VUB - UNIVERSITY OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Copyright © 2024
VUB Department of Strategy & Policy duurzaam@vub.be
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“The blue-green character of our campuses is a huge asset”
In a rapidly changing world, VUB faces many operational challenges. As the general administrator, Nic Van Craen is in charge of the university's overall administrative, logistic and financial management, in support of education, research and services. He contributes to our achievement of our mission and objectives, and he ensures that everything runs smoothly.
2022 and 2023 were wonderful but turbulent years for VUB. What were the main achievements?
Nic Van Craen: “Of all our achievements, three things really stand out for me. To begin with, we have kept the emphasis on the renovation of our infrastructure. This has been essential for climate reasons and to keep up with our university's growth. Secondly, we have managed to reduce our primary energy consumption, particularly in terms of natural gas. This improvement has largely been due to our renovation efforts."
“The third important achievement has been our stronger, data-driven approach. Our energy consumption used to be something of a black box: we didn't know, for example, which the biggest consumers were. Now that we know the bottlenecks, we can take targeted measures. This calls for significant investments in our IT infrastructure, which in turn becomes a major energy consumer. For that reason, the new datacentre at the Green Energy Park in Zellik is very progressive in sustainability terms.
What steps is VUB taking to integrate sustainability, equality and well-being in its operations?
Nic Van Craen: “We have been working for several years with action plans and academic coordinators to address sustainability, equality and well-being. While this is positive, it does give some the sense that it's up to others to take care of business. And yet, these are transversal themes that concern everyone. Sustainability, equality and well-being are still too frequently seen as additional aspects, and not as part of our core operations. There is progress still to be made in this area."
“Nevertheless, there is ample enthusiasm to tackle the issues, thanks in part to the good examples that already exist. The purchasing department, for instance, now considers sustainability in its projects. Where partnerships are concerned, the vice-rectors, deans and members of the Executive Committee are crucial keys in ensuring the transversal nature of sustainability, equality and well-being."
How does VUB contribute to the climate transition? Can the university increase its level of ambition?
Nic Van Craen: “It is our job as a university to take a leading role. Which is far from easy, given the financial situation. However, I do see plenty of potential for reductions in scope 3 (editor: indirect emissions from, for example, the transport of purchased goods). Consider, for example, the purchase of more sustainable laboratory or IT equipment."
“Some projects, such as our sustainable travel policy, are harder to achieve. Travel, including air travel, is a necessity in an international academic context. International experience can also enrich people and make them more understanding. But our ambitions in this area must be significantly higher, especially where viable alternatives exist."
"Finally, I think the integration of the circular mindset is another important step. Circularity played a role in the decision not to demolish, but rather repurpose the Willy Van Der Meeren student housing. While it was more expensive, it was also more sustainable."
In 2023, VUB received the Best Impact Sustainability Report Award for its first 'Report to Society'. How has this advanced the university's sustainability approach?
Nic Van Craen: "The main reason for the huge success of our first report was that it reached so many people in and outside the university. The award raised that visibility even higher: on the back of public appreciation and validation, a report gains greater recognition. We noticed that support for sustainability has grown across every stratum of our organisation. Even the governing bodies refer to information from the report in their discussions.”
How do you envisage the sustainable VUB campus of the future?
Nic Van Craen: "The green-blue character of our campuses is a tremendous asset, especially in a metropolitan area like Brussels. It makes our university attractive to students and staff and ensures that we are robust enough to deal with climate change. A green environment also contributes to the well-being of everyone who comes here.”
“Circularity is a top priority for new buildings. Starting from the design, we focus on transformable spaces that will serve multiple functions over time. We also integrate the right measurement systems in our infrastructure to enable us to implement a data-driven sustainability policy. Homeworking and blended learning can also play a positive role, although we are still searching for the right balance. As I see it, the physical campus is still essential in the future."
“Continued renovation of our infrastructure is essential to accommodate our growth and make us more climate-friendly. Circularity is a top priority for new buildings."
“Now that the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has come into force we will have to avoid creating reports 'because we have to'. As we play a pioneering role, we want to show what we are working on and the progress we are making. I hope that the European framework will be accepted by most institutions as the reference framework, and that other reporting obligations will come in line. This will enable us to report efficiently without additional planning burdens."
What challenges and opportunities do you see for VUB in the coming period?
Nic Van Craen: “First and foremost, we aim wherever possible to accommodate the expected growth in the existing infrastructure. We opt for space filling development rather than expansion, focusing on more efficient use of the available space. If we continue to grow, a new campus may not be out of the question in the long term. Collaboration with the city of Brussels, which aims to re-purpose many buildings, may be a good compromise."
“Future-proofing the outdated infrastructure is still a complex issue. The subsidies we receive for renovation are inadequate to achieve our sustainability goals by 2030 and 2050. It will be a challenge to maintain our pace of investment without compromising our financial capacity.”
“We opt for space filling development rather than expansion, focusing on more efficient use of the available space"
“Finally, I believe that we should continue to claim our pioneering role in research and education. Our pioneering mindset ensures that we keep producing groundbreaking research, particularly in sustainability. This is a significant asset, which we cannot afford to lose."
NUMBER
New method of counting (students counted once, including preparatory courses, PhDs and guest students)
For a proper understanding of how we implement sustainability, equality and well-being, let us first explain VUB's general organisational structure. Our university consists of various governance levels: the rector, 4 vicerectorates, 8 faculties and the Multidisciplinary Institute for Teacher Education (MILO). For greater efficiency and effectiveness, we are currently focusing heavily on improving our governance.
The rector has overall leadership of the university and is responsible for the preparation and implementation of policy. He or she is the face of VUB and is elected on the strength of a vision statement containing his or her personal ambitions for the coming term. The term of the rector starts at the beginning of the academic year and lasts for 4 years.
There are 4 vice-rectorates in total. Each vice-rector is responsible for implementing their own policy area and policy plan. This term also lasts for 4 years.
VUB has 8 faculties. Each faculty coordinates several research groups and educational programmes. Each faculty is led by a dean who takes overall leadership. Each dean is responsible for the preparation and implementation of faculty policy. The MILO takes a
multidisciplinary approach to the future of teaching and provides training for future teachers.
The administrative and support services implement policy by converting operational and strategic objectives into practical action. They are coordinated by the general administrator and the Executive Committee.
4 Central Councils
VUB is autonomous and democratically run. The University Community – students and staff – can participate in decision-making and control through the 4 central councils: the University Council, the Board of Governors, the Academic Council and the Executive Committee. The University Council sets the general strategic vision for VUB. The Board of Governors sets the policy to suit that vision. The Academic Council has an advisory role in this process. The Executive Committee prepares and implements the General Strategic Plan (GSP).
• Medicine and Pharmacy
• Languages and Humanities
• Law and Criminology
• Social Sciences and Solvay Business School
• Psychology and Educational Sciences
• Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
• Engineering
• Physical Education and Physiotherapy
• Multidisciplinary Institute for Teacher Education
Our campuses are the physical manifestation of our vision: they are sustainable, diverse and digital. They also have an international orientation and are embedded in the Brussels context. The facilities on our campuses are open to all.
The green VUB Main Campus lies next to our sister university, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and is the largest of our campuses. It is home to the faculties of Social Sciences & Solvay Business School, Linguistics and Philosophy, Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Psychology and Educational Sciences, Law and Criminology, Sciences and Bio-engineering, and Engineering. It also houses the rectorate, social services, restaurant, student housing, sociocultural organisations and sports infrastructure.
Beside UZ Brussels you will find our Health Campus. This is home to the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy and a part of the Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy. The campus is surrounded by natural areas and offers a variety of facilities for students and researchers: housing, sports infrastructure, a restaurant, a library, study support, etc.
The VUB Usquare Campus is an unique project in Brussels. In collaboration with the ULB and a host of partners, we are transforming a military complex near the VUB Main Campus and ULB campus into a vibrant international student district primed for the future. It is a meeting place for (international) students, researchers, professors and locals too, where innovative ideas can be exchanged and developed.
The VUB Photonics Campus in Gooik opened in 2013 and has occupied a total area of 3,000 m² since 2018. The campus is home to the Photonics Research and Innovation Centre of Brussels Photonics (B-PHOT). It has high-tech platforms for micro-optical design and clean room conditions, as well as a fully equipped technology hall for advanced prototyping.
Brussels is a dream laboratory for (future) scientists and an ideal learning space for students. Through the weKONEKT.brussels initiative, developed over the past few years, we connect our students to the capital. Conversely, we strengthen the Brussels community by providing education with, in and for Brussels in collaboration with our various partners. Connection, collaboration and co-creation are central to this process. VUB identifies itself as an urban university that takes its commitment and responsibility to Brussels seriously.
At these locations we offer the shortened educational master's programme for holders of their master's degree who wish to obtain a teaching diploma. The programme is offered through in-person and blended learning classes.
