bachelor, master, and doctoral education to about 8,000 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students. It is also a strongly research-oriented institute, which has led to its top-214 position among universities worldwide. Its research articles are on average more cited than articles by any other Flemish university.
s, personnel, and students. This system guarantees the democratic process of decision-making and the independence from state and outside organisations. Nevertheless, the university receives significant funding from the Flemish government, although less than other Flemish universities. Other important funding sources are grants for research projects (mostly from Belgian
and European
funding agencies), scholarship
s of academic members, revenues from cooperation with industry, and tuition fees
to a lesser extent.
The main organisational structure of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel is its division into faculties:
These faculties benefit a wide autonomy
over how they structure their educational programmes and research efforts, although their decisions need to comply with the university's statutes and must be approved by the central administration.
The central administration
is formed by the Governing Board, which is currently presided by Eddy Van Gelder. It decides the university's long-term vision and must approve all decisions made by the faculties. The Governing Board is supported by three advising bodies: the Research Council, the Education Council, and the Senate. These bodies provide advice to the Governing Board on all issues regarding research, education, and the academic excellence of faculty staff, and may also propose changes to the university’s strategy
. The daily management of the university is the responsibility of the Rector
and three Vice-Rectors. The current Rector of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel is Paul De Knop.
in a large variety of modern disciplines: law
, economics
, social sciences
, management
, psychology
, physical sciences, life sciences
, medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences
, humanities
, engineering
, physical education
. About 10,000 students follow one of its 128 educational programmes. All programmes are taught in Dutch
, but 59 are also taught in English
. In agreement with the Bologna process
, the university has implemented the so-called bachelor-master system. It therefore issues four types of degrees
: bachelor's
, master's
, master after master's, and doctoral
degrees.
Admission to the programmes is generally not restricted; anyone can subscribe to the programme of his/her choice. However, prerequisite degrees may be mandatory for advanced programmes, e.g., a bachelor’s degree is required to subscribe to a master’s programme, and a master’s degree is required to subscribe to a master after master’s or doctoral programme. An exception to this is the admission exam to the bachelor in medicine, which is required following ruling of the Flemish government. Tuition fees are low, and even decreased or eliminated for some students with less financial means.
The academic year
is divided into two semesters, each spanning thirteen course weeks: the first semester lasts from October to January, the second semester from February to June. Students take exams in January and June. Apart from the Christmas
and Easter
holidays (both lasting two weeks) that are normally used to prepare for the exams, students are free the week between both semesters and during the Summer holidays
from July to September.
The university has implemented several quality control
schemes in order to preserve the high quality of its educational programmes. Each semester, all students evaluate
the courses they have followed. All programmes are also regularly assessed by internal panels and by external international visitation committees. Furthermore, all programmes are accredited by the Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatie Organisatie
, an independent accreditation organisation charged with the accreditation
of higher education programmes in both Flanders
and the Netherlands
.
itself. At the time of the declaration of independence of Belgium in 1830, three state universities existed in the cities of Ghent
, Liège
and Leuven
. In Brussels, the capital of the newly established country, a university was lacking. A group of leading intellectual
s in the fields of arts, science, and education — amongst whom Auguste Baron
and the astronomer and mathematician Adolphe Quetelet
— pointed out the advantages of a university to the new capital and country. Initially, they sought for the establishment of a state university, but the Belgian government showed little enthusiasm due to the onerous financial burden of yet another state university.
In 1834, the Belgian episcopate decided to establish a Catholic
university in Mechelen
with the aim of regaining the influence of the Catholic Church on the academic scene in Belgium, and the Belgian government had the intent to close the state university at Leuven and donate the buildings to the Catholic institution. The liberals in Belgium strongly opposed to this decision, and furthered their ideas for a university in Brussels as a counterbalance to the Catholic institution. At the same time, Auguste Baron had just become a member of the freemasonic
lodge "Les Amis Philantropes", as had a large number of other intellectuals with enlightened ideas. Baron was able to convince Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen
, the president of the lodge, to support the idea for a new university. On 24 June 1834, Verhaegen presented his plan to establish a free university.
After sufficient funding was collected among advocates, the Université Libre de Bruxelles was inaugurated on 20 November 1834, in the Gothic room of the city hall of Brussels. After its establishment, the Université Libre de Bruxelles faced difficult times, since it did receive no subsidies
or grants from the government; yearly fundraising events and tuition fees provided the only financial means. Verhaegen, who became a professor and later head of the new university, gave it a mission statement which he summarized in a speech to King Leopold I
: the principle of free inquiry and academic freedom uninfluenced by any political
or religious
authority
.
