The Free University of Brussels (ULB) is a French-speaking public research university located in the capital city of Belgium. It was founded in 1834 as a reaction to the closure of the Catholic University of Leuven by King William I of the Netherlands. The ULB is one of Belgium’s largest universities with over 22,000 students and 2,200 faculty members.
The university’s main campus is located in the heart of Brussels, near some of the city’s most important landmarks such as the Palace of Justice and Place Royale. The campus has been continuously expanded and modernized since its inception, most recently with the addition of a new library building designed by world-renowned architect Rem Koolhaas.
The ULB is an internationally oriented institution, with over half of its students coming from outside Belgium. It offers a wide range of programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level, in areas such as law, economics, political science, humanities, sciences, and engineering. The university also has an extensive network of partnerships with other institutions around the world.
The ULB is consistently ranked among the top universities in Europe and is widely recognized for its research excellence. It is home to many distinguished scholars and scientists, including Nobel Prize winners Jacques Dubois and Georges Lemaître.