Facts and figures 2021-2022

VUB 2021

-

2022

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF OUR UNIVERSITY

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF OUR UNIVERSITY FACTS AND FIGURES

Everything you wanted to know about Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Our place in Brussels and the broader international context. Where we stand in global rankings. Our history and milestones: the basis for our values today. Who our students are, where they come from and what they are studying. How our alumni find their place on the job market. Academic and supporting staff: they are there for you every day. How our campuses not only grow but become futureproof. Which budgets finance leading research and what the results are. How innovation leads to patents, entrepreneurship and successful spin-offs. Where our university hospital UZ Brussel is and what pioneering science is carried out there. We continue to work together towards a sustainable university, committed to a better society.

“VUB HAS CLEARLY. CHOSEN TO BE AN ACTIVE PART OF OUR BRUSSELS METROPOLITAN ENVIRONMENT. BRUSSELS IS A GREAT LIVING LAB FOR OUR RESEARCHERS AND FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE ARE AN URBAN ENGAGED UNIVERSITY.”

Jan Danckaert Rector of VUB

VUB – URBAN, ENGAGED UNIVERSITY

#WEAREVUB

BRUSSELS: EASY ACCESS

2 hours

1 hour 20 minutes

3 hours

2 hours

25 minutes

2 trains/hour

BRUSSELS: BEATING HEART OF EUROPE

World’s largest press centre

• 1,313 accredited journalists

• 979 foreign journalists

• > 1.2 million inhabitants

• 30% of foreign origin

• 108 languages

• 4th most important business city in Europe

• > 2,000 international institution headquarters

• International decision-making centre

• EU & NATO headquarters

• 1st city in Europe for conferences

• Largest diplomatic community in Europe

BRUSSELS: OUR LIVING LAB

MAIN CAMPUS NEAR ULB*

• Welcoming policy for international students

• Individual and group study coaching

BRUSSELS CITY CAMPUSWEKONEKT

• City becomes classroom

• Connecting students, Brussels & the professional world

BRUSSELS HEALTH CAMPUS @UZ BRUSSEL** CONNECTED KNOWLEDGE CENTRES *

MORE THAN JUST STUDYING THE WORLD NEEDS US

Jan Danckaert Rector of VUB

CAMPUSES

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW

VUB Main Campus

VUB Health Campus

Elsene Jette

VUB Usquare Campus

Elsene

VUB Photonics Campus

Gooik

Oranjerie & COOVI Campuses

Diest, Leuven & Anderlecht

FUTURE INVESTMENTS IN ELSENE AND JETTE W

• 2023 A+2 Jette (VUB-UZ)

Work spaces, meeting rooms & study facilities

• 2024 Learning & Innovation Center (VUB-ULB) study & recreation facilities

• 2024 V-ally renovation (first phase) auditoria, laboratories and work spaces

• 2024 Building G, 2 lab floors and technical roof floor state of the art laboratories, work spaces and meeting rooms

• 2024 Renovation/conservation Braem building

• 2025 Science & Technology Park ‘Building E’ (VUB-ULB-HE2B)

Classrooms, laboratories and offices

• 2025 Usquare (VUB-ULB)

Research groups incubators FABLAB student rooms

VUB

VUB ESTATE 2021

37,000 METRES

UTP CABLES

NEW VUB DATA CENTRE

ELECTRICAL POWER BATTERIES

· Network + Minkels: 64 kW

· POD: 200 kW

COOLING CAPACITY OF 405 KW

Of which 210 KW for POD

FLOOR AREA 110 M³

TOTAL INVESTMENT 2,647,000 EUROS

ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSFORMER 1 MW

TOTAL NUMBER

RACKS: 60

· Electricity: 5

· Supporting: 21

· IT: 34

SAFE LOCATION FOR SERVERS

RESEARCH GROUPS

Improvement buildings

Cooling & Electricity Improvement IT installation POD

Transfo & Emergency generator

ELECTRICAL POWER EMERGENCY GENERATOR: 1.2 MW

 Installation in a rack

 Connectivity: high-speed 10 Gbps and more for normal interfaces and 1 Gbps for out-of-band management

 Secure access and fire protection

 Availability monitoring as basic function

 Performance monitoring

 Backup & data recovery for virtual machines

HUMANISTIC SCULPTURE PARK & LIVING CAMPUS WALK

The Humanistic Sculpture park is a unique open-air museum with permanent and temporary art collections. All the artworks symbolise or question the values and philosophy of VUB.

The Living Campus Walk is an exploration of the fauna and flora that grows and flourishes on our campus.

Visit our campuses in 360° images at https://virtualtour.vub.be

NETWORK

European University Associaton (EUA)

>15,000 international alumni out of >75,000 alumni in total (19.35%)

VUB China Network

Student exchanges with 272 partner universities & 153 MoUs with 137 institutions

Grupo Coimbra Brasil

Brussels University Alliance

University Association Brussels (UAB)

Scholars at Risk Alliance with Ghent University

Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe (UNICA)

Top Industrial Managers for Europe (T.I.M.E.)

