In brief
At VUB, you study in the heart of Brussels, close to innovative research and in an environment that challenges you to think for yourself, take action and find your own path.
- You are taught by researchers working on developments in areas such as AI, mobility, medical technology and fundamental science.
- You get plenty of opportunities to practise, experiment and apply your knowledge, with professors and teaching assistants close at hand.
- Brussels becomes part of your education: you study in an international environment and gain opportunities for internships, projects and collaborations across borders.
- Free Inquiry teaches you to critically question arguments, evidence and your own beliefs.
- On VUB’s green campuses, studying, living, sports and student life are all close together, with Brussels within easy reach.
1. At the heart of tomorrow’s innovative research
The world is changing fast. AI, robotics, new forms of mobility and medical technology are also changing the expertise we will need tomorrow. If you want to make a difference, a broad foundation alone is not enough. You need to truly master your field.
At VUB, you study right at the heart of that change. VUB researchers work with powerful supercomputers, develop technology for the Einstein Telescope, help shape the electric mobility of tomorrow and work with UZ Brussel to explore how AI can improve medicine.
That research feeds directly into your degree programme. You are taught by researchers who are helping to advance their field and study close to specialist laboratories, research infrastructure and a university hospital. This gives you the expertise to keep pace with a field that never stands still.
Discover how we innovate
Tomorrow’s doctor works with AI
AI can analyse thousands of data points that no doctor could possibly process one by one. At VUB and UZ Brussel, researchers and doctors are exploring how this technology can help in areas such as eye diseases, multiple sclerosis and pancreatic cancer.
The goal? Not to replace doctors, but to help them identify patterns faster, make better decisions and provide more targeted treatment for patients.
Discover how VUB and UZ Brussel are using AI to shape the medicine of tomorrow
Chemistry and technology tackling climate change
From new materials and sustainable energy to batteries and advanced manufacturing technologies. VUB researchers at FACT bring together chemistry, physics and engineering to make technology better, smarter and more sustainable.
Science at the limits of what is possible
How do you study colliding neutron stars, black holes or even the period before the first stars were formed? VUB researchers are helping to develop technology and scientific applications for the Einstein Telescope, a new underground telescope designed to measure gravitational waves with unprecedented precision.
Discover how VUB researchers are helping to build the Einstein Telescope
Over 40 years at the forefront of AI
AI may seem new, but VUB has been researching it for more than 40 years. VUB researchers have helped lay the foundations of the field and built an international network. As a student, you become part of that expertise and the research that continues to shape AI today.
2 Less watching. More doing.
At VUB, you do not just watch a professor demonstrate something. You get more opportunities to practise, experiment, discuss and put your knowledge into practice.
Professors and teaching assistants are approachable and accessible. This means you get feedback and personal guidance more quickly, while also being challenged to think actively and take responsibility. Expectations are high, but you get the support you need and the space to become increasingly independent.
Students and professors share what it means to learn by doing
3 Brussels as your international springboard
At VUB, you do not just study in Brussels, but with Brussels. You learn on a multilingual, international campus, in a city where science, politics, business, culture and society come together. This international mix is not a temporary Erasmus experience: it is part of your everyday student life.
That international environment also becomes part of your degree programme. Through international projects, collaborations and internships, you get opportunities to work across borders and discover different perspectives. And with Brussels as your base, Europe is within easy reach.
So while studying, you build not only knowledge, but also an international network and the experience to find your way in an increasingly interconnected world.
Discover where Brussels can take you
Europe becomes your campus
As a VUB student, you are part of EUTOPIA, a network of ten European universities. This gives you opportunities to study across borders, collaborate on international projects and meet students and researchers from across Europe.
Discover how EUTOPIA adds an international dimension to your studies.
Brussels opens doors
Ike Picone | Professor Communication Studies
“Brussels is an international media hub, with the European institutions and many international media companies close by. This proximity gives our students excellent access to the sector and strong internship opportunities with both Flemish and international media organisations.”
4 Think critically. Dare to think further.
At VUB, you have the freedom to ask questions, challenge ideas and form your own point of view. Even when it goes against what others take for granted.
That is part of VUB’s DNA. Our principle of Free Inquiry means that knowledge is never simply set in stone. You learn to weigh up arguments, examine evidence critically and revise your views when the facts call for it. You also learn to look beyond what is scientifically or technologically possible and consider what is desirable for people and society.
That freedom also asks something of you. We expect you to think independently, question choices and take responsibility for what you say and do. We do not teach you what to think. We challenge you to think for yourself.
Critical thinking in practice
Why demolish when there is another way?
The old Van Der Meeren student residences no longer met current standards. Demolition seemed like the obvious choice. VUB researchers questioned that assumption and turned them into a testing ground for circular construction. Today, they are exploring how buildings can be adapted and materials reused.
What kind of AI do we actually want?
AI is capable of more and more. But just because something is possible, does that mean it is desirable? At VUB, we take a critical look at both the opportunities and the pitfalls. Through FARI, VUB and ULB work together on responsible AI for people and society. VUB researcher Andres Algaba investigates bias in AI, while that same critical perspective is also at the heart of the postgraduate programme AI for the Common Good.
Dare to challenge your own views
In the Free Inquiry Study Circle, VUB students debate social, scientific and philosophical questions. They not only challenge each other, but also learn to critically question their own beliefs.
5 A green campus. A close-knit community.
At VUB, your student life is not scattered across the city. On our green campuses, everything is close by: classrooms and labs, libraries, student restaurants, sports facilities, student accommodation and places to meet.
That compact campus also brings people closer together. You might run into professors on the Esplanade, quickly get to know other students and find a community where students share experiences and help each other move forward. It is big enough for there always to be something going on, yet compact enough to quickly find your way – and your people.
And you get to study surrounded by greenery, with space to exercise, meet up or simply unwind. With Brussels just beyond the campus, you get the best of both worlds: a close-knit campus with a global city within easy reach.