, the language of the upper class in Belgium at that time. However, with the Dutch-speaking population asking for more rights in Belgium, some courses were already taught in Dutch at the Faculty of Law as early as 1935. Nevertheless, it was not until 1963 that all faculties offered their courses in Dutch. On 1 October 1969, the university was finally split in two sister institutions: the French-speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel. This splitting became official by the law of 28 May 1970, of the Belgian parliament, by which the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Université Libre de Bruxelles became two separate legal entities.
and in particular the principle of free inquiry for the progress of humanity. The latter includes the dismissal of any argument of authority and the right of free opinion. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is the only Flemish university that has incorporated such principle in its statutes. The principle of free inquiry is often described by a quotation of the French
mathematician
and philosopher Henri Poincaré
:
This principle is also reflected in the university's motto
Scientia vincere tenebras, or Conquering darkness by science, and in its seal. The seal of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel displays a beggar's wallet and joined hands on the orange-white-blue (the colours of the Prince of Orange
) escutcheon in the emblem
, referring to the struggle of the Protestant Geuzen
and the Prince of Orange
against the oppressive Spanish rule and the Inquisition
in the sixteenth century.
Another basic principle of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel — also incorporated in the university's statutes — is that the institution must be managed according to the model of democracy
. Practically, this means that all members of the academic community — faculty staff, researchers, personnel, and students — are represented in all governing bodies. In this way, the university ensures that everyone has a voice in its decision-making processes and participates in its management. This principles must also guarantee the independence of the university and the academic freedom.
Most of the faculties are located on the Etterbeek
campus (which is actually located on the territory of the neighbouring borough of Elsene), it is the livelier of the two campuses. The activities mainly take place in the numerous auditoriums and labs. In addition, there is a modern sports centre with various rooms for sporting activities, a football pitch encircled by a running track and an on-campus swimming pool. For eating out, there is not just the student restaurant, but also some snack bars ('t Complex, Opinio, Kultuurkaffee), the last one also organising free concerts and events and being a full-fledged concert venue during the evening/night, offering the university a cultural scene.
The campus in Jette
is also a fully-fledged campus. The University Hospital (UZ Brussel) is in the vicinity. All courses and research in the life sciences
(medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, the biomedical and paramedical sciences) are located here.
memorial.
These are the student organizations at the VUB:
Members of these organizations wear a klak (Dutch) or penne (French).
Furthermore, the VUB has student organizations for students with a specific regional background. They are: Anverpia (Antwerp), Westland (West Flanders), KBS (Brussels and Flemish Brabant
), Campina (Campine
), Kinneke Baba (East Flanders
), Limburgia (Limburg
), VSKM (Mechelen
) and Hesbania (Haspengouw).
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel has conferred the title of doctor honoris causa to Hans Blix
, Noam Chomsky
, Dario Fo
, Nathan Ramet, Richard Stallman
, Johann Olav Koss
, Herman van Veen
and Richard Dawkins
.
Flemish Community
The term Flemish Community has two distinct, though related, meanings:...
university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. It has two campuses referred to as Etterbeek
Etterbeek
Etterbeek is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It neighbours the municipalities of the City of Brussels, Ixelles, Auderghem, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert and Schaerbeek....
and Jette
Jette
Jette is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.The Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the Dutch-speaking university of Brussels has built its hospital and medical campus in Jette, while its other buildings are in the so-called Etterbeek campus actually...
.
The university's name is sometimes abbreviated by "VUB" or translated to "Free University of Brussels
Free University of Brussels
The Free University of Brussels was a university in Brussels, Belgium. In 1969, it split into the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel....
". However, it is an official policy of the university not to use abbreviations or translations of its name, because of possible confusion with another university that has the same translated name: the French
French Community of Belgium
The French Community of Belgium is one of the three official communities in Belgium along with the Flemish Community and the German speaking Community. Although its name could suggest that it is a community of French citizens in Belgium, it is not...
-speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles
Université Libre de Bruxelles
The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
.
In fact, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel was formed by the splitting in 1970 of the same Université Libre de Bruxelles, which was founded in 1834 by the Flemish-Brussels lawyer Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen
Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen
Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen was a Belgian lawyer, founder of the Université libre de Bruxelles, and liberal politician...