University Centre for Development Cooperation (UCOS) International Migration, Integration and Social Cohesion in Europe (IMISCOE)

Brussels Academy for China and European Studies (BACES)

EU university network EUTOPIA

VUB-ULB ASSOCIATION PROJECTS

EVENTS

 Graduation ceremony at Brussels’ Grote Markt

 Pride parade, open-minded universities

 St-Vé

 Difference Day with joint VUB-ULB Honoris Causa for former president of PEN International Jennifer Clement and Indian journalist Ravish Kumar

RESEARCH

 Joint PHDs ULB-VUB

 FARI: AI for the Common Good Institute

SOCIETY

 Cyclocross ULB-VUB

#WEAREVUB

“THINKING MUST NEVER SUBMIT ITSELF, NEITHER TO A DOGMA, NOR TO A PARTY, NOR TO A PASSION, NOR TO AN INTEREST, NOR TO A PRECONCEIVED IDEA, NOR TO ANYTHING WHATSOEVER, EXCEPT TO THE FACTS THEMSELVES, BECAUSE FOR IT TO SUBMIT TO ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BE THE END OF ITS EXISTENCE.”

Henri Poincaré (1854-1912)

“QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS® HAS VUB AMONG THE TOP 20% OF UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD. WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS PUTS VUB IN THE ELITE TOP 300 BASED ON RESEARCH, EDUCATION, EMPLOYER REPUTATION AND INTERNATIONAL ORIENTATION. WITH U-MULTIRANK,YOU CAN COMPARE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS ACCORDING TO YOUR INTERESTS. INDICATORS SUCH AS EDUCATION, RESEARCH, KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER, INTERNATIONAL ORIENTATION AND REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT TRANSLATE INTO 10 ‘A’ SCORES.”

Karin Vanderkerken, Vice-rector Internationalisation VUB

RANKINGS 2022

50 of 115 in

221 of 1,300 in

72 places higher than in 2005

VUB is in the top 17% best universities worldwide

301-400 of 1,000 in

251-300 of 2,112 in

VUB is in the top 13%

UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2022

U-MULTIRANK

Multi-dimensional ranking and comparison tool for higher education institutions. Every user – student, researcher, decision maker - can create their own mixture of performance indicators across five dimensions:

· teaching and learning

· research

· knowledge transfer

· international orientation

· regional engagement.

U-Multirank visualises the results with sunbursts. Each ‘ray’ represents one of the 30-plus U-Multirank indicators. The longer the ray, the better the performance of an institution on the selected indicator.

VUB’s overall profile for 2022 shows top performance across various indicators, with 15 ‘A’ (very good) scores overall.

50ND

QS BEST STUDENT CITIES 2022

VUB RANKED 50TH

The Belgian capital and European Union headquarters, Brussels, is known for its international character – and this is reflected in the high proportion of international students at its universities (13,000 to be precise).

Known for its international diversity and central role in European politics, Brussels is also famed for its delicious Belgian chocolate, pubs, french fries, comic strip art, cafés and attractive architecture.

“ACCORDING TO THE QS BEST STUDENT CITIES, STUDENTS RATE BRUSSELS AS THE 50TH BEST STUDENT CITY FOR ITS INTERNATIONAL STUDENT MIX, ATTRACTIVENESS AND AFFORDABILITY. ON THE GREEN CAMPUSES YOU CAN ENJOY RESEARCH-DRIVEN EDUCATION IN SMALL GROUPS: 174 STUDY PROGRAMMES, 51 OF WHICH ARE IN ENGLISH. 23.4% OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION IS INTERNATIONAL WITH 152 DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES. ” Karin Vanderkerken, Vice-rector Internationalisation VUB

STUDENTS & EDUCATION

STUDENTS 2021-2022

STUDENTS BY FACULTY

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

FRANCE: 173 (3.4%)

152 NATIONALITIES

5,129 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

COUNTRIES

SPAIN: 273 (5.3%)

NETHERLANDS: 629 (12.2%)

ITALY: 342 (6.7%)

CAMEROON: 95 (1.9%)

GERMANY: 225 (4.4%)

TURKEY: 144 (2.8%)

IRAN: 182 (3.5%)

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN STUDY PROGRAMMES

Bachelor’s: 1,154

Master’s: 1,716

Advanced master’s: 154

PhD: 1,067

Other: 1,515

INDIA: 156 (3%)

TOP 5 EEA* NATIONALITIES TOP 5 NON-EEA COUNTRIES

CHINA: 264 (5.1%)

EXCHANGE STUDENTS

2021-2022 INCOMING STUDENTS

Total: 328 students (EBelgica included)

34 countries*

34 countries: 23 EEA - 11 non-EEA countries

2021-2022

301 students (EBelgica included)

34 countries

25 EEA countries ; 9 NON EEA countries

11 incoming students

8 outgoing students

STUDENT HOUSING

2027

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

+465 NEW STUDENT ROOMS

127 VUB, 292 ULB, 46 BRUSSELS STUDENTS

USQUARE (VUB-ULB)

STUDENT HOUSES XY (NEW: 2019)

