Free thinking and scientific practice
Teaching and research at VUB are founded on freedom of thought, critical reasoning and scientific methods. Free inquiry means testing ideas against facts, not against beliefs. Our view of humanity stems from this too: humanistic, inclusive and rooted in equality and self-determination.
Everyone should be free to be and become who they want to be. Love, identity and life choices are personal matters, not dictated by external rules.
Secular humanism as our foundation
VUB is a secular humanist university. This means that our ethical choices are based on reason, science and humanity â not on religious, political or other dogmas. Religion is a personal choice, which we respect, but it has no role in teaching, research or policy.
Commitment to the common good
We actively engage in building a sustainable and just society: through climate action, equal access to education, and an open community where differences can exist without exclusion. At the same time, we guard the boundary between engagement and ideology. Commitment must never come at the expense of freedom or scientific integrity.
Open debate, without taboos
VUB is a place for genuine dialogue. Not a safe haven where difficult conversations are avoided, but âbrave spacesâ where different ideas can be discussed â openly, respectfully, and sometimes challengingly.
Our shared values are a compass, not a straitjacket. They connect us in freedom, not in uniformity.
Free thought in words
Book: Braem â VUB: Temple of the Sciences
Braem â VUB: Temple of the Sciences is a richly illustrated book that pays tribute to the visionary architect Renaat Braem. It takes the reader through the history of the VUB, Braemâs fight for his daring designs, and the symbolism and fragility of his modernist architecture. At the same time, it highlights the need to preserve this iconic building for the future.