. He wanted to establish a university independent from state and church, where academic freedom
Academic freedom
Academic freedom is the belief that the freedom of inquiry by students and faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy, and that scholars should have freedom to teach or communicate ideas or facts without being targeted for repression, job loss, or imprisonment.Academic freedom is a...
would be prevalent. This is today still reflected in the university's motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
Scientia vincere tenebras, or Conquering darkness by science, and in its more recent slogan Redelijk eigenzinnig , or Reasonably opinionated. Accordingly, the university is pluralistic — it is open to all students on the basis of equality regardless of their ideological, political, cultural or social background — and it is managed using democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
structures, which means that all members — from students to faculty — participate in the decision-making processes.
The university is organised into 8 faculties that accomplish the three central missions of the university: education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
, and service
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
to the community. The faculties cover a broad range of fields of knowledge including the natural science
Natural science
The natural sciences are branches of science that seek to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world by using empirical and scientific methods...
s, classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
, life sciences, social sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
, humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
, and engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
. The university provides bachelor, master, and doctoral education to about 8,000 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students. It is also a strongly research-oriented institute, which has led to its top-214 position among universities worldwide. Its research articles are on average more cited than articles by any other Flemish university.
Organisation
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is an independent institution. The members of all its governing entities are elected by the entire academic community — including faculty staff, researcherResearcher
A researcher is somebody who performs research, the search for knowledge or in general any systematic investigation to establish facts. Researchers can work in academic, industrial, government, or private institutions.-Examples of research institutions:...
s, personnel, and students. This system guarantees the democratic process of decision-making and the independence from state and outside organisations. Nevertheless, the university receives significant funding from the Flemish government, although less than other Flemish universities. Other important funding sources are grants for research projects (mostly from Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and European
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
funding agencies), scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s of academic members, revenues from cooperation with industry, and tuition fees
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
to a lesser extent.
The main organisational structure of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel is its division into faculties:
- Faculty of Law and Criminology
- Faculty of Economic, Social, and Political Sciences and the Solvay Business School
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
- Faculty of Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy
- Faculty of Arts and Philosophy
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy
These faculties benefit a wide autonomy
Autonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
over how they structure their educational programmes and research efforts, although their decisions need to comply with the university's statutes and must be approved by the central administration.
The central administration
Central Administration
Central administration is the leading or presiding body or group of people, and the highest administrative department who oversee all lower departments of an organization.-Education:...
is formed by the Governing Board, which is currently presided by Eddy Van Gelder. It decides the university's long-term vision and must approve all decisions made by the faculties. The Governing Board is supported by three advising bodies: the Research Council, the Education Council, and the Senate. These bodies provide advice to the Governing Board on all issues regarding research, education, and the academic excellence of faculty staff, and may also propose changes to the university’s strategy
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
. The daily management of the university is the responsibility of the Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
and three Vice-Rectors. The current Rector of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel is Paul De Knop.
Education
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel offers coursesCourse (education)
The very broad dictionary meaning of the word course is the act or action of moving in a path from point to point . There are multiple meanings for this word, some of which include: general line of orientation, a mode of action, part of a meal, a mode of action, and many more. This article focuses...
in a large variety of modern disciplines: law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, social sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
, management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, physical sciences, life sciences
Life sciences
The life sciences comprise the fields of science that involve the scientific study of living organisms, like plants, animals, and human beings. While biology remains the centerpiece of the life sciences, technological advances in molecular biology and biotechnology have led to a burgeoning of...
, medical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences
Pharmaceutical sciences
The pharmaceutical sciences are a group of interdisciplinary areas of study involved with the design, action, delivery, disposition, and use of drugs...
, humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
. About 10,000 students follow one of its 128 educational programmes. All programmes are taught in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, but 59 are also taught in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. In agreement with the Bologna process
Bologna process
The purpose of the Bologna Process is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention...
, the university has implemented the so-called bachelor-master system. It therefore issues four types of degrees
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
: bachelor's
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, master's
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, master after master's, and doctoral
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
degrees.
Admission to the programmes is generally not restricted; anyone can subscribe to the programme of his/her choice. However, prerequisite degrees may be mandatory for advanced programmes, e.g., a bachelor’s degree is required to subscribe to a master’s programme, and a master’s degree is required to subscribe to a master after master’s or doctoral programme. An exception to this is the admission exam to the bachelor in medicine, which is required following ruling of the Flemish government. Tuition fees are low, and even decreased or eliminated for some students with less financial means.