While, as an urban engaged university, we are deeply rooted in Brussels, we also bridge the gap to Europe and the world. As an engaged community we aim to contribute at all levels to making the world a better place. We aspire to taking the lead in sustainable study, research and entrepreneurship.
In our description as an urban engaged university the word 'urban' refers to our location and deep rootedness in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and Europe. We are 'engaged' through our principles of free enquiry, humanism and critical thinking.
We identify as a pioneering Flemish University and an open community in the diverse city of Brussels. We embrace diversity with the conviction that an inclusive society enriches us and that socially relevant knowledge and excellent science can only thrive in a diverse environment.
We connect the community of Brussels with VUB's community of students, academic and administrative staff, and partners. Through weKONEKT.brussels, we, along with the ULB, contribute to the development of a free, connected and resilient urban community.
With its diversity and metropolitan complexity, Brussels is the perfect subject for the research and education of our students and lecturers. The 'Brussels experience' is therefore the ideal breeding ground for sustainability initiatives. A fine example of this is the BXL Living Martial Arts Lab: a living lab based on martial arts as an emancipatory tool for young people in socially vulnerable situations, for which we collaborate with martial arts clubs in Brussels. Our commitment takes shape in the numerous initiatives and projects we organise, facilitate and stimulate in the city.
VUB is an urban engaged university, which is also reflected in our educational vision.
We are an urban engaged university through our deep rootedness in Brussels and our engaged character
Every year in the week before the spring break, the communities of VUB, ULB and Erasmus University College (EhB) take to the city. This annual KONEKT.week is designed to connect students with the richness, complexity and beauty of Brussels. The edition from 27 to 31 March 2023, by now the sixth, was a great success: around 4,000 students from all faculties took part in one of the 107 different activities. The activities are developed in collaboration with more than 100 Brussels partners and take various forms: guest lectures, workshops, excursions, tours, round-table discussions, etc. Special attention is given to initiatives organised by students, and student involvement is always at the heart of this collective movement.
Along with the ULB, we are contributing to Brussels' candidacy as the European Capital of Culture 2030. With this candidacy, we aim to create a new dynamic in the city, promoting cultural development and artistic experience in a participatory and inclusive way. We pay particular attention to the sociocultural and historical significance of Molenbeek and its identity.
1. Students develop into open-minded (‘redelijk eigenzinnige’) members of society.
2. Students commit to creating a sustainable humanist society.
3. Students are shaped into citizens of the world
4. Students develop a free and inquisitive attitude.
5. Students are prepared for their professional careers
1. Research-informed didactics
2. Student ownership
3. Interdisciplinarity
4. Thoughtful blend
5. Multilingualism
6. Open and co-creative
7. Lifelong learning
Studying at VUB means more than merely acquiring knowledge and learning to think critically and independently. VUB aims to contribute to a better world, locally and at the European level. This is why we are proud to be a founding member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded universities. In June 2019 the European Commission selected EUTOPIA as one of the first 17 projects to be given the opportunity to outline the contours of a European 'university of the future'. Since then, EUTOPIA has become the Alliance of 10 universities we know today:
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), CY Cergy Paris (France), University of Gothenburg (Sweden), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain), Warwick University (United Kingdom), Ca’Foscari University of Venice (Italy), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (Portugal), Technische Universität Dresden (Germany), Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai (Romania).
Together, we are taking on the immense challenge of building the European university of the future: a university that unites communities from across Europe to find solutions to the major societal challenges that we face.
Karin Vanderkerken,
Vice
Rector for Internationalisation at VUB & Vice-President of EUTOPIA
“EUTOPIA is not a project; it is a transformation process. Through EUTOPIA we aim to internationalise our curriculum and research. This lends a European dimension to the experiences of students and staff.”
Above all else, the European University of the future will be open, diverse and inclusive! It will have campuses all over Europe, strongly connected to our urban environment and culture and open to the many opportunities that the European dimension brings. Our goal is to create an open and multicultural superuniversity by 2025, in which all our campuses are interconnected. Our students, academics and staff will be able to move freely, attend classes and conduct scientific research.
The crucial step towards this European superuniversity comes in the shape of 'EUTOPIA Connected Communities.' These are thematic networks in which lecturers, researchers and students collaborate across campuses. Their goal? To strengthen existing good practices in problem-based education and research by creating inter-university connections on a European scale.
In the ‘Legal History’ Connected Learning Community, students and academics from VUB, CY (Paris), NOVA (Lisbon) and UL (Ljubljana) have spent 3 years building a shared curriculum under professor Frederik Dhondt of VUB. By comparing national cases, students discover the legal and cultural peculiarities of different countries. In 2023, for example, two students examined the theme of 'women's rights activism’ in France and Belgium.
A Connected Community greatly expands your horizons. A specific case always serves as the example, from which new perspectives and joint ideas emerge. A VUB student, for instance, was able to apply a Lisbon professor's expertise on the status of the indigenous population in the Portuguese colonial empire to debates between Belgian jurists over the local population in colonial Congo. “The learning community took me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to explore new areas", said the student, Manon Hofströssler.
Through a number of strategic plans and policy papers, the late VUB rector Caroline Pauwels aimed to future-proof the University and laid the foundation for VUB's policy on social impact. The transversal policy themes of sustainability, equality and well-being play a central role in this. The current rector, Jan Danckaert, continues this policy only with new accents.
2021–2023
With the General Strategic Plan 2021-2023 (ASP4) we built on VUB's previous strategic objectives. We stayed our course and rolled out action plans on sustainability, equality and well-being throughout the VUB community. At the end of this policy period, the action plans for sustainability and equality, as well as the terms of the academic coordinators, came to an end.
The current General Strategic Plan 2024-2027 (ASP5) 'cherishes the good and makes improvement where necessary'. It draws on the strengths of our previous strategic plans and adds new initiatives or more specific implementations. During this strategic period, special emphasis is placed on fine-tuning the effective internal organisation.
To evolve into a more efficient and agile institution, we begin with a core tasks debate. In that debate, we distinguish between those processes and activities that are more or less crucial to the execution of our core tasks. Working with the faculties, we are creating a connection between faculty needs and the university strategy.
We are fully committed to integrating the transversal policy themes into the operations and processes of the central services, vice-rectorates and faculties. Sustainability, equality and well-being remain the common threads cutting across all policy areas. We aim to weave these themes into the entire operation of our university, so that VUB as a whole can embody the policy and associated initiatives.
The European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) offers an interesting framework to shape, monitor and evaluate our sustainability policy. Through a double materiality analysis, we will determine our future sustainability strategy in terms of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. With the CSRD, our societal impact comes to the forefront and our focus shifts from the transversal themes to the implementation of an ESG framework.
In 2023, we published our first 'Report to Society': a sustainability report gives an overview of our most notable actions in the areas of sustainability, equality and well-being for the period 2020-2021. Each of these domains was linked to KPIs and targets, where the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations were taken as the guiding compass. In 2023, we received the public award for the Best Impact Sustainability Report from the Institute of Chartered Auditors (IBR-IRE).
This edition is our second public sustainability report and it covers the period to 2022-2023. Matters monitored throughout the calendar year are reported in the 2023 reference year. Where students are concerned, we look at the academic year 2022 to 2023. We provide an overview of our main actions and show our progress in terms of sustainability, equality and well-being through figures, statistics and diagrams.
Although the sustainability and equality action plans have been completed, we retain as much of the same structure and indicators as the previous report. Once again, we connect VUB policy to the larger whole by means of the SDGs. We indicate which SDGs the policy influences, using the SDG logos and, wherever possible, the sub-targets. At the back of this report we also include a handy overview table of the KPIs and targets, along with an SDG matrix.
The Strategy and Policy Department, and particularly the Strategy Unit, are privotal in drafting this report. It employs the central policy staff who shape, monitor and evaluate the sustainability policy within the organisation. Obviously, they collaborate with many other colleagues, as sustainability is a VUB-wide story.
Many of our KPIs are currently guided by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). In the future, we aim to focus more on the CSRD as a monitoring and reporting framework. We aim to report publicly on our progress every two years.
Ethical and responsible conduct is inherent to the societal role of a university. The starting point for our entire operation can be expressed by the term 'due diligence'. In a sustainability context, this means mapping and minimising our negative impact on people and environment wherever possible, in our own operations and among our suppliers, students and staff. Although VUB does not yet have a transversal policy on due diligence or ethical conduct, this topic is woven into all our activities and policies. As a humanist and engaged university, we take a clear stance on ethical issues and speak out about what is happening in the world.
VUB aims to be an inclusive university. We strive for a positive and stimulating work and study environment and do not tolerate discrimination, disadvantage or inappropriate behaviour on our campuses. For that reason, we have established a code of conduct that explicitly describes our norms and values with regard to equality. Therefore, everyone at VUB knows what is acceptable and what is not.
