The Université catholique de Louvain (also known as the Catholic University of Louvain, the English translation of its French name, and the University of Louvain, its official English name) is Belgium's largest French-speaking university. It is located in
Louvain-la-Neuve
Louvain-la-Neuve (, French for ''New Leuven''; wa, Li Noû Lovén) is a planned town in the municipality of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Wallonia, Belgium, situated 30 km southeast of Brussels, in the province of Walloon Brabant. The town ...
, which was expressly built to house the university, and
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
,
Charleroi
Charleroi ( , , ; wa, Tchålerwè ) is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. By 1 January 2008, the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. ,
Mons
Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...
,
Tournai and
Namur
Namur (; ; nl, Namen ; wa, Nameur) is a city and municipality in Wallonia, Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia, hosting the Parliament of Wallonia, the Government of Wallonia and its administration.
Na ...
. Since September 2018, the university has used the branding UCLouvain, replacing the acronym UCL, following a merger with
Saint-Louis University, Brussels
Saint-Louis University, Brussels or UCLouvain Saint-Louis Brussels (officially, in French Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles) is a public university in Brussels, belonging to the French Community of Belgium and specialized in social and h ...
.
The original
University of Louvain
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
(''Universitas Lovaniensis'') was founded at the centre of the historic town of
Leuven
Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic c ...
(or ''Louvain'') in 1425, and abolished by the law in 1797 making it the
first university in Belgium and the
Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
. This university was the centre of
Baianism
Baianism is a term applied to the school of thought of Catholic theologian Michael Baius (1513-1589). Its foremost apologists, Baius among them, largely claimed this school and its teachings to be a return to a sort of Augustinianism, against the r ...
,
Jansenism and
Febronianism in Europe. A new university, the State University of Louvain, was founded in 1817 and abolished by the law in 1835. A new catholic university was founded in Mechlin in 1834, the
''Catholic'' University of Mechlin and moved in Leuven in 1835 that is frequently, but controversially, identified as a continuation of the older institution. In 1968 the Catholic University of Leuven
split into the Dutch-language ''
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, ...
'', which stayed in Leuven, and the French-language ''Université catholique de Louvain'', which moved to Louvain-la-Neuve in
Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—al ...
, 30 km southeast of Brussels. Since the 15th century, ''Leuven/Louvain'', as it is still often called, has been a major contributor to the development of Catholic theology. The UCLouvain is often ranked among the world's top 50 institutions for the study of
philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...
and top 20 institutions for
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...
and
religious studies.
History
The
Catholic University of Leuven
University of Leuven or University of Louvain (french: Université de Louvain, link=no; nl, Universiteit Leuven, link=no) may refer to:
* Old University of Leuven (1425–1797)
* State University of Leuven (1817–1835)
* Catholic University of L ...
, based in
Leuven
Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic c ...
("''Louvain''" in French), 30 km east of
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, provided lectures in French from its founding in 1834, and in Dutch from 1930. In 1968, the
Dutch-language section became the independent
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, ...
, which remained in Leuven, while the French-speaking university was expelled to a greenfield campus and town,
Louvain-la-Neuve
Louvain-la-Neuve (, French for ''New Leuven''; wa, Li Noû Lovén) is a planned town in the municipality of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Wallonia, Belgium, situated 30 km southeast of Brussels, in the province of Walloon Brabant. The town ...
, 30 km south-east of Brussels, in a part of the country where French is the official language. This separation also entailed dividing existing library holdings between the two new universities.
With the democratization of university education already stretching existing structures, plans to expand the French-speaking part of the university at a campus in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
or
Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—al ...
were quietly discussed from the early 1960s, but it was not anticipated that the French-speaking section would become an entirely independent university and lose all of its buildings and infrastructure in
Leuven
Leuven (, ) or Louvain (, , ; german: link=no, Löwen ) is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the historic c ...
. The first stone of the new campus at Louvain-la-Neuve was laid in 1971, and the transfer of faculties to the new site was completed in 1979.
