VUB class of 2022 graduates on Grand Place in Brussels

Today sees the first graduation ceremonies of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel at the Grand Place in Brussels, a special place that symbolises the connection between the university, its students and the city. VUB waves goodbye to 2,000 master’s students in the presence of their families and friends. From the balcony of Brussels City Hall, they will be lauded for their dedication and graduation, the crowning achievement of their university career. After the ceremony on the Grand Place, the students will continue their celebrations on the Mont des Arts.

For three days, the Grand Place in Brussels will be dominated by VUB’s graduation ceremonies as the 10 faculties, the Multidisciplinary Institute for Teacher Training and BRUFACE wave their students off to loud applause.

At each ceremony, several prominent speakers will address the graduates. They inspire the students to make a lasting commitment to a better world, even after their studies, by choosing a socially meaningful career. Among them will be the dean of the faculty, Brussels mayor Philippe Close and several VUB alumni. The announcement of the laureates will follow and prizes will be handed out.

After the celebration, the class of 2022 will be invited to Plein Publiek BXL or Château Morderne, two unique locations on the Mont des Arts in Brussels. There, with their guests, they will raise a glass to the graduation.

“Receiving your diploma in the Grand Place is a joyous occasion with a lot of symbolism. We are happy to offer this experience to the students of ULB, VUB and Haute École Francisco Ferrer and their families. It is a new tradition that is now part of Brussels student life,” said Brussels mayor Philippe Close.

“As an urban engaged university, connection with the city is of the utmost importance,” said Jan Danckaert, proclaiming VUB students for the first time as rector of VUB. “We are therefore extremely happy that we can strengthen that connection and proclaim our graduates again on the Grand Place of the capital. On the one hand, they can feel how proud of them we are as Alma Mater. After all, getting a degree is the culmination of a period of personal growth and intellectual development. And that deserves loud applause. On the other hand, we also want to encourage them to become ambassadors of our university and of Brussels, and inspire them to make their mark on society and contribute to a better world.”

After VUB, graduation ceremonies will follow for students at the Université libre de Bruxelles and the Haute École Francisco Ferrer. In total, the festivities of the three institutions will last a week, from 10 to 16 October.

The programme of the VUB graduation ceremonies