VUB researcher Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe showed that an estimated 45% of the academic staff at our Flemish universities have experienced some form of intimidation. This mainly involves bullying, toxic leadership, supervisors who do not recognise the scientific input of academic staff and violations of
intellectual property rules. External intimidation also comes into play, for example, on social media when it comes to socially sensitive topics. In response to the 2023 report, VUB is taking a leading role. We are refining policy to support our scientists and guaranteeing academic freedom.
In the summer of 2022, the new VUB initiation framework (doopkader) was approved. It is based on the Flemish initiation framework and takes the uniqueness of VUB student life into account. The new, practical part of the framework clearly defines who monitors the initiation, how the system works and who can impose sanctions in case of violations. By explicitly including certain rights in the initiation framework, we aim to better protect students who participate in initiation rites against physical or mental excesses. A student may, for example, refuse tasks or request a conversation with a confidential counsellor during an activity. For student associations, the initiation framework serves as a guideline to exclude those who overstep the boundaries of the initiation or to temporarily or permanently exclude them as members. It is a living document, cocreated with student associations and regularly evaluated and adjusted. You can find the initiation framework, along with other student regulations, in the Student Life Code.
We support the transition to a low-carbon society by managing our investment portfolios sustainably. We have reoriented our investments towards ethical and sustainable portfolios (so-called ESG mandates) and asked our asset managers to report transparently in accordance with the 'Ethical Investment Charter'.
Since 2022, we have also evaluated our investments against the standards of the new European SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation). By adhering to the SFDR framework, we support climate goals and help realise the European Green Deal.
We ask our suppliers to take good care of their employees and subcontractors and to respect the law and human rights. The specifics of this request are set out in our 'Charter for Suppliers'. Agreements may be terminated in the case of violations.
Key points for attention are:
> Employees and/or subcontractors must always be legally compliant. Where it appears that a supplier employs people who are illegally residing in Belgium, VUB has the right to stop the completion of an assignment immediately and terminate the agreement. Other serious shortcomings may also lead to a termination of the agreement.
> Suppliers must pay their employees correctly and on time. If they do not, VUB has the right to stop the completion of an assignment and suspend the agreement until all wages are paid correctly. The supplier will then need to provide proof of payment.
> Suppliers – and by extension their employees and subcontractors – must respect human rights. A direct or indirect violation can lead to the termination of the assignment with no right to compensation.
VUB strives for quality research that meets widely accepted norms in relation to ethics and scientific integrity. For that reason, we created the 'Charter for the Researcher'. All our researchers must be aware of our standards, recognise their importance and apply them in their research. When preparing new research, our scientists use the 'Ethical Code for Scientific Researchers in Belgium’ and the VUB 'Charter for Researchers’ to assess whether the research is ethically acceptable. In 2023, a participatory process was launched to align the VUB charter with contemporary research trends such as Open Science and artificial intelligence (AI).
Are there doubts over the acceptability of a piece of research? Or is advice desirable or required, for example, in relation to a project or funding application? In such cases a researcher can turn to the relevant ethical committee at VUB. We have 4: the Ethical Committee for Humanities, the Ethical Committee for Animal Experimentation, the Medical Ethics Committee and the Ethical Committee for Dual-use Technologies, Military Research and Misuse.
The Data Protection Office helps researchers maintain high standards of accuracy and ethical conduct and protect the fundamental right to privacy. At VUB, suspicions of scientific misconduct are handled by the Commission for Scientific Integrity (CWI).
In university education, internationalisation is becoming increasingly important. This is evident in exchanges of staff and students, joint educational programmes, international networks, research capacity pooling and cross-border research collaboration. Respect for human rights is inherent to a university's societal role.
The Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) published a report entitled 'Recommendations for the Implementation of a Human Rights Assessment at Flemish Universities' in 2019. Pursuant to this, a VUB working group created an implementation document containing a checklist outlining VUB's human rights policy. Researchers and administrators can use this 'human rights assessment' to identify potential ethical and legal issues that may arise in respect of their international collaborations. These issues can relate to the institution and planned activities, as well as the local governments involved in those activities.
Since 2021, all new cooperation agreements include a clause on VUB values and an explicit clause on human rights. This clause is also added to existing cooperation agreements and Memoranda of Understanding when they are renewed.
Existing and potential VUB partners are not responsible for the country or regime in which they operate. They are not, therefore, responsible for human rights violations
by their local government. This changes with active involvement: institutions that actively contribute to serious human rights violations or other malpractices by a national government do not qualify for cooperation with VUB.
For example, academic cooperation with Iranian institutions has been suspended due to the imprisonment of the Iranian-Swedish emergency physician and VUB guest professor Djalali. In 2022, the Flemish rectors also decided to suspend cooperation with Russian universities due to their support for Putin's invasion of Ukraine. On evaluation, we allow existing contracts to continue until their end date so as not to affect individual researchers or students.
Since the 2021-2022 academic year, PhD candidates have been required to take introductory courses on
scientific integrity, including the Ethics & Scientific Integrity Track. This learning path includes several seminars and the use of the online training tool Good Academic Research Practices (Mind the GAP). The e-learning module was developed by VLIR in collaboration with the 5 Flemish universities. The English-language tool describes the different phases of the research cycle, from study design and research data management to handling conflicts of interest and researcher evaluation. It also addresses the use of personal data (GDPR), privacy legislation and ethics. In the next step, we will actively promote Mind the GAP training among postdoctoral researchers.
Each year in December, during the international Week of Ethics, VUB organises an Ethics Week under the motto ‘No excellent research without excellent ethics and integrity’. This event is the perfect opportunity for the entire VUB community to reflect on research ethics
in a changing world. During this week we organise lectures and training sessions for students, researchers and everyone else. In 2023, the focus was on the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) in research practice.
With the Student Refugee Programme we aim to give prospective students from around the world a fair chance to start or continue their studies at VUB, even if they come from conflict zones, for example. We provide these students with the necessary support and guidance both before and during their studies. Special welcome programmes are developed with and for refugees. We have also hired several staff members with specific migration backgrounds to guide students from diverse regions.
The uniqueness of our refugee programme lies in the principles that underpin it: individual follow-up of
On Friday 20 October 2023, VUB organised the first stakeholder forum on the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R). This event was an important step in the renewal phase of the prestigious HRS4R label, a quality mark of the European Commission. The HRS4R label is awarded to educational institutions that excel in four researcher-related HR themes: Ethical and Professional Aspects, Recruitment, Working Conditions and Social Security, and Development and Training. The attending researchers identified priority actions within these themes. This input helped form the basis for the new HRS4R action plan, as we will continue to focus on ethics and integrity in the research world in the years to come.
students and consideration of the complexity of their situation, the core values being diversity and openness.
In recent years, more than 700 refugees have registered with VUB. About one third of those have actually enrolled in a programme. Many refugee students are from Syria, Palestine, Turkey and Iraq. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, many students from that country
have also joined. Refugee students usually opt for English-language master's programmes in Engineering, Languages, Humanities or Social Sciences, or sign up to the Solvay Business School.
In the 2022-2023 academic year, we guided more than 200 students on the refugee programme. 52 of those enrolled for a full diploma programme.
Scholars at Risk (SAR) is an international network of more than 500 higher education institutions in 42 countries. It supports and defends academic freedom and the human rights of academics around the world. SAR protects scholars who face serious threats to their lives, freedom and well-being by temporarily placing them in another country where they can continue their work through temporary research and teaching positions at host institutions that financially support the scholar.
From March 2022 to December 2024, the Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Department of Geography, will host a researcher under threat. The Flemish government contributes to the necessary funding. This is the fifth time that VUB has hosted a scholar since joining the network in 2013. On 1 June 2023, VUB awarded an honorary doctorate to Robert Quinn, director and co-founder of the SAR network.
We aim to be a thriving university and at the same time to operate within the planet's limits. This is why we work actively on ways to minimise our own contribution to the climate crisis. Our goal is to be a climate-neutral (net zero) organisation by 2050.
Through our research and educational programmes and by embedding care for the planet in our operations, we inspire our staff, students, partners and other societal actors to contribute to systemic change towards a sustainable society.
> Sustainable Education
> Sustainable Research and Valorisation
> Partnerships and Engagement
> Sustainable and Climate-friendly Operations
Sustainable development is becoming an integral part of our educational offerings, through thematic courses or by integrating sustainable knowledge and skills into the rest of the curriculum (SDG 4.7). To achieve this, we work across the different disciplines (SDG 17). We aim to give all VUB students the opportunity to acquire knowledge and competencies in sustainability and to actively contribute to a sustainable society. The VUB campuses and cosmopolitan city of Brussels provide an excellent learning environment for this. We are expanding and making our educational offerings on sustainable development more visible and accessible. Sustainable development encompasses many aspects, and we aim to offer this rich array of perspectives through our programmes.