According to a 2007 agreement, the University of Louvain was to absorb three smaller French-speaking catholic colleges: the
Facultés universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix (
FUNDP) located in
Namur
Namur (; ; nl, Namen ; wa, Nameur) is a city and municipality in Wallonia, Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia, hosting the Parliament of Wallonia, the Government of Wallonia and its administration.
Na ...
, the
Facultés universitaires Saint-Louis (
FUSL) located in Brussels (now called Saint-Louis University, Brussels) and the
Catholic university of Mons (
FUCaM) located in
Mons
Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...
and
Charleroi
Charleroi ( , , ; wa, Tchålerwè ) is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. By 1 January 2008, the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. . The negotiations for a full merger aborted by an insufficient vote by the general assembly of the
FUNDP in December 2010. The result was a merger between the University of Louvain and the
FUCaM in
Mons
Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...
, effective from September 15, 2011. The Mons campus is denoted UCLouvain FUCaM Mons. The three universities still collaborate in consortium, the
Académie Louvain. Within this group, member universities have coordinated their masters programmes in the fields of economics, management, political sciences and sciences as well as the doctoral programmes in all disciplines.
In September 2018, the University of Louvain (or UCL until then) and
Saint-Louis University, Brussels
Saint-Louis University, Brussels or UCLouvain Saint-Louis Brussels (officially, in French Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles) is a public university in Brussels, belonging to the French Community of Belgium and specialized in social and h ...
''
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...
'' merged, founding the ''UCLouvain'', a denomination they currently share.
Chronology
In 1425, Dukes of Brabant created the University of Louvain (Université de Louvain), which was suppressed under
Joseph II, reopened in 1790, and was finally closed under the French Republic in 1797.
In 1817, the
State University of Louvain (''Université de l'Etat de Louvain'') was founded, which closed 15 August 1835.
In 1834, the Catholic bishops of Belgium created the Catholic University of Belgium (Université catholique de Belgique) in
Mechlin
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
, also known as the Catholic University of Malines (Université catholique de Malines).
A law passed on 27 September 1835 stated that there would be only one university funded by the State of Belgium in Louvain. The same year, shortly after the suppression of the State University, the Catholic University of Belgium moved to Louvain. It took advantage of the reputation of the city as an ancient university centre and adopted a new name: Catholic University of Louvain (Université catholique de Louvain).
In a Catholic spirit inspired by
Pope Gregory XVI, the promoter and first rector of the university, Monseigneur de Ram, wanted to create a shield that would repulse religion's enemies and block every doctrine weakening the base of Catholic society.
The pharmacy school was founded in 1845 and the
engineering school in 1865.
In 1884 the Catholic University of Louvain celebrated its fiftieth anniversary.
In 1968, as a result of linguistic issues, the university was divided into two different universities: one French speaking, which moved to the province of
Walloon Brabant, and one Dutch speaking, which remained in the same location.
In 1970, these two universities were established by law as the ''Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven'' and ''Université catholique de Louvain''.
In 1971, the first foundation stone was laid in Louvain-la-Neuve, a new city constructed for the French-speaking university.
Student population
Evolution of the number of students at the University of Louvain, including the
FUCaM in Mons that integrated the UCL in 2011, and
Saint-Louis University, Brussels
Saint-Louis University, Brussels or UCLouvain Saint-Louis Brussels (officially, in French Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles) is a public university in Brussels, belonging to the French Community of Belgium and specialized in social and h ...
that will formally integrate the university in 2022.
Faculties and schools
Sector of Human Sciences (SSH)
* Faculty of
Law and
Criminology
Criminology (from Latin , "accusation", and Ancient Greek , ''-logia'', from λόγος ''logos'' meaning: "word, reason") is the study of crime and deviant behaviour. Criminology is an interdisciplinary field in both the behavioural and s ...
,
Louvain-la-Neuve
Louvain-la-Neuve (, French for ''New Leuven''; wa, Li Noû Lovén) is a planned town in the municipality of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Wallonia, Belgium, situated 30 km southeast of Brussels, in the province of Walloon Brabant. The town ...
