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UCLouvain

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Catholic University of Louvain
Université Catholique de Louvain
File:LogoUCL.jpg
Seal of the University of Louvain
Latin: Universitas Catholica Lovaniensis
MottoSedes Sapientiae (Seat of Wisdom, Seat of Knowledge)
TypePrivate Catholic
Established1425
Endowment360 million EUR
RectorBernard Coulie (2005- )
Students21,647
1,371
Location
Louvain-la-Neuve
,
Belgium
CampusLouvain-la-Neuve, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
AffiliationsCoimbra Group<br\> Académie universitaire Louvain<br\> Special partnership with the Catholic University of Leuven
Websitewww.uclouvain.be
Data as of 2005

Template:Two other uses

The Université catholique de Louvain, sometimes known as UCL, is Belgium's largest French-speaking university, and a successor institution to the oldest university in the Low Countries. It is located in Louvain-la-Neuve and in Brussels. It has full university status.

History

For the history of the university prior to 1968 go here.

The Catholic University of Leuven, based in Leuven ("Louvain" in French), 30 km east of Brussels, provided lectures in French from 1835, and in Dutch from 1930. In 1968 the Dutch-language section became an independent Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, which remained in Leuven, while the French-speaking university was moved to a greenfield campus, Louvain-la-Neuve, 20 km south-east of Brussels, in a part of the country where French is the official language. This separation also entailed dividing existing library holdings between the two new universities.

With the democratization of university education already stretching existing structures, plans to expand the French-speaking part of the university at a campus in Brussels or Wallonia had been quietly discussed from the early 1960s, but it had not been anticipated that the French-speaking section would become an entirely independent university and lose all its buildings and infrastructure in Leuven. The first stone of the new campus at Louvain-la-Neuve was laid in 1971, and the transfer of faculties to the new site was completed in 1979.

Campuses

While the main campus of Université catholique de Louvain is based at Louvain-la-Neuve, there is however a small campus in Brussels, in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, which until recently was called "Louvain-en-Woluwe" (the authorities of the UCL tend to prefer nowadays to refer to it as "UCL-Brussels"). This satellite campus hosts the faculty of Medicine of the university. The campus is served by Alma station on line 1B of the Brussels Metro.

Prospects

According to a 2007 agreement, the Université Catholique de Louvain should absorb three small French-speaking catholic colleges: the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix (FUNDP) located in Namur, the Facultés Universitaires Saint-Louis (FUSL) located in Brussels and the Facultés universitaires catholiques de Mons (FUCAM) located in Mons and Charleroi. Negotiations started in September 2007 and they should lead to the creation of a new university to be called Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL). ( The campus might be identified as UCL/Brussels, UCL/Louvain-la-Neuve, UCL/Mons, UCL/Namur and UCL/Charleroi). The four universities are already part of a common group, the "Academie Louvain". Within this group, member universities have coordinated their masters programmes in the fields of economics, management, political sciences and sciences.

Faculties

  1. Faculty of Theology (theology)
  2. Faculty of Philosophy (also known as the Institute of Philosophy, ISP)(philosophy)
  3. Faculty of Law (law)
  4. Faculty of Economical, Social and Political Sciences.(economics, management , sociology, anthropology, political sciences, communication, journalism, demography, development studies).
  5. Faculty of Philosophy and Literature (Arts and Humanities)(languages and literature, history, history of art, theatre, archeology)
  6. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences (psychology, education)
  7. Faculty of Science (biology, chemistry, physics, geography, mathematics, computer science)
  8. Faculty of Engineering (engineering)
  9. Faculty of Applied Bioscience and Engineering (bio-engineering, agronomy, environmental studies)
  10. Faculty of Medicine (medicine)
  11. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences (pharmacology)
  12. Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences (kinesiology, physical education)

General credit

The Université catholique de Louvain educates around 22,000 students (2003) in all areas of studies, from theology to biology and from nuclear physics to law. It has educated a large part of Belgium's elite and is still considered, with its Dutch-speaking sister, as a centre of excellence in many fields. In 2006, it was ranked 76th in the world universities ranking established by the Times higher education supplement (24th in Europe). It is connected to Brussels by a train service, and the new town and campus is unusually architecturally interesting.

Student life

Cercles

Cercles are Student Societies or Fraternities based around each faculty. Each Cercles runs a bar. In order to be inducted new members are paraded true the street over night in hazing ceremonies involving eggs and other foosdtuffs, paint, demeaning chants etc.

Kots

Student accommodation in Belgium comes in the form of a "kot", a term having Flemish (linguistics) origin.

Kot à projet

Unique to UCL a "Kot à projet" (KAP) is a KOT whose inhabitants have similar interests and who organise activities for the general student population, they are similar to Fraternity and sorority houses, but smaller in size with only the committee living in the Kot. Being small several Kots can be situated in the same, university owned, apartment building. Kot ONU is interested in the UN while the Kot et Scout is interested in Scouting & Guiding.

CSE

Sport in UCL is organised by CSE Animations (Centre Sportif Etudiant), a KAP. Events include the 24h Velo, 10 Mile race and semester soccer leagues.

Student Union

The AGL (General Assembly of Louvain students) is the UCL's Students' union. The body comprises an executive Committee, and a legislative Council. The Committee consists of ex-officio members: President, Vice-Presidents for Education & Welfare, VP for the Medicine faculty (Situated in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert), General Secretary, Activities Officer, Communications Officer, Operations Officer, Foreign student's Officer, Cultural Officer, Editor-in-Chief & Deputy Editor-in-Chief as well as the president of the Council.[1]

Publications

Quinzaine a University produced newsletter, and La Savate produced by the AGL. Cercles also produce publications.

24 velo

Main article: 24h velo (LLN)

The 24 Hour Cycle (24h Vélo) is, nominally, a bicycle endurance road race held in October, now in it's 31st year. While there is an elite race with teams of two, Student groups enter novelty themed multi-bike vehicles, in the shape of a Van or Whale for example, for prizes. The quality of these designs range in terms of artistic merit, and ability to stay intact over the duration of the race. A 240 minute race also takes place for teenagers. The event is probably best known for what happens off the track. Concurrent with the race is Belgium’s largest student event, with concerts and stands lasting the full 24hrs.

Notable alumni

For pre-1968 alumni go here.

See also

  1. ^ http://www.aglouvain.be/wiki/index.php/Comit%E9#Composition_du_Comit.E9 AGL wiki (French)
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