We also encourage our lecturers to engage with sustainability more professionally. This is done by developing specific offerings such as inspiration sessions and the sharing of good practices. To further develop urban engaged education, our lecturers can also seek educational support from the Vice-Rectorate of Education and Student Affairs. We promote lifelong learning on sustainability by offering courses in formats such as microcredentials.
Students on the bachelor's and master's programmes in Applied Economics, Business Engineering and Business Economics can now explore sustainable economic concepts and practices extensively. The Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School has introduced a new sustainability track in its economic studies. This track shows how the curriculum has been structured to train a future-oriented economist, with a focus on sustainability-related knowledge and skills. New courses such as 'Sustainability Economics' and 'Sustainability Reporting and Assurance' have been created. The latter responds directly to European initiatives that will require all large companies to engage in ESG sustainability reporting as of next year.
Professor Cathy Macharis explains:
“In addition to the new sustainability track, we have outlined a profile of what a futureoriented economist who graduates from our faculty should look like. We want our students to be ready for a future in which they not only pursue economic success but have a positive impact on society and the climate. The goal is to convey a clear sustainability narrative over the 4 to 5 years that the students are with us and to do so across the entire programme."
Not only students, but anyone else who wishes to further their education in sustainability can turn to the faculty. For instance, the 'Sustainability' microcredential offers a flexible means of lifelong learning, enabling students and professionals to gain in-depth insights into sustainability and apply them in daily life and work.
Top scientists at VUB seek social and technical answers to systemic challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss at local and international levels. Our research delivers knowledge, expertise and tools to bring greater sustainability and resilience to the planet and our society.
Many researchers and research groups at VUB work on aspects of sustainability. By encouraging collaboration, we valorise this expertise and find answers to systemic issues. We map how barriers can be broken down between different research domains and aim to accelerate the sustainability transition by approaching research from a transdisciplinary perspective.
The recently established House of Sustainable Transitions (HOST) brings together more than 200 scientists from a variety of disciplines including climate science, political, social and economic sciences, law, biology and humanities. They convert research into specific actions that address the sustainability challenges facing companies, cities and citizens. HOST employs a systematic approach, tackling not just the symptoms of sustainability issues but also examining the underlying structures and patterns and even the underlying worldview. These help determine how a sustainability problem can best be approached. This enables academics and partner-stakeholders to get to the core of the issue and find solutions with a broader impact.
“These days science should certainly not remain in its ivory tower and must step out to address crucial challenges such as the sustainability transition. Science and research are needed to bring about change through transdisciplinary collaboration. The House of Sustainable Transitions plays an important role in helping to realise this breakthrough”, says Jan Danckaert, rector of VUB.
The VUB GreenTeam is a group of enthusiastic students who bring the university community and external stakeholders together and involve them in sustainable actions and projects. The students engage in greening actions on campus, collaborating regularly with the Infrastructure Directorate and Bûûmplanters open-citizen collective. In February, 120 trees were planted in the area between the X rooms and Triomflaan. The newly planted area consists of various native tree species and is intended to grow into a green buffer zone between city traffic and the university site. The greening also contributes to the robustness of the cooling area which the campus forms in the Brussels-Capital Region. Various herbs were also
planted in home-made Bûûm containers. Students in the halls of residence are welcome to pick fresh ingredients for their meals here.
In the run-up to the Christmas season, the GreenTeam held a sustainable winter market at which the products for sale had to meet certain criteria such as being local, fair trade, vegetarian, home-made, zero-waste, second-hand and/ or organic. Many visitors found inspiration for sustainable Christmas gifts at this market, while the VUB choir provided a cozy atmosphere.
A sustainable university is created from within its community. By uniting students, staff and other stakeholders, and giving them a voice, we accelerate and enrich our path to sustainable change (SDG 16.6). We encourage collaboration within the university and with external partners (SDG 17.17).
Participation is crucial to building knowledge and engaging the VUB community in sustainable development. We can only fully embed our sustainability policy in our operations if we work together. We also collaborate actively with external partners to exchange knowledge and learn from each other. We are, for example, part of the EUTOPIA Sustainability Officers Network. As a member of the Business Travel Pioneers, we consult regularly with other Belgian universities and colleges on the subject of sustainable travel policies.
Our operations encompass many aspects, all of which we analyse thoroughly and align with our climate and sustainability goals. We aim for a data-driven approach, as demonstrated in this report. Besides the existing environmental performance indicators, based on data from the past 10 years, we use new indicators to measure aspects such as sustainability and climate-friendliness.
We provide an overview of the environmental performance indicators we have defined so far to measure the progress of our actions. We are still in the process of setting our ambitions and formulating additional KPIs.
Year after year, we reduce our university's total emissions with the ultimate goal of achieving net zero emissions. This means that we minimise greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and compensate for the remaining emissions. That, in a nutshell, is our climate strategy.
To achieve this goal, we have developed a Climate Action Plan (SDGs 13.2 and 13.3). It includes sciencebased targets and all ongoing and planned actions, along with the reduction potential for each action. The Climate Action Plan shows that it is technically and operationally feasible to meet our interim goals for scopes 1 and 2 (see explanation p. 32) by 2030. For scope 3 there is still a long way to go. We are currently exploring what measures can be taken to achieve that goal too.
By 2030 we aim to achieve a total reduction of 59,700 tons of CO2 eq., which is equivalent to a 23.9% reduction compared to 2019. We aim to reduce our own emissions (scopes 1 and 2) by at least 46.2%, in incremental steps of 4.2% per year, taking account of an expected university growth of 20% between 2019 and 2030. For scope 3, we aim for an 18.4% reduction by 2030. After 2030, we will close the remaining gap to achieve net zero by 2050.
To develop our Climate Action Plan, we mapped all of our greenhouse gas emissions. This includes both our direct emissions (scope 1) and our indirect emissions (scopes 2 and 3).
Scope 1:
direct emissions of greenhouse gases on our campuses due to the consumption of fuels, gas and the release of refrigerants.
Scope 2:
indirect emissions of greenhouse gases from the purchase and consumption of electricity produced elsewhere.
Scope 3:
all other indirect emissions, primarily from:
• mobility, including commuting and international travel by staff and students;
• production of purchased materials such as equipment, ICT hardware, materials, chemicals, consumables, food for student restaurants …;
• waste processing;
• construction and renovation of buildings and paved surfaces;
• investment portfolio.
The division into scopes is based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
• Scopes 1, 2 and 3
In 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic and our reference year, our climate footprint was 74,332 tons of CO2 equivalent. In 2022, our footprint decreased by 4.4% to 71,093 tons of CO2 equivalent, consisting of 5,118 tons in scope 1, 1,936 tons in scope 2, and 64,039 tons in scope 3.
The majority of the reduction is in scope 2 and was almost entirely due to the switch to 100% green electricity. In scope 3, there were several rising and falling categories. For example, emissions from business travel decreased by 20%. The switch to green funds reduced emissions linked to our investments by as much as 60%. However, these decreases were offset by the biggest increase: emissions from the buildings and equipment category rose by 90% because much more construction and renovation took place in 2022 than in 2019.
Despite all of that, the CO2 emissions per VUB member still show a significant decrease. This indicates that we are succeeding in preventing our carbon footprint from growing alongside the strong increase in student and staff numbers.
Our first package of measures ensures that we are on track to reduce our scope 1 and scope 2 emissions by more than 50% by 2030. Some measures, such as the renovation of technical installations for heating and cooling, the underground heating network and the installation of CHP (combined heat and power or cogeneration), are not immediately visible. However, they can reduce our emissions drastically. The installation of LED lighting and solar panels on all roofs has led to a reduction in our electricity consumption. Since 2020, we have purchased the remaining electricity as green power. Many of these measures were only rolled out in 2023 or are still in need of implementation, so their effect is not yet visible in the 2022 climate footprint.
We still need to make significant progress regarding emissions from activities that occur outside our campuses but for which we are responsible, such as staff air travel or the purchase of materials and services. After the first evaluation it appeared that there was still a significant gap of 20,000 tons of CO2 eq. in the scope 3 emission categories, mainly because only a few specific measures had been developed. We are working hard on new measures to enable us to conduct a new analysis to partially or fully bridge this gap.
One important point for attention is that of obtaining better data. We need to know exactly what we purchase, where frequent flights are headed and what materials we are working with. Collecting the right information is crucial in taking effective measures. In addition, we are investigating our purchases, such as ICT and lab materials which cause significant emissions. We aim to involve our suppliers in providing sustainable and climate-friendly goods and services. The development of VUB-wide framework contracts may play a major role here.
Alongside several classic mobility measures, such as homeworking, cycling and increased use of public transport, we also encourage everyone to travel in line with the Travel ABC. Finally, the significant increase in the buildings and equipment category indicates that we need to focus on more sustainable materials and circular construction techniques.