** School of Criminology
* Faculty of Philosophy, Arts and Literature (FIAL), Louvain-la-Neuve
**
Higher Institute of Philosophy
The Institut supérieur de Philosophie (ISP) (French for: Higher Institute of Philosophy) is an independent research institute at the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. It is a separate entity to the UCLouvain School ...
(ISP)
** School of
Philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. ...
(EFIL)
** Department of Languages and
the Arts
The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both ...
***
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and
Romance languages and literature (ROM)
*** Modern Languages and Literatures (LMOD)
*** Ancient languages and literatures (classical and oriental) (GLOR)
*** Modern and ancient languages and literature (LAFR)
***
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Ling ...
(LING)
*** Louvain School of
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transla ...
and
Interpreting
Interpreting is a translational activity in which one produces a first and final target-language output on the basis of a one-time exposure to an expression in a source language.
The most common two modes of interpreting are simultaneous interp ...
(LSTI)
** Department of History, Art History and Archaeology
***
History
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
(HIST)
***
Art History
Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today, ...
,
Archaeology
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsc ...
and
Musicology
Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some m ...
(ARKE)
** Department of Information and Communication
*** Multilingual communication (MULT)
***
Performing Arts
The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perfo ...
(THEA)
***
Information
Information is an abstract concept that refers to that which has the power to inform. At the most fundamental level information pertains to the interpretation of that which may be sensed. Any natural process that is not completely random, ...
and
Communication Sciences and Technologies (ICTS)
*
Faculty of Economic, Social and Political Sciences and Communication (ESPO), Louvain-la-Neuve,
Mons
Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...
&
Charleroi
Charleroi ( , , ; wa, Tchålerwè ) is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. By 1 January 2008, the total population of Charleroi was 201,593.
** Commission for the Aggregation and In-service Training of Teachers (AGES)
** School of
Communication
Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inqui ...
(COMU)
**
Economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics anal ...
School of Louvain (ESL)
** Interfaculty School of
European Studies (EURO)
**
Hoover Chair - Teaching Commission (HOOV)
** Open Faculty of Economic and Social Policy (FOPES)
** Louvain School of
Political
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studi ...
and
Social Sciences
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of so ...
(PSAD).
**
Undergraduate
Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-le ...
Bureau (ESSP)
** School of Labour Sciences (TRAV)
* Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (PSP), Louvain-la-Neuve
** School of
Psychology
Psychology is the science, scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immens ...
(EPSY)
** School of
Speech Therapy
Speech is a human vocal communication using language. Each language uses phonetic combinations of vowel and consonant sounds that form the sound of its words (that is, all English words sound different from all French words, even if they are th ...
(ELOG)
** School of
Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...
and Training (EDEF)
** School of
Sexology
Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behaviors, and functions. The term ''sexology'' does not generally refer to the non-scientific study of sexuality, such as social criticism.
Sexologists ap ...
and
Family Sciences (ESFA)
* Faculty of Theology (TECO), Louvain-la-Neuve
** Doctoral School of
Theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...
and
Biblical Studies
Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible (the Old Testament and New Testament).''Introduction to Biblical Studies, Second Edition'' by Steve Moyise (Oct 27, 2004) pages 11–12 ...
(EDT)
** Departement of
Theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...
(THEO)
** Department of
Bible Studies (EBIB)
** Department of
Religious studies (SREL)
*
Louvain School of Management (LSM), Louvain-la-Neuve, Mons,
Namur
Namur (; ; nl, Namen ; wa, Nameur) is a city and municipality in Wallonia, Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia, hosting the Parliament of Wallonia, the Government of Wallonia and its administration.
Na ...
