Founded in 1425, the University of Leuven ( Belgium) is the oldest Catholic university in the world. It was founded by Pope Martin V and John of Bavaria, Duke of Brabant. The university has an impressive list of alumni and has been at the forefront of research in a number of fields.
Today, the University of Leuven is a leading research institution with a strong focus on both basic and applied sciences. It comprises 13 faculties covering a wide range of disciplines, including medicine, law, economics, social sciences, engineering and humanities. The university also has a large hospital complex which provides excellent clinical facilities for students and staff.
The University of Leuven is consistently ranked among the top 100 universities in the world by various international rankings. In 2019, it was ranked 72nd overall by Times Higher Education World University Rankings and 63rd by QS World University Rankings. The university is also home to Belgium’s largest library system which comprises over 5 million volumes.