STUDENT HOUSE NIEUWELAAN (*2008)

1,540 VUB ROOMS +/-

STUDENT HOUSE SCHOOFSLAAN (**1996) & TRIOMFLAAN (2000)

STUDENT HOUSES JETTE (*2007)

JETTE 246 rooms

ELSENE 1,294 rooms

PRIVATEPARTNER ROOMS

4,500

Social Housing Office for Students with limited income

INCLUSIVE UNIVERSITY

VUB WAS ONE OF THE FIRST UNIVERSITIES TO WELCOME WORKING STUDENTS

16.7% SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS

4,470

23.3 % WORKING STUDENTS*

6,254

PARTICIPATION

• Students participate in rector elections

• 10% students represented in all decision-making

OPEN CAMPUS

• Welcoming policy for international students

• Individual and group study coaching

Students appreciate education at VUB

EDUCATION SURVEY 2020-2021

75.53% are ‘rather satisfied, satisfied or very satisfied’

MELDPUNT - REPORT IT

• ‘Unwanted and inappropriate behaviour’: report it!

• For students and staff

EQUALITY ACTION PLAN 2021-2024

• For students and staff

very satisfied: 17.74% satisfied: 33.03%

quite satisfied: 26.3%

quite unsatisfied: 6.73% unsatisfied: 3.67% very unsatisfied: 1.22%

neutral: 11.31%

“VUB WAS ONE OF THE FIRST UNIVERSITIES TO WELCOME WORKING STUDENTS. IN 2019, THE EDUCATION ON OFFER FOR WORKING STUDENTS IS STILL IN PROGRESS. IN THE PAST, VUB SAW MAINLY WORKING STUDENTS WHO DID NOT HAVE A HIGHER EDUCATION DIPLOMA. TODAY, MOST WORKING STUDENTS ALREADY HAVE A DEGREE. THEY WANT AN ADDITIONAL MASTER’S DEGREE TO MOVE UP THE LADDER.

BUT MORE STUDENTS ALSO WANT TO CHANGE DIRECTION IN THEIR LIVES AND TAKE A MASTER’S DEGREE WITH US IN A COMPLETELY NEW AREA. VUB IS THINKING MORE ABOUT FOCUSING ON MASTER’S PROGRAMMES BECAUSE MORE AND MORE INCOMING WORKING STUDENTS ALREADY HAVE A DEGREE. MORE ATTENTION IS ALSO PAID TO BLENDED LEARNING.”

Nadine Engels, Vice-rector for Education and Student Affairs

INNOVATION IN EDUCATION

EDUCATION @VUB IS ENTREPRENEURIAL & AMBITIOUS TRAINING STUDENTS

TO THE BIG 5

become CRITICAL-THINKING INDIVIDUALS

participate in FREE INQUIRY

be ENGAGED for a better society

become WORLD CITIZENS

be PREPARED FOR THEIR CAREER

21ST-CENTURY SKILLS

ACCORDING TO THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Complex problem-solving

Critical thinking

Creativity

People management

Emotional intelligence

INNOVATION IN EDUCATION

NEW STUDY PROGRAMMES 2021-2022

Start of the first Micro-credentials

- Law and Technology (fac. RC)

- Sustainability (fac. ES)

- Society and Technology (fac. IR)

- Historical Criticism and Journalism (fac. LW)

Permanent education

Interuniversity Certificate in Clinical Infectiology and Medical Microbiology

NEW IN 2021-2022

Name change of the interuniversity (VUB and UGent) organised ‘Master of Science in Physical Land Resources’ to ‘Master of Science in Sustainable Land Management’, with 2 courses:

- Land and Groundwater Management

- Urban Land Engineering

New course within the pharmacists’ Master of Science in Drug Development.

“THROUGH ITS EDUCATION OFFER, VUB IS CONTINUING TO RESPOND TO SOCIETY’S CURRENT NEEDS. WE PLAYED SUCH A PIONEERING ROLE 40 YEARS AGO WITH OUR COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMME, AND WITH THIS NEW PATH WE HOPE TO REPEAT THAT.”

Nadine Engels, Vice-rector for Education and Student Affairs

INNOVATION IN EDUCATION

STARTLAB.BRUSSELS

The incubator for student entrepreneurs

Coaching, co-working space and network hub

FUTURE PROOF INFRASTRUCTURE

Extra rooms with flexi-chairs

The classrooms can be quickly transformed into desired designs for different activities.

DIY studio for knowledge clips

This multimedia device allows teachers to record presentations easily, without technicians.

Collaboration rooms for group work

What a student has on his laptop, he can show to his group on the big screen.

Hybrid education

Distant learning made easy. In a mixed group, a remote student can be better involved in the lesson in the auditorium.