&
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
As an independent university, the faculties of Philosophy, Arts and Human Sciences, Economic, Social, Political and Communication Sciences (ESPO), Law (DROI), the Institute for European Studies (IEE) and the
Marie-Haps Faculty of Translating and Interpreting of the
UCLouvain Saint-Louis - Bruxelles
Saint-Louis University, Brussels or UCLouvain Saint-Louis Brussels (officially, in French Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles) is a public university in Brussels, belonging to the French Community of Belgium and specialized in social and huma ...
are not attached to the corresponding faculties of UCLouvain.
Sector of Health Sciences (SSS)
* Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry (MEDE),
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
**
Louvain Medical School (MED)
** School of
Dentistry
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions of ...
and
Stomatology (MDEN)
* Faculty of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences (FASB), Brussels
** School of
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medication, medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it ...
(FARM)
** School of
Biomedical Sciences
Biomedical sciences are a set of sciences applying portions of natural science or formal science, or both, to develop knowledge, interventions, or technology that are of use in healthcare or public health. Such disciplines as medical microbi ...
(SBIM)
* Faculty of
Public Health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
(FSP), Brussels
* Faculty of Motor Sciences (FSM), Louvain-la-Neuve
Sector of Science and Technology
*
Louvain School of Engineering (EPL), ''École polytechnique de Louvain'', Louvain-la-Neuve
** School of Urban and
Spatial Planning (URBA)
*
Faculty of Architecture, Architectural Engineering and Urban Planning (LOCI),
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
,
Tournai & Louvain-la-Neuve
* Faculty of Bioengineering (AGRO), Louvain-la-Neuve
** Department of
Applied Biology and
Agricultural Production (BAPA)
** Department of
Chemistry
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, proper ...
and
Bioindustries (CABI)
** Cluster in
Environmental Sciences
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physi ...
* Faculty of Science (SC), Louvain-la-Neuve
** School of
Biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary ...
(BIOL)
** School of
Chemistry
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, proper ...
(CHIM)
** School of
Geography
Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, an ...
(GEOG)
** School of
Physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which ...
(PHYS)
** School of
Mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
(MATH)
** School of
Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...
(VETE)
** School of
Statistics
Statistics (from German: '' Statistik'', "description of a state, a country") is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. In applying statistics to a scientific, indust ...
,
Biostatistics
Biostatistics (also known as biometry) are the development and application of statistical methods to a wide range of topics in biology. It encompasses the design of biological experiments, the collection and analysis of data from those experimen ...
and
Actuarial Sciences (LSBA)
Campuses
While the main
campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a college campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls, student centers or dining halls, and park-li ...
of the University of Louvain is based in
Louvain-la-Neuve
Louvain-la-Neuve (, French for ''New Leuven''; wa, Li Noû Lovén) is a planned town in the municipality of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Wallonia, Belgium, situated 30 km southeast of Brussels, in the province of Walloon Brabant. The town ...
, it also comprises a campus in Brussels,
UCLouvain Brussels Woluwe, in
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert () or Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe ( Dutch, ) is one of the nineteen municipalities in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It is a prosperous residential area, with a mixture of flats and detached, semi-detached and terraced hou ...
, which until recently was called "Louvain-en-Woluwe" hosting the university's sector of medical science and
primary academic hospital (8000 students), a campus in
Mons
Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...
called
UCLouvain FUCaM Mons (2300 students), a minor installation in
Charleroi
Charleroi ( , , ; wa, Tchålerwè ) is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. By 1 January 2008, the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. with 133 students (as of 2011) at
UCLouvain Charleroi, an architectural school in
Tournai, UCLouvain Tournai, with 540 students (as of 2011), and an architectural school in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, UCLouvain Bruxelles Saint-Gilles, with 570 students (as of 2011). With the merger with Saint-Louis University, it also comprises an independent campus specialized in education and research of social and human sciences in the center of the
City of Brussels
The City of Brussels (french: Ville de Bruxelles or alternatively ''Bruxelles-Ville'' ; nl, Stad Brussel or ''Brussel-Stad'') is the largest municipality and historical centre of the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as the capital of the Fl ...
