With over 38,000 students and nearly 3600 researchers and teachers, the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) is a leading institution of higher education and research in Belgium and abroad. Ever since its foundation in 1834, ULB has demonstrated a firm engagement in the defence of democracy, individual freedom, and human rights. This engagement is reflected in both its research collaborations and global teaching endeavours.
With one-third of its students and researchers coming from abroad, ULB reflects Brussels’ international and multicultural identity. Its outward-looking stance to Europe and the world has resulted in the setting up of numerous collaborations with some of the world’s top universities. Indeed, it actively participates in Mobility programmes such as Erasmus+ and Erasmus Mundus. Our university is also part of the European alliance network CIVIS, bringing together a community of more than 470,000 students and 58,000 staff members. It is also involved in international cooperation through its NGO ULB Cooperation, which coordinates projects in Africa in several domains (teaching, health, environment etc.).
ULB also actively contributes to the economic, social, and cultural development of the Brussels-Capital region and Wallonia. Since September 2015, ULB has its own university campus in the city of Charleroi, in which teaching, research and training activities are developed. The University cultivates close relationship with the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (within the Brussels University Alliance) and with the University of Mons. The University is also currently one of the largest employers in Belgium, with a large network of research centres, hospital, and libraries.
European funding programmes
ULB has a long tradition of excellence in Research with four scientific Nobel Prizes, two Nobel Peace Prizes, one Fields Medal, three Wolf Prizes and two Marie Curie Excellence Awards, with almost 2,000 PhD in progress distributed among 22 Doctoral schools. ULB has considerable experience with European funding programmes, being involved in more than 310 projects financed by the 7th European Framework Programme (FP7), Horizon 2020 (H2020) and Horizon Europe (HE), from which 97 MSCA projects.
Brussels Liaison office
Attached to the department of External relations and communication, The ULB’s liaison office was created in 2023. It aims to achieve various missions, some of which are:
- Facilitate contact with EU institutions and develop academic, teaching and research collaborations with EU representatives and Alumni working in European institutions or bodies.
- Ensure visibility of ULB’s actions in education, research, and innovation.
- Provide and collect information on current and future EU-funded research programmes (FPT7, Horizon Europe etc.).
- Develop network collaborations and potential partnerships with other universities.
Our Liaison office is composed of internal members from CIVIS, the international relations service, and our dedicated EU-funded research service. It aims to coordinate and strengthen our external EU policy.
For more information on ULB’s international connexions: https://www.ulb.be/en/partnerships-networks