The academic year
Academic term
An academic term is a division of an academic year, the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. These divisions may be called terms...
is divided into two semesters, each spanning thirteen course weeks: the first semester lasts from October to January, the second semester from February to June. Students take exams in January and June. Apart from the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
holidays (both lasting two weeks) that are normally used to prepare for the exams, students are free the week between both semesters and during the Summer holidays
Summer vacation
Summer vacation is a vacation in the summertime between school years in which students and instructors are off school typically between 6 and 12 weeks, depending on the country and district.-Students:In some countries, students participate in programs such as organized sports, summer camps, and...
from July to September.
The university has implemented several quality control
Quality control
Quality control, or QC for short, is a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production. This approach places an emphasis on three aspects:...
schemes in order to preserve the high quality of its educational programmes. Each semester, all students evaluate
Evaluation
Evaluation is systematic determination of merit, worth, and significance of something or someone using criteria against a set of standards.Evaluation often is used to characterize and appraise subjects of interest in a wide range of human enterprises, including the arts, criminal justice,...
the courses they have followed. All programmes are also regularly assessed by internal panels and by external international visitation committees. Furthermore, all programmes are accredited by the Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatie Organisatie
NVAO
NVAO is the educational accreditation organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders. It was established by international treaty and for the purpose of ensuring the quality of higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders by accrediting study programmes.-Mission:The organisation's mission is to...
, an independent accreditation organisation charged with the accreditation
Educational accreditation
Educational accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of educational institutions or programs are evaluated by an external body to determine if applicable standards are met...
of higher education programmes in both Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Research
Notable faculty:- Kris DeschouwerKris DeschouwerKris Deschouwer is a Belgian politicologist and professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He was a member of the Coudenberg group, a Belgian federalist think tank...
- Paul DevroeyPaul DevroeyPaul Devroey is a Belgian researcher and professor specialized in human fertility. He works in the university hospital of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where he directs the Center for Reproductive Medicine...
- Mark Elchardus
- Francis HeylighenFrancis HeylighenFrancis Paul Heylighen is a Belgian cyberneticist, and research professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the Dutch-speaking Free University of Brussels, where he directs the transdisciplinary research group on "Evolution, Complexity and Cognition".-Biography:Francis Heylighen was born on...
- Hugo Soly
- Luc SteelsLuc SteelsLuc Steels is a Belgian scientist, and Director of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He is also heading the Sony Computer Science Laboratory in Paris. Steels, along with Rodney Brooks , was one of the initiators of the behaviour-based robotics approach to...
- Jean-Paul Van BendegemJean-Paul Van BendegemJean Paul Van Bendegem is a mathematician, a philosopher of science, and a prominent professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Brussels...
- Andre Van Steirteghem
- Irina Veretennicoff
- Els WitteEls WitteEls Witte is a Belgian historian. She was professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and honorary rector of the university. Els Witte was the first female rector of a Belgian university. She was a member of the Coudenberg group, a Belgian federalist think tank....
- Lode WynsLode WynsLode Wyns is a Belgian molecular biologist and professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel . He is head of the VIB Department of Molecular and Cellular Interactions, Vrije Universiteit Brussel of the VIB...
Establishment of a university in Brussels
The history of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel is closely linked with that of BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
itself. At the time of the declaration of independence of Belgium in 1830, three state universities existed in the cities of Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
and Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. In Brussels, the capital of the newly established country, a university was lacking. A group of leading intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
s in the fields of arts, science, and education — amongst whom Auguste Baron
Auguste Baron
Auguste Alexis Floréal Baron was a Belgian study prefect of Royal Athenaeum of Brussels and the first secretary of the Universite Libre de Bruxelles.-Career:...
and the astronomer and mathematician Adolphe Quetelet
Adolphe Quetelet
Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet was a Belgian astronomer, mathematician, statistician and sociologist. He founded and directed the Brussels Observatory and was influential in introducing statistical methods to the social sciences...
— pointed out the advantages of a university to the new capital and country. Initially, they sought for the establishment of a state university, but the Belgian government showed little enthusiasm due to the onerous financial burden of yet another state university.