INNOVATION IN EDUCATION

SUSTAINABLE I-BUILDING

• open, bright and modern aulas

• 14 new teaching aula’s/ teaching rooms

• HVAC based on heat recovery and CO2 detection

• movement- and daylight-controlled LED lighting

STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY

• Teleclassing devices level up audio and video to experiences

• When all seats are occupied, the professor can stream the lesson next door

• Extra diagonal projection screens for students

• Audio-controlled cameras

• Notes on screen can be forwarded to students

• Tutorial videos for professors - assistance on location @launch

INNOVATION IN EDUCATION

NEW WAYS OF LEARNING

• 18,761 recordings courses, instruction videos, knowledge clips, student exercises

• 19,755 video hours

• 1,043,731 hours watched or downloaded

STUDY & TOP SPORT

STUDY & TOP SPORT

VUB online platform

DualCareerTools.com which assists active athletes, former athletes and support staff in developing their competencies for a successful career

WALL OF FAME

Ann Simons

Judo – Olympic Silver Company owner

Erica Coppey

Hockey – Olympian Medical doctor

Nils Duerinck

Athletics – Olympian Architect

Jérôme Truyens

Hockey – Olympic Silver Private banker

Jürgen Roelandts

Cycling – Olympian Alumnus Sport & Movement Sciences

Tom Vangeneugden

Swimming – Olympian

Retail programme manager & swimming coach

Sebbe Godefroid

Sailing – Olympic Silver Sailing coach & entrepreneur

Dirk Van Tichelt

Judo – Olympic Bronze Alumnus Sport & Movement Sciences

STUDY & TOP SPORT

WALL OF FAME

Hockey

Olympic Gold

World Champion

Alumnus Sport & Movement Sciences

Tim Declercq

Cycling

Alumnus Sport & Movement Sciences

Florent Van Aubel

Hockey – Olympic Gold – World Champion

Communication Science

Loranne Smans

Snowboard

Student Psychology

Jorre Verstraeten

Judo - Olympian

Student Sport & Movement Sciences

Jonathan Sacoor

Athletics - Olympian

Student Business Economics

Loïck Luypaert

Alumnus

Louis Croenen Swimming – Olympian Student Sport & Movement Sciences

Antonia Delaere Basketball – Olympian Psychology student

Pieter Verhees Volleyball Alumnus Sport & Movement Sciences

Yannick Lefèbvre Sailing – Olympian Alumnus Sport & Movement Sciences

Johanne Monfret Ballet dancing Student Social Sciences

VUB ALUMNI

ALUMNI 2022

>75,000 AMBITIOUS PROFESSIONALS IN OUR RECORD BASE

>60,000 ALUMNI WITH BELGIAN NATIONALITY (80.65%)

>15,000 INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI (19.35%)

WHERE DO THEY COME FROM?*

* Country unknown 7.73%

NORTH AMERICA: 6.27%

EUROPE: 53.73%

MIDDLE EAST: 2.39%

SOUTH/LATIN AMERICA: 1.72%

AFRICA: 7.25%

ASIA-PACIFIC: 20.89%

ALUMNI RELATIONS 2018-2021

IMPROVED DATA-CAPTURE

GRADUATES BETWEEN 1972-2018

 We now have the private mail address of 49%

 We have the professional details of 50% (Linkedin, position, sector, etc.)

 832 proseniors (old-praeses) are now also included in the database

GRADUATES AFTER 2018

 We have the private mail address of 99%

 We now have the mobile number of 85%

INCREASED APPEAL VUB

CAMPAIGNS

2018: 4,000 alumni download Critical-thinking e-bookg

2020: 4,500 alumni request digital VUB-Alumni pass

2021: 2,500 alumni take part in VUB-Alumni Resit

MORE READERS

 23,367 alumni open one newsletter annually, 3/4 open 2 or more newsletters a year

 4,511 alumni click on at least one article per newsletter

 Average number of readers per newsletter increased by 10% compared to 2018

 1,739 extra alumni donors since 2018

 53% of Major Donors is alumnus/a

BIGGER GRADUATION CEREMONY TURN-OUT

Graduates attending:

2018: 62% 2019: 85%

2020: 60% (Covid-19)

2021: 72%

MORE ENGAGEMENT

 9 recognised alumni associations (6 associations more than in 2018)

 5,315 alumni members of a VUB-Alumni association

 125 alumni are VUB-Mentor & Professionals

 55 alumni active as VUB webinar panel members

 100 alumni are VUB-Dedicated Thinkers

ALUMNI AND THEIR PROFESSIONAL LIVES

VUB STAFF

VUB STAFF

* 22 employees have both academic and support staff status.

STAFF & GENDER

Research assistant Assistant professor Associate professor Postdoc Professor Full Professor

GENDER BIAS IN ACADEMIC CAREER

Female tenured academic staff (ZAP): 33.33%

VUB short-term goal of at least 33% women for 2016-2020 is a success.

GENDER IN GOVERNING ENTITIES

University council: 35% women

Board of directors: 40% women

Academic council: 37% women

UZ Brussel board of directors: 13% women

Management Committee: 54% women

Research council: 55% women

Education council: 39% women

Innovation and valorisation council: 33% women

International policy council: 28% women

Student council: 47% women

STUVO council: 47 % women

VUB PHDs

DOCTORAL SCHOOLS

3 Doctoral Schools

2021-2022

• Human Sciences (DHS)

• Life Sciences & Medicine (LSM)

• Natural Sciences & (BioScience) Engineering (NSE)

Doctorates by Gender & Faculty*

DOCTORAL RESEARCH

Pieter Ballon, Vice-rector Research VUB

“RESEARCH NEEDS SOCIETY AS SOCIETY NEEDS RESEARCH.”