The impact of travel to and from our campuses must be reduced (SDG 13.2). The VUB mobility policy follows the following principle: Walking, Cycling, Public Transport and only lastly, Private Cars. The mainstays of our mobility policy are promoting cycling, providing free public transport for staff, and infrastructure measures (SDG 11.2). We also lobby governments and transport operators for easily accessible campuses, safe access roads and efficient public transport. We strive for safe, fully accessible and pleasant campuses tailored to pedestrians and cyclists (SDG 3.6).
A large part of our carbon footprint is from personal transport (22.5% in 2022). With our mobility policy and our business travel policy, the Travel ABC, we are tackling this challenge. We are working on traffic-safe and accessible campuses, electric mobility, sustainable alternatives to cars and reduced travel. We are also lowering the impact of international travel by, for example, holding more online meetings, taking the train instead of flying and compensating for CO2 emissions from unavoidable flights.
• Modal split of staff and students to the VUB Main Campus and VUB Health Campus
• % of staff working off-campus
• Number of injury accidents among staff during commute
By 2030, VUB aims to achieve a sustainable modal split. For that reason, we encourage the use of bicycles and public transport and implement measures to reduce car usage. We also facilitate the electrification of the vehicle fleet. We are exploring the possibility of installing and operating charging stations on our campuses.
Surveys among our staff (2021) and students (2019) show that our actions are bearing fruit. For both campuses, we see a positive shift towards active mobility (walking and cycling) and public transport. One key point for attention is the Health Campus, where more than half of the staff still come by car, compared to 11% on the Main Campus. More information and figures on the modal splits are compiled in our previous 'Report to
Society'. The new mobility survey for 2024 will determine whether the trends continue and what new actions are needed to organise our mobility as sustainably as possible.
VUB is a commuter university: the majority of our staff and students live outside the Brussels Region. A long commute to and from the university presents challenges in terms of well-being and environment.
The COVID-19 period brought about a major change. Digital platforms for online education and homeworking were introduced quickly and have received many updates in recent years. Homeworking and blended learning have now become integral parts of our operations. It is, however, important to provide sufficient support, maintain social contact and find a good balance between online and offline work. Adjustments to the current infrastructure are needed so that they can be deployed
as efficiently as possible in the new way of working. In the mobility survey of 2024, we will again collect data on the percentage of staff engaging in homeworking.
Promoting active and safe mobility to and on our campuses is a priority. In 2023, there were 24 workrelated accidents involving injury on the way to VUB, of which 10 involved bicycles, 11 were on foot and 3 involved a speed pedelec, motorcycle, or car. That figure covers the total number of commuter accidents among staff and gives no information about the number of accidents on campus. The number is now almost stable after a significant increase in 2022 compared to the COVID-19 period. Since 2022, we have also been tracking the number of traffic accidents involving injury to students. The figure dropped from 7 accidents in 2022 to 4 accidents in 2023, a noticeable decrease. Obviously, we are aiming for zero accidents for both groups.
VUB participated in The Bike Project, an initiative that supports Brussels organisations in the development and implementation of a cycling action plan. The project, presented by Leefmilieu Brussel and managed by Pro Velo, focused on raising awareness on the campus about cycling. This included welcoming cyclists with breakfast and organising a bike market. The bike facilities on the campuses were also improved, and new bike racks were placed in the Student Village in Jette as well as new changing rooms at Pleinlaan 5. On The Bike Project, staff had the opportunity to test a bike for 3 weeks and experience commuting and other trips by bike.
Alongside several classic mobility measures (homeworking, increased use of public transport, cycling, etc.), we encourage all our staff to travel in accordance with the Travel ABC:
> Avoid: can you replace the business trip with a virtual meeting?
> Book an alternative: travel by train if the trip can be done in less than 6 hours from Brussels-South; travelling by train is preferable for a journey of 6 to 8 hours.
> Compensate your emissions: it is strongly recommended that CO2 emissions related to business trips be offset.
The first evaluation reveals that short trips are rarely taken by plane. Our staff usually choose the train for journeys of less than 6 hours.
In 2023 we joined the Business Travel Pioneers, an initiative by Bond Beter Leefmilieu that emphasises the importance of sustainable business travel and advocates for an ecologically responsible travel policy. By collaborating in the coalition, setting a good example and sharing knowledge and expertise, we strengthen and accelerate the progress already being made.
In 2024 we will evaluate the current travel policy and our framework contract with a travel agency. We are also working on a sustainable travel policy 2.0, based on the lessons learned from the Business Travel Pioneers and with input from the VUB community.
We are renovating the VUB campuses and buildings in line with the most recent regulations. This reduces the climate impact of our energy consumption for heating and electricity and makes us less dependent on fossil sources (SDG 13.2). We take energy-saving measures and increase the generation of renewable energy (SDGs 7.2 and 12.2). We are also exploring the potential of coldheat storage.
As with all other resources, we use (drinking) water sparingly. Sustainable water management at VUB includes designing for efficiency, detecting leaks, replacing mains water with recovered (rain) water wherever possible, and actively monitoring the rainwater management plan (SDGs 6.4 and 6.5).
With a targeted blue-green adaptation plan, we prepare our campuses for extreme weather conditions – a consequence of climate change – and increase their ecological value. We aerate our soils and choose appropriate planting to mitigate the heat island effect (SDGs 3.9, 13.1 and 15).
• Primary1 energy consumption
• Decrease in natural gas, heat and electricity
• Energy consumption versus own generation
Energy consumption
VUB is making good progress with energy savings on its sites. In 2023 our total primary energy consumption2 decreased to 90,288 MWh, a reduction of 4% compared to 2021, despite an increase in the number of students and floor area. We note that natural gas consumption decreased significantly, by 23% between 2021 and 2023, thanks to measures such as lowering room temperatures and improving temperature control in buildings. We also checked for unnecessarily 'active' heating systems due to poorly closing valves on heat circuits.
* corrected to a standard year by means of degree days
1 Primary energy is the total energy including the losses for generating, transporting, converting to another energy form, and storage.
2 The scope of the figures includes the main sites representing 95% of VUB consumption, that is the Main Campus, the Health Campus and VUB
Since 2020, 100% of our use of electricity has been through green electricity contracts. We have also installed new PV panels on our roofs, which has increased green electricity production on the VUB Main Campus by 27% to 580 MWh. By 2030, we aim to generate 10% of the electricity we consume with our own solar panels; we are currently at 4.2%. This production will increase significantly in 2024.
The recently installed CHP on the VUB Main Campus will contribute to a significant reduction in primary energy consumption. We will also continue to install PV panels on our roofs, as well as efficient LED lighting and replace outdated ventilation systems with modern, efficient installations. We are optimising our heat and electricity network and beginning to utilise residual heat.
In 2022, we began renewed energy monitoring, through which we collect more and more detailed data for a more rapid detection of abnormal energy consumption. We are expanding the monitoring system to discover further saving opportunities based on detailed data.
Alongside our internal technical efforts to reduce energy consumption, staff and students are also making a contribution. Simple daily actions, such as setting thermostats to 19°C, turning off unused devices and switching off lights in empty rooms, make a real difference. For that reason, we relaunched our energy campaign last winter to provide information about daily energy-conscious practices on our campuses.
Our green-blue ambition framework for water management and biodiversity is the result of a campuswide living lab project. A transdisciplinary
In 2023 we reached an important milestone when the new combined heat and power (CHP) plant at the VUB Main Campus first came in use. The CHP is an efficient way to generate energy, and it produces electricity and heat simultaneously from the same energy source. This specific installation generates about 40% electricity and 60% (residual) heat, most of which is used to heat buildings in the winter months. Compared to modern natural gas power plants, which often lose the heat produced, VUB's CHP offers significantly higher overall efficiency and lower CO2 emissions.
“The installation of the CHP as a transition technology helps us achieve our interim goals on the path to becoming a net zero university by 2050. It enables us to generate approximately 50% of the electricity needs on the Etterbeek campus ourselves and contributes to a significant reduction in our CO2 emissions", says Maarten Cumps, energy coordinator.
In 2024 the installation will be further optimised to maximise its overall efficiency and number of operating hours.
team of experts from VUB INFRA, the Biology and Hydrology departments and the Sustainability core group collaborated for some time on projects such as the creation of wadis (infiltration basins) and promoting biodiversity. While our climate action plan focuses on further climate mitigation to keep global warming below 1.5°C, our adaptation plan aims to limit the harmful effects of the warming that is already taking place. Through smart measures, we aim to make the campus more resilient to extreme weather conditions such as heavier summer rainfall, more frequent heat waves and longer periods of drought. We strive to maintain and, wherever possible, enhance the robustness of the existing biodiversity. The Brussels Region has a high degree of soil sealing, with densely populated neighbourhoods and a combined sewer system. The green VUB campuses form a cooling island and offer great potential to capture rainfall during extreme weather conditions.
The objectives for our green-blue vision are tailored to VUB and were developed after a thorough preparation of policy. They have also been aligned with government policy frameworks. At the same time, we defined several specific KPIs, such as the BAF factor, which calculates the percentage of ecologically valuable surface area, and the degree of soil sealing. As these indicators are new, the data is not yet available.
