2025 HIGHLIGHTS IN PICTURES
VUB INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
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THE INTERNATIONAL OFFICE TEAM NEWBIE
We had two newbies join our team this year: Maria Giulia, who joined the exchange team replacing Daniela who left, and Irina who replaced Vincent who retired.
OFFICE MOVE
Our office moved mid-January from Pleinlaan 5 to the newly restored Braem building. We paid our respects, held a wake and bid goodbye to PL5 (photo 1), and celebrated our new home with lots of enthusiasm and colour (photo 2)!
On 7 February 2025 we welcomed some 150 new international students and interns who started the 2nd semester at VUB through their exchange programmes. The orientation day welcome event included an info session, a campus tour, and drinks afterwards. They came from 38 countries inside and outside of Europe.
VUB DELEGATION TO VIETNAM
In March, a VUB delegation led by Rector Jan Danckaert and Vice-Rector Internationalisation Karin Vanderkerken, went on a visit to Vietnam to meet with six partner universities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. The delegation included several academics from various faculties. The trip was a precusor to the state visit by the King and Queen of the Belgians to Vietnam. The trip also included an evening with our alumni based in Vietnam. It was a highly successful event with more than 60 alumni attending at the rooftop bar in Hanoi, where they met each other, and did some networking with the delegation members.
VUB had the honour of hosting Her Excellency Dr. Amal Jadou, the Palestinian Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union. During her visit, Ambassador Jadou met with Rector Prof. Dr. Jan Danckaert and ULB Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Anne Weyembergh to discuss current collaborations and explore new avenues for academic exchange, research cooperation, and student support. The conversation centred around rebuilding efforts in Palestine, the importance of education and psychological support, and the crucial role universities can play in fostering dignity, understanding, and action. We are grateful for this inspiring visit and look forward to building on the shared commitment to meaningful partnership.
ERASMUS+ PROJECTS TEAM
In the Erasmus+ framework,VUB participated in 98 project proposals for the 2025 call, either as coordinator or partner. This is an increase for the 4th year in a row. Compared to 2024, there is an increase of 65%! This shows the continued growing interest in Erasmus+. So far, 15 projects were selected for funding, of which six are coordinated by VUB, and VUB will be a partner in the other nine. They include two capacity building projects and 6 cooperation partnerships with higher education, school education, NGOs, and sports and two Alliances for Innovation projects. Throughout the project cycle, the International Relations office colleagues offer ongoing support from proposal writing/evaluation up to the end of the project, including the reporting phase.
In addition of the project support, the team organised a series of info sessions (on EU & International Equitable Cooperation funding opportunities, and on Erasmus+ funding opportunities), trainings (on project writing), and attended meetings in the framework of the EUTOPIA European university.
EUTOPIA’s science diplomacy work continues to gain momentum. Over the past months, activities have included the launch of the AUF-funded report on the science diplomacy actorness of universities, preparations for a December conference in Venice exploring the intersections between science diplomacy and cultural heritage and plans to bring science diplomacy perspectives into several of EUTOPIA’s Connected Communities. EUTOPIA will also be represented at the upcoming science diplomacy conference organised by the Danish Presidency. Together, these initiatives reinforce EUTOPIA’s position as a leading European university alliance advancing science diplomacy in practice.
Erasmus
without papers
The exchange team is working on the implementation of Erasmus Without Papers (EWP) that, together with the European Student Card and the Erasmus App, is one of the building blocks of the European Student Card Initiative (ESCI). With the current Erasmus+ framework, the ESCI aims at simplifying and digitalising the administrative processes. The idea is to substitute all the documents for partner universities and students exchange with a digital exchange of data via the EWPsystem. Since 2021, VUB has taken part in this endeavour and we are currently working with digital inter-institutional agreements (the documents that define the conditions and numbers of students exchanged between two universities) as well as Digital Learning Agreements (learning contract between the universities and the student) for both incoming and outgoing students. The next goal is to integrate nominations and the transcript of records. This is a clear advantage but it is a big change which poses challenges while universities work through this transition period.
APRIL-MAY-JUNE
INTERNATIONAL DAYS, HIGH-LEVEL VISITS
Our International Days this year were held on 21-22 May, and included a sessions on equal partnerships, a roundtable discussion on what the future for university development cooperation at universities holds, a lunchtime discussion on internationalising VUB, a presentation on the EUTOPIA alliance, and setting up international programmes, as well as info sessions for staff on research project funding, and a presentation by a representative of the European Commission on Erasmus+ projects. A shortened version of the International Days was presented on the VUB Health Campus in Autumn.