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

RESEARCH & INNOVATION 2022 IN A NUTSHELL

€154 M TOTAL RESEARCH BUDGET

196 RESEARCH GROUPS

INCLUDING:

31 VUB-UGent alliance research groups

20 international joint research groups

12 VUB-ULB joint research groups

RESEARCH & INNOVATION

20 IOF GEARS (GROUPS OF EXCELLENCE IN APPLIED RESEARCH SUPPORTED BY VUB’S INDUSTRIEEL ONDERZOEKSFONDS)

2 NEW SPIN-OFFS, TOTAL ACTIVE 45

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE Supported by vice-rectorate for RESEARCH and vice-rectorate for INNOVATION & INDUSTRY RELATIONS.

2,453 ACADEMIC AND SCIENTIFIC STAFF

2,038 DOCTORAL RESEARCHERS IN 3 DOCTORAL SCHOOLS

20 RESEARCH-COUNCILFUNDED INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROJECTS

204 ACTIVE PATENT FAMILIES

61 RESEARCH-COUNCILFUNDED STRATEGIC RESEARCH PROJECTS

3,257 PUBLICATIONS

VUB IS THE ONLY FLEMISH UNIVERSITY THAT HAS REGISTERED ‘FREE RESEARCH’ IN ITS STATUTES.

IT DELIVERS PIONEERING RESEARCH WITH AN INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION: “PHOTONICS, ROBOTICS, MOBILITY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY, DIABETES, FERTILITY...”

Pieter Ballon, Vice-rector Research VUB

RESEARCH & INNOVATION 2022 BUDGET IN DETAIL

TOTAL RESEARCH BUDGET

€153,886,874

Private Sector Collaboration 2022

€15,000,000

VUB Own Research Budget 2022

€26,476,107

Scientific Research Fund 2022

€19,455,544

196 fellowships

82 mandates

Fundamental & Strategic

Public Project Funding 2022

€92,955,223

INVESTING IN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE

CORE FACILITIES & INFRASTRUCTURE PLATFORMS

 Brubotics Rehabilitation Research Center

 In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging

 FlowCore

 Materials Characterisation

 Microlab

 Support for Quantitative and Qualitative Research

 Animalarium

 Visual and Spatial Tissue Analysis

 Belgian Online Probability Panel

Core facilities are autonomous units within the VUB that have highly qualified personnel and specialized equipment. We make them available to the research community at economic prices. Also our infrastructure platforms open up research facilities, such as instruments, to the entire VUB research community.

VUB SUPPORT OF CORE FACILITIES: € 23 MILLION

GOAL: SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR RESEARCH

 statistical-methodological support

 microscopy

 cell sorters

 cleanroom for microfluidics

 etc.

https://www.vub.be/en/our-research/our-vision-and-mission/optimal-research-environment/core-facilities-and-infrastructure-platforms

“UNIVERSITY COLLABORATION WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IS NOT A ONE-WAY STREET BUT AN INTERACTION. BOTH WORLDS JOIN FORCES TO CREATE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON PEOPLE’S LIVES AND OUR PLANET THROUGH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS.”

Hugo Thienpont, Vice-rector Innovation & Industry Relations VUB

INNOVATION: TOGETHER WE CONNECT SCIENCE & SOCIETY

Groups of Excellence in Applied Research or GEARs, supported by VUB’s Industrial Research Fund in 2022:

Advanced GEARs (TRL 4-5-6):

· Photonics

·

Media, Innovation & Technology

· Sustainable Mobility, Logistics & Automotive

· Human Robotics

· Regenerate

Consolidator GEARs (TRL 3-4-5):

· Artificial Intelligence

· Sustainable Chemistry

· Structural Biology

· Sustainable Material Technologies

· Tech4Health

· Accoustics & Vibration

· INTEGRAL - Immunotherapy

Starter GEARs (TRL 2-3):

· Peptidomimetic TheranOstics

· Industrial Microbiology & Food Biotechnology

· B-Liver

· Software Systems

· Imaging with nanobody-based tracers

· Microfluidics

· NEUR-o-AIMS

· Cybersecurity & Health

VUB INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH FUND 2022 (IOF)

Fostering excellent applied research with economic potential:

Budget acknowledged € 5,741,647

Supporting 20 Groups of Excellence in Applied Research or GEARs.

Materials

Mechanics

Chemical Process

Biotechnology & Food

ICT

Mobility

Pharma

Health

Energy

Electronics & Photonics

Go to our IOF portfolio:

https://www.vubtechtransfer.be/industrial-research-fund-iof-research-groups-0

PHILANTHROPIC FUNDRAISING

VUB. EVERY DONATION RETURNS.