Our water consumption is, however, already measured as an important indicator. As with other resources, VUB aims for responsible use of (drinking) water. We manage this sustainably through measures such as implementing and gradually expanding a leak detection system. We strive for efficient use of water when designing new infrastructure. We are also improving
access to drinking water as an alternative to soft drinks and replacing mains water with recovered (rain) water wherever possible.
As several of our meters were defective in 2023, the figures on our total consumption are not entirely reliable. In the coming years, we will certainly improve our data. Generally, water consumption in 2023, measured across a variety of buildings, was higher than in 2022. An evaluation of the causes of this increase is still needed.
• m3 tap water consumption
• Biotope area factor
• Degree of soil sealing
• Number of rare keystone species living on our campuses (5-year survey)
• % rainwater relative to total water consumption
1. Our goal is to increase the Biotype Area Factor (CBS-BAF) for all campuses by 20% by 2030. Every renovation project must aim for a higher BAF index.
2. From now on, 80% of all newly planted vegetation will be native, and at least 25% of the planted trees and shrubs will produce edible fruit for humans and/or animals.
3. Rare keystone species on the campuses are maintained in a favourable conservation status. The presence of populations is monitored every 5 years, and 10% of the campus area is reserved as an ecological refuge.
4. 25% of the grassland which is now intensively mowed will be converted to flower-rich grassland, which can happen spontaneously by adjusting the mowing times.
5. The spread of invasive plants will be reduced through controls and annual monitoring.
6. By 2030, 25% of the total water demand will be met by water reuse, and in new buildings, 50% of the maximum available rainwater will be reused.
7. Tap water consumption on campuses will be reduced through technical measures, to address leaks and raise awareness among heavy consumers.
8. There is no net increase in the hard surfaces, and, when redeveloping, we aim for 20% less impermeable surface. In new master and campus plans, only 25% of the area may be covered with hard surfaces.
9. We will focus on infiltration so that 100% of the rainwater on the campuses is retained by 2030. We will ensure that the leakage rate for campus discharge for a T100 storm is less than 1 l/s per hectare, so that rainwater will be discharged into the public sewer system only in extreme conditions.
10. We will not build in flood-prone areas.
11. We aim to improve water quality on-campus and the quality of the (waste) water leaving the campus.
Alongside the thriving research and growing student numbers, people have spotted rare orchid species, flower-rich grasslands, foxes, salamanders and grass snakes on the VUB campuses. A peregrine falcon hunts here regularly, which is an exceptional sight in an urban environment. In May, when VUB participates in 'No Mow May' and does not mow its grasslands, we see the familiar green desert transform into a flower-rich carpet of daisies, brunella and many other species. We aim to preserve and enhance this. By adjusting the green maintenance on the VUB grounds, we can reconcile our human needs with those of the fauna and flora.
Prof. Dr. Bram Vanschoenwinkel: “Thanks to 'No Mow May' and the VUB's decision to mow certain parts of the campus less frequently, our grasslands are increasingly turning into carpets of flowers. Not only is this a beautiful sight, but the flowers provide a true buffet of nectar and pollen for a variety of beneficial insects such as bees, bumblebees, butterflies and beetles."
In the regional programme for a circular economy, the Brussels Region formulates objectives in relation to waste. Brussels aims to sort 70% of its waste by 2030, a target which we have also adopted. For that reason, we continuously take steps to increase the sorting rate, such as infrastructure adjustments and communication (SDGs 12.5 and 12.8).
We try to collect nonhazardous waste streams separately wherever possible. This allows the different fractions to be processed and upgraded to new raw materials, or to be recycled. The collection of nonhazardous waste is the responsibility of Facility Services. The Prevention and Environment Department organises the collection of hazardous waste, such as chemical waste and risk-bearing medical/biological waste from laboratories. This waste is removed by a recognised hazardous waste collector for environmental processing.
• Total quantity of waste (tons)
• % sorted compared to total waste
The total amount of waste, hazardous and nonhazardous, increased between 2016 and 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp decline in 2020 as there were far fewer staff and students on campuses. In recent years, the total amount of waste has fluctuated somewhat, but we remain well below the pre-COVID levels. On a positive note, the significant growth in staff and students at VUB in recent years has not resulted in an increase in waste. In 2021, we collected 463 tons of waste on the VUB Main Campus and 229 tons on the VUB Health Campus. In 2023 this decreased slightly to 428 tons on the VUB Main Campus and 207 tons on the VUB Health Campus. The average amount of waste per VUB member decreased from 39.7 kg to 34.3 kg.
As in previous years, the sorting percentage on our 2 campuses increased in 2023. Given that the sorting rate on the Health Campus was much lower than on the Main Campus, we focused our efforts there. And we did so with success: the percentage of nonhazardous waste sorted (excluding bulky waste) increased on the Health Campus from 5% in 2016 to 23% in 2021 and further to 35% in 2023.
On the Main Campus, the share of sorted waste fluctuated at around 30% for years. However, between 2021 and 2023, the share increased from 31% to 43%.
This shows once again that continuous efforts to raise awareness and improve waste infrastructure have indeed yielded results.
In November 2022, the vending machine for plastic bottles and cans in the VUB cafeteria was replaced by a new machine that fills the personal bottles of students and staff with soft drinks and (flavoured) water. By eliminating drinks packaging we save on raw materials, transport and energy. In March 2023, the restaurant followed suit, and in September some of the soft-drinks vending machines on campus were replaced by a drinks station. If you don't have a personal bottle or drinking cup, you can get one from a vending machine nearby. Once the pilot project reaches an end, we will assess whether to continue and possibly expand this approach.
Extra water fountains were also installed on the campuses, as this is still the healthiest and most sustainable way to quench your thirst.
The largest student restaurant at VUB has long been the place to be for sustainable food (SDGs 2.4, 12.3 and 14.4). This year we are still on course and aiming for healthy, sustainable food across the campus. This we will achieve by reducing waste, promoting plant-based and balanced diets, offering affordable prices and adhering to zero-waste principles.
• Number of restaurants at VUB with the Good Food label
• % distribution of sold meals
In 2023, the VUB restaurant obtained the Good Food label for the third time. This label rewards industrial kitchens for their commitment to sustainable production and consumption, and for the processing of surplus food from the meals they’ve sold. This time, stricter sustainability criteria were introduced such as reducing meat portions from 150 g to 120 g. Bar Pilar, an externally operated hospitality facility, has also received a Good Food label and our other partner has submitted an application for one.
In 2023, 11% of the meals sold were vegetarian and 17% were vegan. Compared to 2021, the number of vegan meals declined slightly, while the number of vegetarian meals increased. With vegetarian and vegan meals combined, we see a steady growth over the years: from 21% in 2018 to 28% in 2023.
To make sorting easier for our restaurant visitors, the dishwashing area was renewed and given clear signage. The GreenTeam also organised sorting actions to make sure that everyone knows and follows our sorting rules. In December we held Low Impact Week, and only meals with a green eco-score (low climate impact) were served.
Restaurant visitors cannot always easily tell the environmental and climate impact of a particular meal. For that reason, we partnered with Ecotarian, an organisation that helps people understand the impact of their food. Ecotarian calculates the climate impact of a recipe by analysing the journey undertaken by its ingredients. Various factors are taken into account, such as carbon footprint, water usage, land use and nitrogen emissions. These factors are then converted into an overall score ranging from low to high climate impact. With the score, which indicates whether a meal performs better (green), comparable (yellow) or worse (red) than an average meal in Belgium, restaurant visitors can make more conscious choices and discover the impact of different dishes.
Discover the impact of your own meals now using the Ecotarian application
We strive for equality and inclusion for every student and staff member without erasing their unique differences. Every student and staff member, regardless of background, disability, gender or sexual orientation, should feel equally involved and supported by our university. Discrimination, disadvantage and inappropriate behaviour are not tolerated. This way, we attract talented students and staff from all over the world, with diverse backgrounds and characteristics. This inclusive approach makes our education and research more valuable and socially relevant, as it reflects society. Diversity in education and research provides a broader perspective on the world.
> An Inclusive HR Policy
> Inclusive Education > Research on Diversity > Inclusive Campuses and Opportunities for All
VUB endorses the EUTOPIA Inclusion Manifesto (2022). By doing so, we commit to changing our organisational structures, practices and culture to create an environment that promotes openness and inclusion.
More information on the EUTOPIA Inclusion Manifesto
Our recruitment and promotion policies must be objective and inclusive as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1.b, 5.1, 5.5, 8.5, 10.2 and 10.3). This means we strive for a bias-free recruitment policy and equal opportunities for career growth with attention to a healthy work and life balance. We also aim to create an inclusive workplace where everyone feels good and can develop. Our equality adviser, Annelore Wils, attached to Human Resources (HR), plays a central role in achieving these goals.