In 1834, the Belgian episcopate decided to establish a Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
university in Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
with the aim of regaining the influence of the Catholic Church on the academic scene in Belgium, and the Belgian government had the intent to close the state university at Leuven and donate the buildings to the Catholic institution. The liberals in Belgium strongly opposed to this decision, and furthered their ideas for a university in Brussels as a counterbalance to the Catholic institution. At the same time, Auguste Baron had just become a member of the freemasonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
lodge "Les Amis Philantropes", as had a large number of other intellectuals with enlightened ideas. Baron was able to convince Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen
Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen
Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen was a Belgian lawyer, founder of the Université libre de Bruxelles, and liberal politician...
, the president of the lodge, to support the idea for a new university. On 24 June 1834, Verhaegen presented his plan to establish a free university.
After sufficient funding was collected among advocates, the Université Libre de Bruxelles was inaugurated on 20 November 1834, in the Gothic room of the city hall of Brussels. After its establishment, the Université Libre de Bruxelles faced difficult times, since it did receive no subsidies
Subsidy
A subsidy is an assistance paid to a business or economic sector. Most subsidies are made by the government to producers or distributors in an industry to prevent the decline of that industry or an increase in the prices of its products or simply to encourage it to hire more labor A subsidy (also...
or grants from the government; yearly fundraising events and tuition fees provided the only financial means. Verhaegen, who became a professor and later head of the new university, gave it a mission statement which he summarized in a speech to King Leopold I
Leopold I of Belgium
Leopold I was from 21 July 1831 the first King of the Belgians, following Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. He was the founder of the Belgian line of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
: the principle of free inquiry and academic freedom uninfluenced by any political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
or religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
authority
Authority
The word Authority is derived mainly from the Latin word auctoritas, meaning invention, advice, opinion, influence, or command. In English, the word 'authority' can be used to mean power given by the state or by academic knowledge of an area .-Authority in Philosophy:In...
.
Splitting of the university
In the nineteenth century, courses at the Université Libre de Bruxelles were taught exclusively in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, the language of the upper class in Belgium at that time. However, with the Dutch-speaking population asking for more rights in Belgium, some courses were already taught in Dutch at the Faculty of Law as early as 1935. Nevertheless, it was not until 1963 that all faculties offered their courses in Dutch. On 1 October 1969, the university was finally split in two sister institutions: the French-speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles and the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel. This splitting became official by the law of 28 May 1970, of the Belgian parliament, by which the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Université Libre de Bruxelles became two separate legal entities.
Basic principles
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is an open-minded, tolerant, and pluralistic university. Its central principles are the Universal Declaration of Human RightsUniversal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly . The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled...
and in particular the principle of free inquiry for the progress of humanity. The latter includes the dismissal of any argument of authority and the right of free opinion. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is the only Flemish university that has incorporated such principle in its statutes. The principle of free inquiry is often described by a quotation of the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and philosopher Henri Poincaré
Henri Poincaré
Jules Henri Poincaré was a French mathematician, theoretical physicist, engineer, and a philosopher of science...
:
This principle is also reflected in the university's motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
Scientia vincere tenebras, or Conquering darkness by science, and in its seal. The seal of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel displays a beggar's wallet and joined hands on the orange-white-blue (the colours of the Prince of Orange
William the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
) escutcheon in the emblem
Emblem
An emblem is a pictorial image, abstract or representational, that epitomizes a concept — e.g., a moral truth, or an allegory — or that represents a person, such as a king or saint.-Distinction: emblem and symbol:...
, referring to the struggle of the Protestant Geuzen
Geuzen
Geuzen was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles and other malcontents, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen...
and the Prince of Orange
William the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
against the oppressive Spanish rule and the Inquisition
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
in the sixteenth century.
Another basic principle of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel — also incorporated in the university's statutes — is that the institution must be managed according to the model of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
. Practically, this means that all members of the academic community — faculty staff, researchers, personnel, and students — are represented in all governing bodies. In this way, the university ensures that everyone has a voice in its decision-making processes and participates in its management. This principles must also guarantee the independence of the university and the academic freedom.
Campus and facilities
Etterbeek
Etterbeek is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It neighbours the municipalities of the City of Brussels, Ixelles, Auderghem, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert and Schaerbeek....
campus (which is actually located on the territory of the neighbouring borough of Elsene), it is the livelier of the two campuses. The activities mainly take place in the numerous auditoriums and labs. In addition, there is a modern sports centre with various rooms for sporting activities, a football pitch encircled by a running track and an on-campus swimming pool. For eating out, there is not just the student restaurant, but also some snack bars ('t Complex, Opinio, Kultuurkaffee), the last one also organising free concerts and events and being a full-fledged concert venue during the evening/night, offering the university a cultural scene.
