The University of Leuven is a modern university, located within the City of Leuven, a vibrant city in the centre of Belgium, and close to Brussels, the centre of Europe. The K.U.Leuven offers an ideal research and learning environment, rooted in a solid and venerable tradition but with its sights set squarely on the future.
What we do, we want to do well. Research, defined as critical reflection oriented to the advancement of knowledge, is independent and does not shy away from experiments and risks. Our university nurtures a varied and complementary set of scientific disciplines, based on fundamental, applied, clinical and policy-oriented research.
The pursuit of quality is equally central to our educational programmes. The K.U.Leuven wants its students to become independent and critical thinkers. It therefore trains them to become professional specialists but also individuals characterised by intellectual openness, a real taste for culture, and a sense of civic responsibility.
The university is both the intellect and the conscience of our contemporary, cosmopolitan and knowledge-based society. The K.U.Leuven does not shun debate and dares to take the lead. Based on its Christian inspiration, our university makes well-founded ethical and philosophical choices. Its mission includes the dissemination of knowledge but also a firm commitment to society. This is amply illustrated by the health care offered by the University Hospitals, the research valorisation process mediated by our centre for Research and Development, and the policy-oriented research carried out by the Higher Institute for Labour Studies and its attention to the problems of the economically challenged and other groups at risk in our society.
The K.U.Leuven is a richly varied community of people, with diverse interests, missions, nationalities and expertise. That is why we invest in collaboration and human relations. We actively encourage the integration of all staff and students. Equal opportunities for all are a cornerstone of our policies. Young talent is given the necessary space to grow, in a stimulating environment. Good student services are central to our vision of a university. The network of Leuven alumni reinforces the ties between the university and its former students.
Leuven is a dynamic city, surrounded by breathtaking countryside, and teeming with the nightlife, leisure and cultural opportunities you expect from a major city. Located in the young Province of Vlaams-Brabant, and geographically connected to the rest of Flanders through its campus in Kortrijk, the K.U.Leuven is working hard to strengthen its profile as a European and international scientific institution. Leuven has an international outlook. Scholars and students from across the globe are our guests, and our own alumni can be found all over the world. The K.U.Leuven actively promotes collaboration with foreign universities and research institutions, among other partnerships, within the framework of the League of European Research Universities (LERU).
Katholieke Universiteit LEUVEN Belgium