We offer various training sessions and tools to spread and embed inclusive recruitment and promotion practices throughout the university. We also monitor closely the inflow and outflow of staff. One of our annual goals is for at least 33% of our professors to be female. In the future, we aim to track more diversity indicators such as migration background.
• Bias training in each faculty
• % women in faculty evaluation and promotion committees
• % women in central governing bodies
• % female (FTE) independent academic staff in total and by faculty
• % female bachelor and master students by faculty
• % women holding a doctorate by faculty
• Leaky pipeline
• % women (FTE) in new independent academic staff (ZAP) recruitments
• % women (FTE) in independent academic staff (ZAP) promotions
• % women's salary compared to men's salary – wage gap
• % women's salary compared to men's salary adjusted for position
To monitor the effectiveness of our actions and training sessions, we track the gender balance among our staff and women's representation in the central governing bodies. We aim for gender balance and at least one-third women. We also conduct a wage gap analysis every 2 years.
In 2019-2020, bias training sessions were held in each of our 8 faculties to raise awareness about prejudice. We are currently revising the training to bring it closer in line with current recruitment practices. In recent years, we have consistently met our target for the evaluation and promotion committees in each faculty: representation of at least one-third of the underrepresented gender. However, in the academic year 2022 to 2023, one faculty narrowly missed this goal with 30% female members. It is important for women to take on governance roles and to have a say in decisions such as the promotion of fellow professors. And that this kind of work is also valorised.
The number of female professors or independent academic staff (ZAP) shows a positive trend. However, there are significant differences between faculties. The proportion of female professors in the exact sciences, for example, is clearly lower. In contrast, the proportion of female professors in the humanities and social sciences was at least 33% or more in 2023.
% Female staff (ZAP), doctorates obtained and students per faculty (2014 vs. 2023)
The Gender Action Plan marked the beginning in 2014 of a gender policy at VUB. The current goals and initiatives are put together in a Gender Equality Plan.
Equality Plan 2023 - 2027
There is also the new Human Resources Strategy for Researchers, which contributes to greater equality and inclusion for all our researchers.
In some faculties, the low number of female professors is in stark contrast with the high percentage of female students and doctoral students. We must continue to ensure that a diversity of profiles finds its way into academic positions.
In 2023, 48% of ZAP recruitments were women (based on FTEs).
Although, historically, VUB has been a leader in this area, we have seen a stronger increase in female professors at other Flemish institutions in recent years, which has
caused us to be overtaken. Meanwhile, with 34% (based on FTEs), we have reached the minimum threshold for one-third female VUB professors, but this is by no means the end point. It does not yet reflect the number of women starting a doctorate, and there are significant differences between faculties.
Leaky pipeline (2014 and 2023)
The leaky pipeline is a persistent phenomenon in the academic world, whereby women drop out in favour of their male colleagues at each step up the academic ladder. This is also the case at VUB. The phenomenon is underpinned by a complex interplay of reasons, including bias. Our goal is to make the blades of the so-called scissors run parallel. While we note that this is happening over the years, the process is slow and laborious. With 48% female PhD students and 17% female full professors, the gap is still very large in 2023.
If we zoom in on progression within the professoriate, we see that across the various academic ranks, from assistant professor to associate professor and beyond, 36% of promotions went to women (based on FTEs). This is down from 2021, when we achieved 49%.
One of our goals for this policy period is to implement a renewed ZAP career policy. VUB must be an environment in which everyone's talent is recognised and able to flourish. To achieve this, we aim to use a new model to recognise and value academic careers, involving important elements such as greater diversity in career paths, the valorisation of individual and team achievements and effective leadership. We also want to achieve a better balance between quantitative and qualitative assessments of academic records in promotions.
2023
2023
Every 2 years, we carry out a pay gap analysis. In 2022, the average man earned a 13% more than the average woman at VUB. This is a slight improvement, as the difference was 13.8% in 2020. The pay gap is due mainly to men being better represented among older staff and in better paid positions. If we look at the earnings of men and women in the same position (adjusted pay gap corrected according to position), there are no indications of a significant difference in 2022. This was true for all statuses. And it was also the case in 2020.
Given that gross monthly salary at VUB can be determined exactly from position, rank (or salary scale) and seniority, we can ensure that men and women in the same position are treated equally in promotions to a higher rank.
We do not consider diversity as an element to be integrated separately, but as inextricably linked to our urban character. As a university in a large city, our diverse student population brings the city onto our campuses emphatically: we experience diversity in terms of language, residency status, beliefs, socioeconomic background, gender identity, physical abilities, study paths and learning preferences.
For that reason, we actively engage with this diversity and seek ways to make our curricula as inclusive as possible. We want that meeting between different backgrounds and profiles to add value to learning itself, providing each of our students with maximum learning opportunities. We are guided in this by the principle of Universal Design for Learning, with specific adjustments wherever necessary. Some common adjustments will be implemented across the University, such as our inclusive examination measures.
Inclusive education is about improving learning opportunities and the participation of all students in a shared educational context. For that reason, we strive for physical and social inclusion of all target groups, along with a sense of belonging and participation in the VUB community.
We aim to offer an adequately broad range of courses on equality and inclusion to impart notions of diversity and inclusion to as many students as possible. Students can already take courses such as 'Gender and Diversity', 'Gender and Islam' and 'Gender, Diversity and Politics', and in 2014 we were involved in establishing the Interuniversity Master's programme 'Gender and Diversity'.
In 2019, we began working with a curriculum scan for the first time. Researcher Christil Asamoah analysed course material from 6 programmes and initiated conversations with our lecturers and students. The research results were converted into a toolkit in 2023, and provided tools and inspiration for more diversity-conscious and inclusive educational practices.
Students can experience unequal opportunities and feelings of exclusion due to their cultural, linguistic or economic background, beliefs, gender or sexual preference, age or disability. This can make progress difficult in studies and lead to early dropout. With this toolkit, we aim to initiate reflection and dialogue on how we can make our curricula, learning materials and teaching activities more diverse and inclusive. Together, we are working towards quality education and offering maximum learning opportunities for all our students.
We aim to tackle inequality beyond the level of the individual. We are investigating its structural effects and the systemic changes needed in society. With interdisciplinary and intersectional research, we are uncovering the structural patterns of disadvantage and privilege and indicating the changes needed to achieve a just and inclusive world (SDGs 5 and 10).
Numerous research groups at VUB focus on diversity, equality and inclusion. The RHEA Expertise Centre for Gender, Diversity and Intersectionality, for example, deals with intersectionality: the importance of gender inequalities in relation to structural disadvantage based on ethnicity, sexuality, religion, class, age or disability.
The Brussels Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Migration and Minorities (BIRMM) connects over 100 VUB researchers who are exploring themes such as migration, minorities and diversity.
The Hannah Arendt Institute, founded by VUB, the University of Antwerp and the city of Mechelen, aims to connect scientific knowledge on diversity, urban life and citizenship with the insights and experiences of policymakers, organisations and citizens. We are continuing to integrate gender and diversity in our university's research.
Memory Mphaphuli, coordinator of RHEA
“Every year, RHEA organises Gender Week at VUB during the week of International Women's Day. This event provides a platform for thoughtful reflection on the structural challenges and significant progress made in the ongoing struggle for women's emancipation."
Street harassment is no game. But playing it, allows you to talk about it. The City Confessions board game addresses sexually transgressive behaviour in (semi-) public spaces and provides bystanders with techniques to deal with it.
ZIJkant and the researchers from RHEA joined a group of young adults and the game developer De Aanstokerij to create an interactive board game. City Confessions goes beyond gameplay; it is about sharing perspectives
and learning from each other. The game takes you on a journey through the city and into situations along the way that could be considered as transgressive. Fortunately, there are bystanders who can lend their assistance. The community meter indicates how supportive the players are and how safe or unsafe the city has become. The pilot version of City Confessions has already travelled the country. The evaluation has shown that 76% of players felt more motivated and confident to respond as bystanders, and 84% gained the knowledge they needed to act as responsible bystanders.
VUB campuses are friendly environments where discrimination, disadvantage and transgressive behaviour are not tolerated. It is our ambition to be an agent of change that provides opportunities, corrects inequalities and guides new generations towards greater equality and appreciation of diversity (SDGs 1b, 4.7a, 5.2, 10.2, 10.3 and 11.3).
We tackle structural transgressive behaviour, sexism and racism by optimising our help line. Through bystander training for various target groups, we explain what to do
if you witness transgressive behaviour. We also aim to strengthen practice-oriented training for staff on antisexism, anti-racism and intercultural communication. In addition, we are developing a vision and action plan for a more accessible, inclusive and trans-friendly campus infrastructure, administration and communication. And so we are gradually increasing the number of inclusive toilets beyond the traditional male-female division. Finally, every year in May, we participate in the Brussels Pride parade with our colleagues from ULB to make a statement against homophobia and transphobia.