The campus in Jette
Jette
Jette is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.The Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the Dutch-speaking university of Brussels has built its hospital and medical campus in Jette, while its other buildings are in the so-called Etterbeek campus actually...
is also a fully-fledged campus. The University Hospital (UZ Brussel) is in the vicinity. All courses and research in the life sciences
Life sciences
The life sciences comprise the fields of science that involve the scientific study of living organisms, like plants, animals, and human beings. While biology remains the centerpiece of the life sciences, technological advances in molecular biology and biotechnology have led to a burgeoning of...
(medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, the biomedical and paramedical sciences) are located here.
Faculties
- Arts and Philosophy
- Economics, Political and Social Sciences
- Engineering
- Medicine and Pharmacy
- Psychology and Educational Sciences
- Sciences and Biomedical Sciences
- Law and Criminology
- Physical Education and Physiotherapy
Institutional cooperation
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel cooperates with several institutions of higher education. They are:- Brussels Chamber of Commerce
- Erasmushogeschool Brussel (together with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel they make up the Brussels University Association)
- Higher Institute for Re-adaptation Sciences Louvain
- Top Industrial Managers for EuropeTop Industrial Managers for EuropeTop Industrial Managers for Europe is a network of more than fifty engineering schools and faculties and technical universities....
- UCOS, the University Development Cooperation Centre
- UNICAInstitutional Network of the Universities from the Capitals of EuropeThe Institutional Network of the Universities from the Capitals of Europe , is a network of 42 universities, gathering main Higher Education Institutions located in the European capital cities. It was founded in 1990 on the initiative of Université Libre de Bruxelles...
, the Institutional Network of the UNIversities from the CApitals of Europe - Université Libre de BruxellesUniversité Libre de BruxellesThe Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
- University of KentUniversity of KentThe University of Kent, previously the University of Kent at Canterbury, is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom...
(Brussels School of International Studies) - Vesalius College, an anglophone institution sharing the VUB campus
- XIOS Hogeschool Limburg and Provinciale Hogeschool Limburg
- Royal Military AcademyRoyal Military Academy (Belgium)The Royal Military Academy is the military university of Belgium. The school is responsible for the education of the officers of the four components of the Belgian defence . The school is located in Brussels in a building construct by the architects Henri Maquet and Henri Van Dievoet...
- Worldwide, on the international level the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has concluded institutional collaboration agreements with 38 universities all over the world, and student exchange agreements with 160 universities
International acclaim
On the 2009 THE–QS World University Rankings list, the Free University of Brussels was ranked inside the top 250 for the fourth consecutive year. An overview of the last years:| Year | Rank (Change) |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 258 |
| 2006 | 133 ( 125) |
| 2007 | 229 ( 96) |
| 2008 | 214 ( 15) |
| 2009 | 227 ( 13) |
| 2010 | 238 ( 11) |
Student life
Every student that enrolls at the VUB, automatically becomes a member of the Brussels Studentengenootschap (BSG - Brussels Student Society), unless they refuse to be. This means that every student has the right to vote and participate in the annual elections for the BSG committee. The BSG is the umbrella organisation for all other student organizations and acts as the defender of the moral interests of the students. Together with their French-speaking counterparts ACE at the ULB, they organise the annual St VSt V
St V is the commonly used name for a holiday for university students in Brussels, Belgium, celebrating the founding of the Free University of Brussels. The day's long form differs in the two official languages, but both are a reference to Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen, the founder of the university,...
memorial.
These are the student organizations at the VUB:
- Letteren-en Wijsbegeertekring (LWK) and Perskring (Pers): for students studying at the Arts and Philosophy faculty
- Geneeskundige Kring (GK) and Farmaceutische Kring (FK): for students studying at the Medicine and Pharmacy faculty
- Polytechnische Kring (PK) for students studying at the Engineering Department
- Psycho-Pedagogische Kring (PPK): for students studying at the Psychology and Educational Sciences faculty
- Kring der Politieke Economische en Sociale Wetenschappen (KEPS) and Solvay ($); for students studying at the Economics, Political and Social Sciences faculty
- Wetenschappelijke Kring (WK): for students studying at the Sciences and Biomedical Sciences faculty
- Mens Sana in Corpore Sano (Mesacosa or MC): for students studying at the Physical Education and Physiotherapy faculty
- Vlaams Rechtsgenootschap (VRG): for students studying at the Law and Criminology faculty
Members of these organizations wear a klak (Dutch) or penne (French).
