Introduction to Catholic University of Louvain

Catholic University of Louvain generally refers to the Catholic University of Louvain, which is one of the largest and world-renowned universities in Belgium. It is located in the Flemish region of Belgium and has a long history of nearly 600 years. It is the oldest existing Catholic university in the world and the oldest university in the "Low Countries" in Western Europe.

Overview

Student size: The number of students exceeds 30,000, of which more than 3,000 students come from more than 120 different countries.

Faculty: There are more than 5,000 professors and scholars who conduct top-level research in accordance with the highest international standards, and have benign interaction, cooperation and communication with each other.

History and establishment time

In 1425, at the suggestion of John, the fourth Duke of Brabant, Pope Martin V issued an edict to establish the Catholic University of Louvain. In its early days, professors mainly came from the University of Paris, the University of Cologne and the University of Vienna, and it had a Faculty of Arts, a Faculty of Law and a Faculty of Medicine. In 1432, a seminary was added.

School strength

Academic research: The University of Louvain has in-depth research and outstanding achievements in many academic fields. Leading in the number of projects of higher education institutions in horizoneurope, with a total of 148 projects worth 84.8 million euros. As of the end of 2022, it ranks fourth in the ERC ranking of academic institutions and is also the most active educational institution in the MSCA doctoral training network program, with 22 projects, surpassing CNRS.

International cooperation: As a founding member of the European Research University Alliance, Coimbra Group, Europaeum, European University Association and other university alliances, KU Leuven has close cooperation with world-renowned universities such as Oxford University, Cambridge University, Sorbonne University and Edinburgh University.

Institutional nature

The school is a public university of the Catholic Church.

Educational philosophy

Focus on cultivating students' comprehensive literacy, not only emphasizing the imparting of professional knowledge, but also focusing on cultivating students' moral and ethical values, encouraging students to actively participate in social affairs and contribute to society, and cultivating professionals with social responsibility and global vision through academic research and educational practice.

Key laboratories and disciplines

Key laboratories: The school has many advanced scientific research laboratories, such as laboratories in the field of microelectronics and nanotechnology, equipped with high-end instruments and equipment, providing strong support for related research; there are also professional laboratories in bioinformatics and biostatistics, focusing on cutting-edge research such as genetic data analysis and protein structure prediction.

Key disciplines: Semiconductors, microelectronics and nanotechnology, electrical and electronic engineering, bioinformatics and biostatistics, stem cell research, genetics and other disciplines are in a world-leading position.

Faculty

The school has 17 colleges and one association, covering the Seminary, the Institute of Advanced Philosophy, the School of Church Law, the School of Law, the School of Economics, the School of Social Sciences, the School of Arts, the School of Psychology and Education, the School of Sciences, the School of Engineering Sciences, the School of Engineering Technology, the School of Bioengineering, the School of Medicine, the School of Pharmacy, the School of Kinesiology, etc.

Ranking

2024 QS World University Rankings: 61st.

2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings: 42nd.

2023 U.S. News World University Rankings: 50th Name.

Expenses

Tuition fees vary depending on major, degree level and student status. For the 2021-2022 academic year, the standard annual tuition fee for full-time students is 835 euros, which applies to students from Belgium, EU member states and non-EU countries who are considered equivalent to Belgian students; for non-EU students who have not been assimilated, tuition fees may increase, such as an additional supplementary tuition fee of 4,175 euros in the 2021-2022 academic year, but if the student receives a study grant in the French-speaking region of Belgium, the tuition fee can be reduced to 0 euros, and the tuition fee for students who enjoy a tuition fee reduction can be reduced to 374 euros, and the tuition fee for students who receive the Minerval grant is 485 euros.

Campus

Campus environment: The main campus is located in Leuven, Belgium. There is no unified teaching area or student dormitory area on campus. The various colleges are distributed in Leuven and integrated with the city. The school property includes a United Nations World Historical and Cultural Heritage, called Grootbegijnhof, which includes a Gothic church and the surrounding well-preserved European medieval residential area.

Campus facilities: The school has complete teaching facilities and rich living facilities, providing students with good learning and living conditions. In addition to advanced laboratories, libraries and other teaching resources, there are also swimming pools, archery halls, golf courses, volleyball courts and other sports facilities to meet students' extracurricular life needs.