ULB In a Nutshell

MULTICULTURAL AND INTERNATIONAL
The Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) is a truly multicultural institution, with one third of its students and researchers coming from abroad. International relations are part of everyday life at ULB, reflecting the spirit of Brussels itself, one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. Thanks to its outward-looking approach to Europe and the wider world, the Université libre de Bruxelles has established numerous agreements, collaborations and special partnerships with leading universities across the globe.

GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH
With four Nobel Prizes in the sciences, one Fields Medal and three Wolf Prizes, the Université libre de Bruxelles has a longstanding tradition of academic and research excellence. ULB is an active member of the European Research Area and has received the EU’s HR Excellence in Research award (EURAXESS), along with EU funding to support postdoctoral researchers through the COFUND programme. Over the past few years, ULB has secured 49 European Research Council (ERC) grants, including Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, Synergy and Proof of Concept awards supporting groundbreaking research in medicine, mathematics, political science, economics, physics and more. In addition, the University’s Institute for European Studies is recognised as a “Jean Monnet European Research Centre” for its contributions to the study of European integration.

HIGH TEACHING STANDARDS
The Université libre de Bruxelles comprises 12 faculties covering all disciplines, combining academic teaching with research. It offers nearly 40 undergraduate programmes and 250 graduate programmes, including 23 Master’s degrees fully taught in English, as well as six Erasmus Mundus joint programmes. The University also partners with 20 Doctoral schools, supporting almost 1,600 PhD students. A central aim of ULB’s teaching is to develop critical thinking and an appetite for research while addressing the needs of new and diverse student populations.

A FOCUS ON LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY
As a French-speaking university, most courses at the Université libre de Bruxelles are taught in French, though an increasing number of Master’s programmes are delivered partly or entirely in English. To support integration and success, ULB offers a wide range of French language courses, both before and during the academic year, helping international students strengthen their language skills.

A COMMITTED UNIVERSITY
Since its foundation, the Université libre de Bruxelles has stood for independence and freedom, with a strong commitment to democracy, human rights and individual liberties. ULB provides extensive student support services, including financial and psychological assistance, guidance and French classes. Guided by the principle of free enquiry, which upholds independent reasoning and rejects dogma, the Université libre de Bruxelles continues to defend democratic values and human rights while remaining faithful to its founding ideals as a free institution.