Furthermore, the VUB has student organizations for students with a specific regional background. They are: Anverpia (Antwerp), Westland (West Flanders), KBS (Brussels and Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
), Campina (Campine
Campine
The Campine is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-western Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands...
), Kinneke Baba (East Flanders
East Flanders
East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and in Belgium on the provinces of Antwerp, Flemish Brabant , of Hainaut and of West Flanders...
), Limburgia (Limburg
Limburg (Belgium)
Limburg is the easternmost province of modern Flanders, which is one of the three main political and cultural sub-divisions of modern Belgium. It is located west of the river Meuse . It borders on the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg and the Belgian provinces of Liège, Flemish Brabant...
), VSKM (Mechelen
Mechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
) and Hesbania (Haspengouw).
Scientists & Academics
- Patrick BaertPatrick BaertPatrick Baert is a Belgian sociologist and social theorist, based in Britain. He is Reader in Social Theory at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Selwyn College, Cambridge. Born in Brussels in 1961, Baert studied at the Free University of Brussels and at Oxford University where he obtained...
(1961-) - Willy Gepts (1922–1991)
- Leo ApostelLeo ApostelLeo Apostel was a Belgian philosopher and professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Universiteit Gent. Apostel was an advocate of interdisciplinary research and the bridging of the gap between exact science and humanities.- Biography :Leo Apostel was born Antwerp in 1925...
(1925–1995) - Clement Hiel (1952-)
- Christine Van Den Wyngaert (1952-)
- Jean BourgainJean BourgainJean Bourgain is a Belgian mathematician. He has been a faculty member at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and, from 1985 until 1995, professor at Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques at Bures-sur-Yvette in France, and since 1994 at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton,...
(1954-) - Ingrid DaubechiesIngrid DaubechiesIngrid Daubechies is a Belgian physicist and mathematician. She was between 2004 and 2011 the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor in the mathematics and applied mathematics departments at Princeton University. In January 2011 she moved to Duke University as a Professor in mathematics. She is the first...
(1954-) - Sophie de SchaepdrijverSophie de SchaepdrijverSophie de Schaepdrijver is a Belgian historian.-Education:She graduated in history at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and obtained a PhD with a dissertation on Elites for the Capital? Foreign Migration to mid-nineteenth-century Brussels at the Universiteit van Amsterdam .-Career:From 1986 until...
(1961-) - Kris DeschouwerKris DeschouwerKris Deschouwer is a Belgian politicologist and professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He was a member of the Coudenberg group, a Belgian federalist think tank...
- Raymond HamersRaymond HamersRaymond Hamers is a professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel . He discovered a special type of antibodies called single-domain antibodies.-See also:* Flanders Institute for Biotechnology * Ablynx-References:...
- Steven LaureysSteven LaureysSteven Laureys is a Belgian neurologist.-Career:Laureys graduated as a Medical Doctor from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, in 1993. While specializing in neurology he entered a research career and obtained his M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Medicine working on pain and stroke using in vivo...
- Wim Leemans
- Pattie MaesPattie MaesPattie Maes is an associate professor in MIT's Program in Media Arts and Sciences. She founded and directed the MIT Media Lab's Fluid Interfaces group. Previously, she founded and ran the Software Agents group. She currently acts as the associate Department Head for the Media, Arts and Sciences...
- Helena Van Swygenhoven
- Els WitteEls WitteEls Witte is a Belgian historian. She was professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and honorary rector of the university. Els Witte was the first female rector of a Belgian university. She was a member of the Coudenberg group, a Belgian federalist think tank....
- Guido Geerts
Artists
- André Delvaux (1926–2002)
- Jef GeeraertsJef GeeraertsJef Geeraerts is a Flemish writer. He was a colonial administrator in Belgian Congo. On the independence of the Congo he sent his wife and children back to Belgium and in August 1960 he himself returned to Belgium. During the next six years he was paid by the government . After that time he needed...
(1930-) - Erik Pevernagie (1939)
- Fabienne Demal (Axelle RedAxelle RedAxelle Red is a Belgian singer-songwriter.-Biography:She was born at Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium, the daughter of Roland Demal, a solicitor in Hasselt and Councillor for the Flemish Liberals and Democrats in the City Council.Nowadays a committed artist and a militant humanist, back in 1993 Axelle...