TOTAL REVENUE € 3.979.621

2021-2022

17% overhead

revenue

3,303,085

HOW WE GROW THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT

2021-2022

€ 576,941

€ 968,620

€ 1,561,388

€ 221,135

€ 651,537

25 ACTIVE CHAIRS

THE VUB FOUNDATION RAISES PHILANTHROPIC FUNDS FROM COMPANIES, ORGANISATIONS, INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE TECHTRANSFER DEPARTMENT OF THE VICE-RECTORATE OF INNOVATION & INDUSTRY RELATIONS. THE VUB FOUNDATION COORDINATES ALL FUNDRAISING AT VUB UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE INNOVATION AND VALORISATION BOARD. € 676,535

11 FUNDS BY NAME

“THE POLICY OF THE VUB FOUNDATION IS BASED ON THE CONVICTION THAT FOR EACH PHILANTHROPIC CONTRIBUTION, THERE IS A SOCIETAL RETURN. EACH DONATION, SPONSORSHIP OR LEGACY SUPPORTS

EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND/OR INNOVATION AT OUR UNIVERSITY. IT IS OUR AIM TO FIND THE PERFECT MATCH FOR EACH COMPANY, INSTITUTION OR PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, WITHIN OUR RESEARCH GROUPS AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTION.“

VUB. EVERY DONATION RETURNS.

Hugo Thienpont, Vice-rector Innovation & Industry Relations VUB

FELLOWSHIP

CONNECTING ACADEMIA & SOCIETY FELLOWSHIP

VUB fosters a network of Fellows who connect academia with society. The interactions arising from this are of huge benefit for education, research and policy. The VUB Fellows are a diverse network of dedicated experts and leaders in their field who commit selflessly to the university and UZ Brussel. Thanks to their commitment, VUB can continue to evolve as an open institution connected with society and the business community.

To create a network of privileged VUB ambassadors who continue to challenge and inspire the university and UZ Brussel, and help propagate VUB’s ideology as a progressive institution of independent research and critical thinking.

https://www.vub.be/fellowship

10 YEARS OF VUB-FELLOWSHIP: 10 YEARS OF BUILDING

TALENT WITH THE HELP OF TALENT.

THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF OUR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM: MAKING ACADEMIC AND SOCIETAL TALENT WORK

TOGETHER TO THE BENEFIT OF OUR STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS, TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE: THANKS TO ALL OF YOU! SO, LET’S KEEP ON BUILDING!

Karsten De Clerck

Chairman of the Board of VUB & Honorary Fellow

CONNECTING ACADEMIA & SOCIETY

MASTER

UZ BRUSSEL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

UZ BRUSSEL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN 2022

TAKING CARE OF A DIVERSE PUBLIC

Staff members of nearly 70 nationalities are taking care of a broad variety of patients of around 160 nationalities from all over the world.

INVESTING

UZ BRUSSEL & FACULTY OF MEDICINE & PHARMACY

10 RESEARCH CLUSTERS

• Development, Ageing and Pathology

• Diabetes, Transplantation & Pathology

• Liver & Cell Biology and Toxicology

• Medical Imaging & Physical Sciences

• Neurosciences

• Oncology Research Centre

• Pharmaceutical Research and Data Technology

• Public Health

• Reproduction, Genetics and Regenerative Medicine

• Research Center for Cardiovascular Diseases

MORE SCIENTIFIC OUTPUT

1,076 scientific papers published in the 20202021 academic year by UZ Brussel & VUB

Medicine & Pharmacy Faculty

“UZ BRUSSEL CONTINUES TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE TO MEET CURRENT CHALLENGES. THIS INCLUDES RECRUITING AND RETAINING OUR STAFF WITH THE AIM OF PROVIDING THE BEST CARE TO OUR PATIENTS. BUT ALSO INNOVATING IN PROCESSES, IN CARE MODELS AND NEW TECHNOLOGY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR TASKS IN TERMS OF CARE, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH OPTIMALLY AS PART OF A SUSTAINABLE CARE SYSTEM.”

Marc Noppen CEO UZ Brussel

UZ BRUSSEL AS PIONEER

WORLD-FIRST IRRADIATION TECHNOLOGY

New technology reduces risk of heart disease when irradiating breast cancer patients

INVENTIVE FERTILITY TECHNOLOGY

World’s first healthy baby in woman with Turner syndrome via own frozen eggs

TOP IMMUNOTHERAPY SCIENTISTS

UZ Brussel researchers discover new effective treatment for resistant melanoma skin cancer

LAUDED DIABETES RESEARCHER

Paediatrician and VUB researcher Willem Staels awarded biennial Novo Nordisk prize

PIONEERING CENTRE OF EXPERTISE FOR CHILDHOOD OBESITY

UZ Brussel is the first Belgian children’s hospital to be recognised as a European centre of expertise for childhood obesity

BETTER DETECTION OF CHROMOSOMAL ABNORMALITIES IN IVF EMBRYOS

New technique reduces risk of miscarriage and improves success rate of in vitro fertilisation treatments

WORLD’S FASTEST CT SCANNER

A CT scan in 0.23 seconds for better prevention, diagnosis and treatment of patients with heart problems

TOP EUROPEAN ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH

Bru-BRAIN at UZ Brussel is recognised as a European centre of expertise by European Alzheimer’s Disease Consortium

EUTOPIA EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY

CONNECTING COMMUNITIES WITHIN AND BEYOND EUROPE

“VUB IS PARTICIPATING IN ONE OF THE FIRST EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY ALLIANCES. EUTOPIA ADDS AN EXTRA DIMENSION IN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION.”

