Kate Meier

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is a research-based, critically thinking, comprehensive and internationally oriented university. As an Urban Engaged University in Brussels, it strives to deliver an active, committed contribution to a better society. Therefore, we strive to provide quality research with a strong local base. By providing excellent research and education on a human scale, VUB aims to make an active and committed contribution to a better society. VUB offers high-quality education to more than 21,000 students from 145 nationalities across four campuses: humanities, sciences & engineering, health, and photonics. We host over 130 research groups and over 620 professors working across 9 faculties. Research activities are supported by 9 core facilities and research infrastructures and together with the university hospital, VUB forms one of the largest knowledge centres in the capital of Europe. Consequently, VUB contributes to the Brussels-Capital Region, which has been recognized as an Innovation Leader, scoring high in the number of scientific co-publications. VUB has a portfolio of 45 spin-offs, demonstrating our engagement with intersectoral working and knowledge transfer. The university is an enthusiastic participant in European projects and leads as the top Brussels-based organization for participation in Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects: it was awarded 202 H2020 research projects, accounting for more than 100 million euros in European funding. In these projects, VUB collaborated with 1,985 partners from 79 countries and coordinated 28% of the projects. As of January 2025, VUB has secured 109 million euros for contributions to 175 Horizon Europe projects.. Together with its partners, VUB was selected by the European Commission as one of the first pilot projects for developing a 'European University': the EUTOPIA alliance, comprising 10 European universities committed to transforming into an open, inclusive academy. The VUB is committed to the principles of open, transparent and merit-based recruitment and first received the HRS4R quality label in 2011 and a renewal for the next three years was approved in 2024 for the period of 2024-2027.