) (1968-)
Politicians
- Louis TobbackLouis TobbackLouis Marie Joseph Tobback is a Belgian politician. Tobback is a Flemish social democrat and member of the political party SP.A. He is currently the mayor of Leuven. He graduated in Romance philology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel....
(1938-) - Annemie Neyts (1944-)
- Norbert De Batselier (1947-)
- Karel De GuchtKarel De GuchtKarel Lodewijk Georgette Emmerence De Gucht is a Belgian politician who has been the European Commissioner for Trade since 2010...
(1954-) - Christian LeysenChristian LeysenChristian Leysen is a Belgian businessman. He obtained a Commercial engineer - Masters degree in Law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 1976. There he was president of the fraternity "$olvay" in 1974-1975 . Christian Leysen developed several Belgian ventures to large international companies...
(1954-) - Patrick DewaelPatrick DewaelPatrick Yvonne Hugo Dewael, in Lier, Belgium is a liberal Belgian politician. He is a member of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats, or Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten . He is the nephew of the late liberal minister Herman Vanderpoorten and the cousin of Marleen Vanderpoorten, who also served as...
(1955-) - Frank VanheckeFrank VanheckeFrank Arthur Hyppolite Vanhecke started his career in Belgian politics as a student by joining the Jong Studentenverbond and later the Nationalistische Studentenvereniging. He gave up his membership of the Volksunie in 1977 after it acceded to a much-debated package of federal reforms...
(1959-) - Bert AnciauxBert AnciauxBert Jozef Herman Vic Anciaux is a Belgian politician, a founder and former member of Spirit...
(1959-) - Gunther Sleeuwagen (1958-)
- Jan JambonJan JambonJan Jambon is a Belgian politician and is affiliated to the N-VA. He was replacing Kris Peeters as a member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in 2007. CD&V & N-Va were at that time partners in a kartel. In June 2010 he was reelected on a N-VA list.-Notes:...
(1960-)
Journalists
- Yves Desmet
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel has conferred the title of doctor honoris causa to Hans Blix
Hans Blix
is a Swedish diplomat and politician for the Liberal People's Party. He was Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs . Blix was also the head of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission from March 2000 to June 2003, when he was succeeded by Dimitris Perrikos...
, Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky
Avram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
, Dario Fo
Dario Fo
Dario Fo is an Italian satirist, playwright, theater director, actor and composer. His dramatic work employs comedic methods of the ancient Italian commedia dell'arte, a theatrical style popular with the working classes. He currently owns and operates a theatre company with his wife, actress...
, Nathan Ramet, Richard Stallman
Richard Stallman
Richard Matthew Stallman , often shortened to rms,"'Richard Stallman' is just my mundane name; you can call me 'rms'"|last= Stallman|first= Richard|date= N.D.|work=Richard Stallman's homepage...
, Johann Olav Koss
Johann Olav Koss
Johann Olav Koss is a former speed skater from Norway, considered to be one of the best in history, and current assistant coach of Norway's speed skating team.-Biography:...
, Herman van Veen
Herman van Veen
Hermannus Jantinus "Herman" van Veen is a Dutch stage performer, actor, musician and singer/songwriter and author. He is most famous as the creator of the Dutch-Japanese cartoon Alfred J...
and Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins
Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL , known as Richard Dawkins, is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author...
.
See also
- Brussels Faculty of Engineering (Bruface)
- Science and technology in BrusselsScience and technology in BrusselsScience and technology in Brussels, the central region of Belgium , is well developed with the presence of several universities and research institutes.- Technology institutes :...
- Flanders Interuniversity Institute of Biotechnology (VIB)
- Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (IMEC)
- Science and technology in FlandersScience and technology in FlandersScience and technology in Flanders, the northern region of Belgium , is well developed with the presence of several universities and research institutes...
- Top Industrial Managers for EuropeTop Industrial Managers for EuropeTop Industrial Managers for Europe is a network of more than fifty engineering schools and faculties and technical universities....
- Université Libre de BruxellesUniversité Libre de BruxellesThe Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
- University FoundationUniversity FoundationThe Belgian University Foundation was founded in 1920. The goal of the Foundation, as was put forward by Emile Francqui, is to promote scientific activity at Belgian universities....
External links
- Official website of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel Official website of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- More complete list of famous alumni (in Dutch)
- Find an officially recognised programme of this institution in the Higher Education Register
- V.Ir.Br. - VUB Engineering Alumni Association