VUB IS A PROUD PARTNER OF EUTOPIA EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY

One of the first 17 alliances to be selected by the European Commission.

EUTOPIA revolves around Connected Communities: inter-institutional platforms uniting our joint research and curriculum innovation ambitions. Using a co-creative approach, the Connected Communities provide the best possible environment for students and researchers to promote critical thinking and transferable knowledge and skills on interdisciplinary topics of global relevance and societal impact. With our Connected Communities, EUTOPIA directly inspires the further roll-out and successful development of the European Higher Education and Research Areas and explicitly aims to be a driving force for continuous innovation.

“WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT OPEN SCIENCE IS AT THE HEART OF EUTOPIA. AND THROUGH CONNECTED LEARNING COMMUNITIES, WE WORK ON THE OPEN EXCHANGE OF LEARNING MATERIALS AND COURSES, ACTIVELY INVOLVING NOT ONLY TEACHERS BUT ALSO STUDENTS.”

Jan Danckaert Rector of VUB about

the

EUTOPIA alliance of

10 European universities

EUTOPIA EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY

Ten regionally and nationally distinct universities. Together, they form the EUTOPIA Alliance

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium)

CY Cergy Paris Université (France)

Göteborgs Universitet (Sweden)

Univerza v Ljubljani (Slovenia)

Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain)

University of Warwick (United Kingdom)

Ca’Foscari University Venice (Italy) *

Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Portugal) *

Technische Universität Dresden (Germany) *

Universitatea Babes Bolyai (Romania) *

*since autumn 2021

“JOINING FORCES TO BUILD A CONNECTED AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY, ADDRESSING GLOBAL AS WELL AS LOCAL CHALLENGES, ULTIMATELY BUILDING THE UNIVERSITY OF THE FUTURE.”

Reach and ambition spreads beyond Europe: EUTOPIA happily joins forces with its 4 global partners:

Université Internationale de Rabat (Morocco)

Kyungpook National University (South Korea)

Monash University (Australia)

Stellenbosch University (South Africa).

3 YEARS OF EUTOPIA IN NUMBERS

76 Science and Innovation Fellows: EUTOPIA-SIF fellowships offer the opportunity for high-profile postdoctoral researchers to develop their own research project in the stimulating academic environment of the EUTOPIA Alliance.

24 Young Leader Academy Fellows: Members of the EUTOPIA Young Leaders Academy constitute a community of promising independent research leaders on the EUTOPIA scale, sharing and promoting European values and the EUTOPIA vision of an interconnected academic environment.

1 Joint vision on Life-long Learning: EUTOPIA-FLECSLAB will create a specialised instrument for all HE institutions going beyond the demand of degree-seeking students and opening up to non-modal learners looking for international learning experiences.

1Joint Inclusion Manifesto: Implementing principles of inclusion, openness, equality, and diversity requires higher education institutions to move beyond traditional exchange approaches and to integrate well-coordinated practices and programmes.

30 Connected Learning Communities, among which VUB leads: Technological Business Management – Sport for Social Change – Hackathon in Sustainable Transportation – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence – Legal History – Urban Education – Fairness, Equality & Ethics in Data Processing

17 Connected Research Communities, among which VUB leads: Trans-policy Perspectives on Transformations in Sovereignty – Photography & Dissent – Sustainable European Private International Law – Durable Materials

73 PhD co-tutelles:

The EUTOPIA PhD co-tutelle program supports high-quality PhD projects in all research areas co-supervised by academics of 2 EUTOPIA member universities.

1Joint International Partnership Charter: EUTOPIA cannot achieve its aim of developing a new model for Higher Education without looking beyond the borders of Europe. The network of Global Partners will act as a key driver of EUTOPIA’s global outreach while promoting values such as equity, peace, and inclusion.

#THEWORLDNEEDSYOU

SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITY

MOBILITY

The 20,750 tonnes of CO2 linked to transporting people accounts for 49.5% of the total carbon footprint (student and staff commuting, business travel and Erasmus students).