,
UCLouvain Saint-Louis - Bruxelles
Saint-Louis University, Brussels or UCLouvain Saint-Louis Brussels (officially, in French Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles) is a public university in Brussels, belonging to the French Community of Belgium and specialized in social and huma ...
and the
Marie-Haps Faculty of Translating and Interpreting in
Ixelles'
European quarter, next to the
European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) is one of the Legislature, legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven Institutions of the European Union, institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and in ...
(4150 students).
Hospitals
UCLouvain's main medical implementation is in
UCLouvain Brussels Woluwe,
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert () or Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe ( Dutch, ) is one of the nineteen municipalities in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It is a prosperous residential area, with a mixture of flats and detached, semi-detached and terraced hou ...
,
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, where the faculty of medicine is installed.
*
Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc
The Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc (UCLouvain Saint-Luc) is a non-profit academic hospital of the University of Louvain (UCLouvain), located on the university campus of UCLouvain Bruxelles Woluwe in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Brussels, Belgium. ...
,
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
*
CHU UCLouvain Namur,
Namur
Namur (; ; nl, Namen ; wa, Nameur) is a city and municipality in Wallonia, Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia, hosting the Parliament of Wallonia, the Government of Wallonia and its administration.
Na ...
* CHU UCLouvain Dinant-Godinne,
Dinant
Dinant () is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Namur, Belgium. On the shores of river Meuse, in the Ardennes, it lies south-east of Brussels, south-east of Charleroi and south of the city of Namur. Dinant is situ ...
and
Yvoir.
* Centre Hospitalier Neurologique William Lennox,
Louvain-la-Neuve
Louvain-la-Neuve (, French for ''New Leuven''; wa, Li Noû Lovén) is a planned town in the municipality of Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Wallonia, Belgium, situated 30 km southeast of Brussels, in the province of Walloon Brabant. The town ...
Museums and collections
The UCLouvain hosts Belgium's largest
university museum
A university museum is a repository of collections run by a university, typically founded to aid teaching and research within the institution of higher learning. The Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford in England is an early example, o ...
in Louvain-la-Neuve; the ''
Musée L
The Musée L or ''Musée universitaire de Louvain'', French for: Louvain University Museum, is a Belgian university museum of the University of Louvain (UCLouvain) located in Louvain-la-Neuve, Walloon Brabant, Belgium.
It is the first large muse ...
''. It exhibits part of the university's 32,000 piece wide collection of art and scientific objects including works of
Dürer,
Van Dyck,
Goya,
Rodin
François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
,
Picasso
Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
,
Magritte or
Alechinski,
sculpture
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable ...
s,
archaeological
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
and
ethnographic objects or specimens of
natural history.
The
UCLouvain FUCaM Mons campus also owns the extended collection of the Convent of the Black Sisters in the city-center of
Mons
Mons (; German and nl, Bergen, ; Walloon and pcd, Mont) is a city and municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the province of Hainaut, Belgium.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. T ...
, where the university has placed its ''Ateliers des FUCaM'' campus.
UCLouvain Saint-Louis - Brussels also owns a classical and modern art collection, primarily paintings recovered from its original campus in
Mechelen
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
.
Rankings
The University of Louvain educates around 27,261 students from 127 nationalities in all areas of studies at its different campuses. It has educated a large part of Belgium's elite and is still considered, with its Dutch-speaking sister, as a centre of excellence in many fields. In 2006, it was ranked 76th in the
world universities ranking established by the Times Higher Education supplement (24th in Europe).
In the 2011
QS World University Rankings
''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for th ...
the University of Louvain was ranked 125th overall in the world, moving up one place from its position of joint 126th in the 2009
THE–QS World University Rankings (in 2010
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' (often referred to as the THE Rankings) is an annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' (THE) magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarel ...
and
QS World University Rankings
''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for th ...
parted ways to produce separate rankings). An overview of the THE-QS Rankings:
QS World University Rankings
''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for th ...