VUB RECEIVES VISIT FROM GLOBAL PARTNERS
On June 2nd, following the visit of the vice-chancellor of JOOUST, Kenya, a networking event was organised at the VUB bringing together some 30 colleagues from various partner countries: Uganda, Kenya, Cuba, Bolivia... Rector Danckaert stressed the importance of our cooperation with partner countries and expressed the wish to invest more in multistakeholderpartnerships.
• The VUB International Relations office also launched its Instagram account in 2025
• Our colleague Steven Verhulst did a walkathon from VUB to Gent in aid of cancer research for the UZ Brussel Foundation
The office also did several team building events across the year, including a pub quiz, a visit to the royal botanical gardens, a workshop on VR exergaming, and boardgames.
We bid goodbye to our finance wizz, Vincent, who retired in May. A lovely goodbye lunch was held among all colleagues to see him off, after a career which saw him start at VUB in January 1986.
VUB signed an agreement with Daughters For Life, to help female students from Gaza to study at the VUB. We welcomed Sara, our very first Daughters for Life (DFL) scholar. She is originally from GazaPalestine, enrolled in the Master’s in International Business programme with the support of the VUBDFL scholarship. Her presence embodies the values of resilience, excellence, and empowerment that both VUB and DFL stand for. We are honoured to accompany her on this important academic journey.
Luxembourg & Egypt
In the context of our diplomatic ties with multiple countries, the Minister of Education of Egypt visited VUB and the International Relations Office. During this visit, discussions were held over how VUB could further collaborate with Egyptian universities, and how Egypt aims to become the research and education hub of Africa. As a nice contrast with the collaborations and meetings with representatives from far away, we welcomed the Ambassador H.E. Jean-Louis Thill of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to VUB. During this visit the existing collaborations and possibilities for their medicine students to continue at VUB, and the Nexus2050 Tech Pulse were discussed.
JULY-AUGUST-SEPTEMBER
SUMMER ACTIVITIES & ORIENTATION DAYS
We welcomed some 1,200 new students who started in English-taught programmes in September during the Orientation Days. They are held in the days leading up to the start of the academic year and classes. This year’s general info session was combined with a series of other activities, including an exchange info session, and some waffles and drinks afterwards. The welcome week itself also included faculty & programme info sessions, campus tours, and a whole series of fun & games on campus and across Brussels. Welcome emails were sent to 3,000+ new students across summer and included an invitation to attend the Orientation Days.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS SUMMER/WINTER SCHOOL
The International Relations office hosted a two-week summer school welcoming more than 40 students from 6 Chinese partner universities (Tianjin Normal University, Beijing Normal University, Communication University of China, Henan Normal University, Sichuan University and Capital Normal University). The programme offered an engaging mix of academic seminars, workshops, and cultural visits, allowing the visiting students to explore Belgian and EU history, European values, and student life, while deepening their understanding of European perspectives.
At the same time, Tianjin Normal University and Sichuan University in China organised a reciprocal two-week summer school for a group of VUB students. This programme aims to immerse participants in Chinese language, culture, and society through a combination of language & academic lessons, visits, and cultural activities such as calligraphy, tea ceremonies, and traditional performances.
These parallel summer schools reflect the strong partnership between VUB and its partner universities in China, fostering mutual learning and intercultural understanding.
photoThierryGeenen
Summer school at the VUB in Brussels
EAIE in Gothenburg
The European Association for International Education organises a yearly event for all higher education instutions. Every year, colleagues from the International Relations office and from some faculties attend the events and lectures, representing VUB.
VUB students in China for summer schools
INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT
In 2025, the international marketing & recruitment team attended physical fairs in Croatia, Italy, Japan, China and Spain. This past year, the team focussed on physical fairs attended by Study in Flanders & Brussels, which took place in Greece,, Romania, Kenya, Colombia, Albania, Croatia, Serbia, Chile, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia, Mexico and Singapore. In addition, online information sessions were set up with prospective students across the year.
Virtual FPP fair
Fair in Japan
Fair in Croatia
WELCOMING OUR STUDENTS
The International Relations office welcome and information desk gives guidance and info on town hall administration, housing, healthcare, migration, taxes, banking, etc to some 5,000 visitors each year. For 2025-2026, Starting Point was open from 1 September up to 10 October. The International Office was represented always by one staff member, and two job students. In all, 5,270 visitors dropped by, and some 14.2% of those (751) were received by the colleagues from the International Office. In addition to this, 9 on-campus info sessions were organised on topics like blocked accounts and health insurance; in all, 650 students registered for these sessions.