STAFF MOBILITY 2011-2021

MORE CYCLING, LESS DRIVING

STAFF TRANSPORT MODES FROM & TO CAMPUS

Brussels Main Campus

New bicycle shed building GH at Brussels Health Campus

Brussels Health Campus

SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITY

CONSUMPTION BASED ON TYPE OF MENU

1. Meat 55%

2. Vegan 18%

3. Fish 17%

4. Vegetarian 10%

MOST POPULAR DISHES (> 500 servings a day in 2022)

1. Turkey pitta

2. Chicken croquette

3. Roast chicken Archiduc

4. Beef stew

5. Tacos

MOST POPULAR VEGETARIAN DISHES (> 250 servings a day in 2022)

1. Veggie student burger

2. Vegan tacos

3. Vegan albondigas with patatas bravas

4. Vegan spaghetti bolognese

5. Cheese croquettes

NUMBER OF LUNCHES SERVED

2021: 91,646

2022: 178,731

1 daily vegetarian dish

1 daily vegan dish

All fish MSC/ASC-certified

SUSTAINABLE UNIVERSITY

FAIRTRADE PRODUCTS

PORTIONS PER SERVING

meat: 120g

vegetables: 200g or more if wished for fish: 150g

EXPERIMENTS

MORE FRUIT EXPERIMENT

Testing the effect of nudges on fruit purchase

Experiment based on the renewed Flemish Food Pyramid

RESTAURANT

NON-RECOVERABLE FOOD WASTE PER WEEK on 7/4/2022* on 05/07/2022

MEAT/FISH 6.64 g 0.7 g

VEGETABLES (HOT) 13.15 g 8.9 g

VEGETABLES (COLD) 2.54 g 14.3 g

CEREALS AND POTATOES 8.58 g 5.3 g

SAUCES 7.97 g 6.5 g

TOTAL 38.88 g 35.7 g

Fairtrade products coffee, juices, crisps and chocolate

WASTE REDUCTION IN THE KITCHEN

• Waste management through recovery of surplus food by rapid chilling

• Monitoring through periodic weighing

• Action: ‘take all you can eat, but eat all you take’ (leftovers are weighed and communicated)

LOW IMPACT WEEK

Use the Ecotarian app to discover how eco-friendly your lunch is and what impact it has on global warming

· Disposable coffee cup replaced by Billie Cup

· Take-away re-usable (hot) food packaging system KioBox

THE WORLD NEEDS YOU

This is how VUB showed its commitment as an urban engaged university to the 6 Ps: Planet, Peace, People, Prosperity, Partnership and Pointcaré

INTEREST

 3,030 students, alumni, staff and other stakeholders showed interest in the campaigns and initiatives

 1,000 ambassador T-shirts

 65 participants were directly engaged through the Ateliers

PROJECTS

72 PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES:

 Awareness campaigns

 Ateliers

 Podcast series

AWARENESS

 3 important social media campaigns

 755,000 people were reached

ZOOM IN: THE WORLD NEEDS YOU ATELIERS

- Creative brainstorming to find solutions for social challenges

- Co-creation between +/- 20 students, researchers, and policy makers

- Input for internal and external policy makers to change the world for the better

VUB EQUALITY ACTION PLAN

-

MONITORING & REPORTING

Diversity policy

CALL TO ACTION

On equality & inclusion for all students

VISION CODE OF CONDUCT

“VUB embraces diversity and rejects inequality.

VUB strives for equity without ignoring difference.

RAISING AWARENESS

In the VUB community

ASSESSING DIVERSITY

In the curriculum

VUB campuses are welcoming places where discrimination, disadvantage and transgressive behaviours are not tolerated.

-

EQUALITY WEBSITE

- Visibility

Accessibility to diverse initiatives

Provision of information

- Points of contact

INCLUSIVE RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES

BIAS TRAINING

VUB strives to be an agent of change, offering opportunities, correcting inequalities and, in doing so, steering new generations towards increased equality and appreciation of diversity.”

Enhance - Knowledge building

- Cultural change

COMPASSIONATE UNIVERSITY

DECLARATION OF INTENT

as a Compassionate University where everyone encourages, facilitates and supports each other in difficult situations

https://www.vub.be/en/compassionate-university

RESPONDING TO LOSS, GRIEF & ILLNESS

MONUMENT OF COMPASSION

- A quiet place where staff and students can reflect, commemorate or mourn

- An annual remembrance ceremony for the (former) staff and students who have passed away or who have faced difficult situations

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROGRAMME (IRP)

Compassionate Communities Center of Expertise (COCO)

STAFF TRAINING – EXHIBITIONS DEBATES & READINGS

to raise awareness and facilitate conversations about illness and death

The Compassionate Communities Center of Expertise (COCO) wants to do pioneering work through developing, implementing and evaluating the Compassionate Communities model in Flanders, Belgium, Europe and even further. It is carrying out an extensive and interdisciplinary research programme which links fundamental research and action research. The main goal of COCO is researching the processes that lead to the successful development of a Compassionate Community in different contexts.

https://coco.research.vub.be/

FINANCES

BALANCE SHEET 2022

“VUB’S MODERN GOVERNANCE, BENCHMARKED AGAINST WORLD LEADING ORGANISATIONS, SUPPORTS THE UNIVERSITY AND ITS HOSPITAL IN ACHIEVING ITS STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL VISION AND WITH ITS FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES.”

Karsten De Clerck, Chairman of the Board of VUB

BALANCE SHEET 2022

PROFIT & LOSS STATEMENT 2022