Student activities
Cercles
''Cercles'' are
Student Societies or
Fraternities based around each faculty. The Cercles, along with the Régionales (which are based around their respective regions of origin) coordinate and manage most of the students' animation and nightlife. Most Cercles run small bars to fund their activities, and also jointly operate a larger nightclub, "La Casa".
Cercles and Régionales are run exclusively by member students known as the committee. These members are elected every year, usually by voting from all members (active or otherwise) wishing to participate, although some Cercles restrict the number of possible voters in some cases.
Aside from promoting student folklore and coordinating student animation, Cercles also offer academic aid to students in their respective faculties and organize more cultural activities, such as visits to museums and/or other cities, conferences, and low-cost trips for students (for example skiing in the Alps during the Winter Break).
Every Cercle and Régionale has its own customs and traditions, but some are practiced by all:
The Baptême (french: baptism) is a
hazing
Hazing (American English), initiation, beasting (British English), bastardisation (Australian English), ragging (South Asian English) or deposition refers to any activity expected of someone in joining or participating in a group that humiliates, ...
ceremony used by most to induct new members, who then participate in a number of trials and activities involving eggs and other foodstuff, paint, demeaning chants etc. Baptized members (les Baptisés) are among the most common type of members, and some Cercles and Régionales try to only accept new members this way, although it is in no way an obligation to be baptized in order to be a part of a Cercle or to frequent them.
The
calotte is a Belgian
student cap worn by students attending Catholic universities. They are emblems of student folklore dating back to the late 19th century. Nowadays, most calottes are passed by way of a ceremony known as the coronae. How they are passed and what must be known or done to deserve it depends on the Cercle or Régionale. One thing that is universally known, is that there is a lot of singing involved.
Cercles are notorious for their generally high output of alcohol (especially beer) and low level of cleanliness. Students tend to wear old clothes that they don't mind damaging or dirtying as a consequence, and the overall ambiance is more akin to a rave or a frat-party than a nightclub or sports bar.
Kots
Student accommodation in Belgium comes in the form of a "
kot", a term having
Belgian Dutch
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
origin. A "kot" can be translated as den or hut. The French way to form the plural of "kot" is "kots" (in Dutch, the plural of "kot" is "koten"). In the bilingual region of Brussels, where there are both Dutch- and French-speaking universities and their students, it is common that "for rent" signs are in French only, with the French plural of "kot".
Kot-à-projet
Unique to UCLouvain a
Kot-à-projet (kap) is a kot whose inhabitants have similar interests and who organise activities for the general student population, they are similar to
Fraternity and sorority houses, but smaller in size with only the committee living in the kot. Being small several Kots can be situated in the same, university owned, apartment building. One of them is "le kap contes", a kot promoting the art of storytelling. Another is called "Kap Délices" which suggests varied activities such as theme buffets, cooking lessons, and material renting.
Student Union
The AGL (General Assembly of Louvain students) is the UCLouvain's
Students' union
A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to ...
. The body comprises an
executive
Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to:
Role or title
* Executive, a senior management role in an organization
** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators
** Executive di ...
Committee, and a
legislative
A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government.
Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known ...
Council. The Committee consists of ex-officio members: President, Vice-Presidents for Education & Welfare, VP for the Medicine faculty (situated in
UCLouvain Brussels Woluwe), General Secretary, Activities Officer, Communications Officer, Operations Officer, Foreign student's Officer, Cultural Officer,
Editor-in-Chief
An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies.
The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...
& Deputy Editor-in-Chief as well as the president of the council.
Publications
''Quinzaine'' a university produced newsletter, ''La Savate'' produced by the AGL and the monthly ''l'étincelle'' by the
Kot-à-projet KAP Etincelle. Cercles also produce publications.
24h Vélo
The 24 Hour Cycle (24h Vélo) is, nominally, a
bicycle
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
B ...
endurance
road race held in October, organised by ''CSE Animations'' (Centre Sportif Etudiant). While there is an elite race with teams of two, Student groups enter novelty themed multi-bike vehicles, in the shape of a Van or Whale for example, for prizes. The quality of these designs range in terms of artistic merit, and ability to stay intact over the duration of the race. A 240-minute race also takes place for teenagers. The event is probably best known for what happens off the track. Concurrent with the race is
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
's largest student event, with concerts and stands lasting the full 24hrs.