This year Starting Point was housed on the ground floor of the Braem building, which as of September also now includes our health insurance partner Partena.
VUB hosts three VLIRUOS ICP programmes: Oceans & Lakes, SULAMA, and Mundus Tropicalis.
In all, 31 master’s students from 13 countries from across Africa, South America and South Asia.
The International Relations office team coordinates each student’s mobililty and manages their scholarships on behalf of VLIRUOS.
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER-DECEMBER
GO ABROAD FAIR, ALEF, BDA & DIPLOMACY
This year’s Go Abroad Fair took place on 14 October in Room Mandela. The fair was a big hit again as it is every year, with some 250-300 students popping by the 26 organisations throughout the day. The event was promoted at the Kick-off on campus Etterbeek and Jette, and there was a prize draw, with applied economics students Camille Lo Cunsolo winning a weekend in Europe. There was also a Go Abroad Café on 2 December in the VUB Lounge 1050, where students could pop in for drinks and snacks, and have an informal, relaxed chat with students who had been abroad.
VUB INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS FORUM
The week of 13 October we held our first international partners forum, where colleagues from our EUTOPIA partners and our Strategic International Partners (SIPs) came over to Brussels for a week of meetings with VUB colleagues, but also with EhB, VLIRUOS, and UZ Brussel. They also participate in the Go Abroad Fair to showcase their universities as possible exchange destinations to our students.
The Brussels Diplomatic Academy (BDA) organised the inaugural Brussels Maritime Talk: Human Rights Perspectives at Sea day. Speakers came from the international judiciary, Intergovernmental Organisations, NGOs, business and seafarer organisations. They discussed different aspects of Labour at Sea and identified major areas of concern and possible paths to change. Preparations are underway for the 2026 edition.
The BDA House of Diplomacy started to organise larger events to include visits and exchanges in a broader range of venues, and the BDA continued to provide speakers to the Flanders’ Diplomatic Academy.
The BDA continued to teach visiting students through specific internship programmes, such as under the Chair Asia-Pacific Studies or the MoU with the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The graduation ceremony for the BDA postgraduate certificate programmes was once again held at the Brussels Parliament, and the Academy provided speakers and participated in various diplomatic, business and academic events across the year.
www.brusselsdiplomaticacademy.eu/
photo Ana Martins photography
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT DAY
17 November is international student day, where we celebrate our international student community on campus. This year we published two articles from a series of interviews with international students at VUB, ‘The World at VUB’. Chao (from China) and Patrisia (from Spain), tell their story. Check the QR codes to read more.
VUB DELEGATION TO CHINA
A VUB delegation led by our Vice-Rector Internationalisation, and including representatives from various faculties (engineering, medicine & pharmacology, sciences & bioengineering sciences, psychology & educational sciences, and BSoG), met with various partner universities, signed MoUs, celebrated 20 years CSC, spoke at conferences, and attended an alumni event with more than 100 participants.
Patrisia is from Spain
Chao is from China
ALEF PROGRAMME
In its tenth school year, Alef organised a series of conferences, panels, and special activities throughout the academic year.
The programme’s reach continues to expand, with several official schools in Sweden and a school in Luxembourg who have adopted the Alef curriculum. We proudly began this school year with 350 pupils (our maximum capacity), reflecting the steady growth of our community.
Last year, 450 pupils received their Alef certificates in the presence of professors from the VUB and a representative of GO! Scholengroep Brussel.
To enrich the learning experience, we have also added a wealth of new digital materials to the Alef curriculum, ensuring our programme remains modern, interactive, and accessible for all.
On the humanitarian side, the Alef programme participated in a bazaar organised by Arab embassies to support education for the children of Gaza. alef.vub.be
www.alef.vub.be
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
The VUB International Relations Office engages with multiple actors through diplomacy. This crucial aspect of our operations played a role with visits from the ambassadors of Palestine, Egypt, Kenya, and Luxembourg. Our existing ties with governments on different levels were continued to ensure our students receive all possible assistance where needed.
Throughout the year, VUB played an active role in Belgian Missions to strategic locations. One of these was a State Mission to Vietnam, where our Rector Jan Danckaert attended events like the showcasing of our research in health with the Vietnam National University Hanoi. Next to the official visits, the International Relations Office also organised its own missions to China and Kenya to meet with partner universities.
The International Relations Office had multiple meetings to further strengthen the two Strategic International Partnerships with the University of Western Cape (UWC, South Africa) and the Central University “Marta Abreu” of Las Villas (UCLV, Cuba), and participated in some alumni events overseas.
VUB delegation visits Kenya