Notable people
Faculty
*
Paul Pascon, sociologist
Alumni
For pre-1968 alumni see
Catholic University of Louvain.
* (b. 1966),
economist
An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics.
The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this ...
*
Irene Bertschek, economist, Professor at
University of Giessen
University of Giessen, official name Justus Liebig University Giessen (german: Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen), is a large public research university in Giessen, Hesse, Germany. It is named after its most famous faculty member, Justus von ...
, head of
ZEW (Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research)
*
Vitold Belevitch
Vitold Belevitch (2 March 1921 – 26 December 1999) was a Belgian mathematician and electrical engineer of Russian origin who produced some important work in the field of electrical network theory. Born to parents fleeing the Bolsheviks, he ...
(1921–1999),
mathematician
A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems.
Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change.
History
On ...
*
Thierry Braspenning Balzacq, professor of political sciences and international relations
*
Gerbrand Ceder, Daniel M. Tellep Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant un ...
.
*
Rafael Correa (b. 1963), Ex-President of
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...
*
Xavier De Cuyper, agricultural engineer
*
Maryellen Fullerton
Maryellen Fullerton is an American lawyer and academic. She is a professor of law and former interim dean at Brooklyn Law School. She was the Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Law at the University of Trento for 2012-13.
Biography
Fullerton earned ...
, lawyer and professor and interim dean at
Brooklyn Law School
Brooklyn Law School (BLS) is a private law school in New York City. Founded in 1901, it has approximately 1,100 students. Brooklyn Law School's faculty includes 60 full-time faculty, 15 emeriti faculty, and a number of adjunct faculty.
Brooklyn ...
*
Archduchess Maria-Anna, Princess Galitzine, (b. 1954), Catholic activist
*
Véronique Gouverneur
Véronique Gouverneur (born 8 November 1964 in Geel, Belgium) is the Waynflete Professor of Chemistry at Magdalen College at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Prior to the Waynflete professorship, she held a tutorial fellowship ...
, (b. 1964), professor of chemistry
*
Dyab Abou Jahjah, (b. 1971), Lebanese-Belgian political activist
*
Oly Ilunga Kalenga
Oly Ilunga Kalenga (born 24 June 1960) is a Belgian–Congolese medical doctor who was the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Minister of Public Health from 2016 to 2019. He resigned his post on 22 July 2019, then was arrested on 14 September 20 ...
, (b. 1960), Minister of Health for the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
*
Carlos Larraín, President of
National Renewal (Chile)
National Renewal ( es, Renovación Nacional, RN) is a liberal conservative political party in Chile. It is a member of Chile Vamos, a center-right to right-wing coalition. Sebastián Piñera, the former President of Chile, is a member of the p ...
*
Queen Mathilde of Belgium (b. 1973)
*
Joëlle Milquet
Joëlle F.G.M. Milquet ( ; born 17 February 1961) is a Belgian politician from the Humanist Democratic Centre (CDH).
Education
She studied classics at the in Charleroi, before going on to graduate in law from the Université Catholique de Louv ...
(b. 1961), law, politician
*
António Mascarenhas Monteiro (1944–2016),
judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...
(law) and first democratically elected president of
Cape Verde
, national_anthem = ()
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, national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole
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, demonym ...
*
Philippe Van Parijs (b. 1951),
philosopher
A philosopher is a person who practices or investigates philosophy. The term ''philosopher'' comes from the grc, φιλόσοφος, , translit=philosophos, meaning 'lover of wisdom'. The coining of the term has been attributed to the Greek th ...
and
economist
An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics.
The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy. Within this ...
*
David Payne (b. 1944), politician
*
Gustavo Petro
Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego (; born 19 April 1960) is a Colombian economist, politician, and former guerrilla fighter who is the current president of Colombia since 2022. After taking office, Petro was considered by analysts as Colombia ...
, (b. 1960),
President of Colombia 2022 - 2026
*
Grégoire Polet (b. 1978), French-speaking Belgian writer, laureate of several literary prizes
*
Arnoud de Pret de Calesberg, commercial sciences,
InBev
*
Ronald Rolheiser,
O.M.I.
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816, by Eugène de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, ...
(b. 1947), President of the
Oblate School of Theology,
San Antonio, Texas
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_ ...
*
Páll Skúlason
Páll Skúlason (4 June 1945 – 22 April 2015) was a professor of philosophy and former Rector of the University of Iceland.
Born and raised in Akureyri, in northern Iceland, Páll Skúlason graduated from highschool in 1965. He studied phi ...
(b. 1945), philosopher and former Rector of the University of Iceland
*
Vera Songwe, economist
*
Walter Swennen, artist
*
Sophie Warny (b. 1969), Belgian Antarctic researcher
*
Nor Mohamed Yakcop
Tan Sri Nor Mohamed bin Yakcop ( Jawi: نور محمد بن يعقوب; born 24 August 1947) is a Malaysian politician who served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, in charge of Economic Planning Unit from 2009 to 2013. He had pr ...
, (b. 1947) Malaysian politician, Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, in charge of Economic Planning Unit.
*
Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, (b. 1957) climatology
See also
*
Academic libraries in Leuven
The city of Leuven in Belgium was the seat of three successive universities, each of which had a notable academic library.
The Library of the Old University
The Old University of Leuven founded in 1425 had a collegiate structure with no central ...
*
Belgian Co-ordinated Collections of Micro-organisms The Belgian Co-ordinated Collections of Micro-organisms (BCCM) is a Belgian government funded consortium of seven scientific institutions, who manage and exploit a collection of microbial and genetic resources. The consortium comprises more than 26 ...
(BCCM)
*
Catholic University of Mechlin
*
Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED)
*
Collegium Trilingue
*
Louvain-la-Neuve Cyclotron
*
Lovanium University
*
Open access in Belgium
*
Orchestre Symphonique des Étudiants de Louvain-la-Neuve
*
Science Parks of Wallonia
*
University Foundation
*
List of split up universities
This is a list of universities which were split into more than one new institution. Over the history numerous higher education institutions were split up or some scholars left already established institutions and established new ones. Some of the ...
Notes
:A. The Old University of Leuven (1425) is the oldest university in the low countries, and the Catholic University of Leuven (1834) is sometimes, controversially, identified as a continuation of it. Belgium's highest court, the
Court of Cassation has ruled that the (1834) Catholic University of Leuven cannot be regarded as continuing the old (1425) University of Leuven. See
Old University of Leuven#History.
:B. This is a relatively recent phenomenon. In 1859 the university celebrated its 25th anniversary and issued a book celebrating the 25 anniversary of the founding of the Catholic University of Louvain, November 3, 1859. In 1884, the university celebrated its 50th anniversary, acknowledging its actual date of foundation.
[In the year 1887, the Catholic University of Louvain, has celebrated his 50th anniversary.... E. Descamps, in : ''Université Catholique de Louvain : Liber Memorialis : 1834-1884'', Louvain : Peeters, 1887, p. V : "''les fêtes du cinquantième anniversaire de l'Université catholique de Louvain ont eu un brillant éclat et un immense retentissement''".] Only in 1968 did the new Catholic university add the date 1425 to its neo-gothic seal (created in 1909).
References
External links
Official web site of the University of Louvain
{{DEFAULTSORT:Universite Catholique De Louvain
Education in Brussels
Louvain, Universite Catholique de
Louvain, Universite Catholique de
Louvain, Universite catholique de
Louvain, Universite Catholique de
Louvain, Universite Catholique de
Forestry education
1968 establishments in Belgium
Catholic University of Leuven
Buildings and structures in Walloon Brabant
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
1834 establishments in Belgium