Read our vision on inclusive VUB campuses here (NL)
Racism and discrimination are sensitive topics. On this course, our quality advisor offers practical tips and strategies for dealing with these issues in the workplace. The training is provided by request and tailored to the specific needs and context of a team or department. We discuss the impact of micro-aggressions, biases and stereotypes and explain the protected grounds of discrimination. After the training, you will be able to recognise direct and indirect discrimination and respond appropriately to accusations of racism and discrimination. Annelore Wils, the training facilitator, emphasises that the interaction between the participants offers many points for learning.
Our campus and student services are designed to promote the well-being of our students, with a favourable study trajectory in mind. We also contribute to a connected community in which everyone feels welcome. Our student community is diverse, and so we strive for a varied and differentiated offering that takes account of specific needs. We focus our support on specific groups in which the impact on well-being and steady progress is greatest. This may include financial support or the allocation of a student room.
Flemish universities have been using the same definitions for several years to register the personal characteristics of students enrolling in higher education for the first time (also known as first-time students). These characteristics include:
Each year, the Diversity and Social Policy Working Group of the VLIR (Flemish Interuniversity Council) collects the personal characteristics of first-time students at Flemish universities and creates a description and infographic.
> Work students
> Parents' education
> Students with a disability
> Scholarship students and nearscholarship students
> Foreign-language and multilingual students
> Students with a migration background
> Newcomers
• % personal characteristics of students: diversity in the VUB student population
• Number of PhD writing grants
Menstrual poverty is not, unfortunately, a new concept but a bitter reality. More than one third of VUB students are on scholarships, and, undoubtedly, there are female students who cannot afford monthly menstrual products and are therefore forced to miss lectures and practicals. We aim to eliminate this inequality.
Female students in need can obtain a voucher from Student Regulations & Finance. The voucher is exchangeable at our partner Färm, an organic store near the campus, for a sustainable menstrual package, such as washable pads or panty liners with a menstrual cup. This initiative is made possible with support from the Caroline Pauwels Emergency Fund for Students.
% personal characteristics of students: diversity in the VUB student population (2023)
Data from the 2022-2023 academic years shows that first-time students at VUB are a very diverse group. Even when we look at the entire student population, we score high in terms of diversity: in the 2022-2023 academic year, one third of our students had a migration background and no less than half were foreign-language or multilingual. For that reason, we consciously invest in a language policy that stimulates the academic knowledge of Dutch and other languages at a high level. We consider multilingualism as an asset and a building block for inclusive higher education.
The increasing diversity among students is a sign that the second wave of democratisation in higher education is in full swing. The whole of society benefits from this. This is because diversity leads to education and research that unites different perspectives and looks at the world with a broad view.
It also has its challenges. For example, our bachelor's, master's and transfer students do not achieve the same study results as our first-time students on a number of personal characteristics. Nor do the students with the characteristics we discuss here make sufficient progress to our PhD programmes and further academic careers. Our staff should partly reflect this diverse student population, so that the students have role models.
Finally, we note that in the 2022-2023 academic year, no less than 58% of our student population was female. However, with significant differences between faculties and programmes.
We support students from underrepresented groups when it comes to obtaining their degrees and in their journey towards a career in academia or on the labour market. VUB aims to achieve the most inclusive and diverse PhD trajectory possible. This is why we offer the Caroline Pauwels Writing Grant for master's students who aspire to a PhD but face family or financial barriers that make it difficult to write a mandate application. In 2023, 4 strong and motivated final-year students were able to begin a research career with this writing grant.
Pieter Ballon, Vice-Rector for Research
“We want to give talented students an extra push to pursue a PhD at VUB. We also aim to orient ourselves more internationally, to utilise all talents and to provide more inclusive and quality support."
The well-being of our students and staff is a priority. It is our duty to take care of it. Our students and our staff spend a significant part of their time on our campuses. Since we have a significant influence on their mental health and well-being, we integrate well-being fully into our operations. We are making our university a reference point for well-being, run as a Community of Caring. We are convinced that a safe and healthy work and learning environment hugely promotes the happiness and well-being of our VUB community, which leads to maximum personal development and study opportunities.
> An Appreciative HR Policy
> Caring for Our VUB Community
> A Welcoming Campus and Mutual Respect
Working at VUB should be a positive experience, and it is. Colleagues are enthusiastic and engaged, but that doesn't mean we can rest on our laurels. We continue to work on making the professional mission more manageable, to promote well-being and to recognise and appreciate the efforts of our colleagues. For that reason, we are developing a friendly and appreciative personnel policy and implementing a new ZAP career policy (see also page 52).
And our support for early-career researchers is essential for a successful academic career. Through online
course material, podcasts and more traditional training pathways, we offer leadership and project management training programmes based on satisfaction and needs analysis. One of our surveys is the annual PhD survey, which we have conducted since 2017 to assess job satisfaction among PhD candidates and provide them with better support.
We also invest in developing leadership competencies, appropriate training and education, and promoting well-being in research teams. In addition, we are exploring how to set up a mentorship programme for our staff.
From 13 to 16 November 2023, we held the third edition of Engaged Leading Week. With this initiative we aim to recognise and strengthen the leadership potential of our university and build bridges between current and future leaders at all levels of our organisation. We view leadership as a shared activity driven by passion and intent, with the goal of creating more connections between people and groups at VUB.
Kathleen Vangronsvelt (Antwerp Management School) kicked off Engaged Leading Week with a keynote on the promotion of well-being in the workplace by embracing leadership. Other training sessions covered constructive conflict management, fair decision-making, mentoring and stimulating team motivation.
How you feel impacts your entire life, work included. We offer support for staff on topics such as stress, burnout, health, addiction and trauma (SDG 3.8). Our M&O human resources department collaborates with the Brussels University Consultation Centre (BRUCC), an outpatient centre for psychological services (primary care), training and research. Alongside the prevention and environmental service, M&O organises awareness campaigns to help staff find the right path to internal and external assistance.
In 2024, VUB will hold the title of 'Pioneering Employer' (‘baanbrekende werkgever’). This certificate was awarded by 'Pioneering Employer', a learning network of organisations throughout Flanders which is committed to sustainable and human-centred employment. The title was obtained after an intensive exchange and learning process. In the past few years, VUB has made significant efforts in sustainable mobility and hybrid working and has committed to the mental and physical well-being of its staff. Friendly, open, learning and connected: these are the values we all strive for at VUB.
The well-being of our students is a top priority. Through a varied and stratified provision of support, we aim to provide all of our students with the right (preventive) support to strengthen their resilience and mental wellbeing and maximise their chances of success. We are also committed to a long-term and integrated welfare policy, organised as part of a Community of Caring. Into this policy we incorporate the results of the 2022 Flemish Well-being Monitor of Flemish students.
This survey revealed that 46% of students scored positively on criteria for one or more mental health issues. Of that group about 5% experience no impact, 25% little to mild impact and 10% mild to moderate impact on daily life. 5% of students belong to a critical group who have many mental health problems and experience high impact.
As an urban engaged university, we understand that metropolitan life often comes with a lower socioeconomic status, which can bring additional challenges for our students' well-being. For that reason, we invest in social connectedness, which includes a well-conceived VUBuddy system and an active alumni network as part of our Community of Caring.
Since 2023, we have been providing 'gatekeeper training' for our lecturers, services and student associations. This has arisen from our goal to evolve into a Community of Caring, in which everyone understands and fulfils their role. “From students and lecturers to welfare professionals such as student psychologists and study counsellors; the responsibility to ensure student well-being is a collective one", says Rebecca Léonard, Head of Study Counselling.
“To achieve this Community of Caring, we need to raise awareness of the challenge in the VUB community and involve everyone concerned. Through gatekeeper training, we strengthen the skills of student associations, lecturers and services when it comes to recognising and addressing signs of emotional problems in students and encouraging fellow students to seek help from the appropriate agencies as and when needed."
We aim to create a friendly learning and working environment in which everyone feels good and safe (SDGs 4.7a and 8.8). We have therefore taken structural measures to address transgressive behaviour. We have also developed a ‘limits awareness’ policy to prevent sexual misconduct and substance abuse within the student community.
We optimised the operation of our help line for the entire VUB community to enable a more rapid response to sexist or racist behaviour, bullying and violence. We have also conducted a critical review of our procedures, communication and disciplinary regulations. In addition, we are working towards safe campuses to improve the well-being of the entire VUB community (SDG 3).
Through You Are Not Alone (YANA), our implementation framework for an integral approach to transgressive behaviour (GOG), we continue to commit to well-being and combating unwanted transgressive behaviour in our organisation. These elements are widely supported by all sections and stakeholders of VUB.
The help line for transgressive behaviour is available to anyone who has experienced such behaviour in a VUB context or on a VUB campus. It is a place where students, staff and visitors can share their stories, experiences or questions. The help line maintain professional confidentiality, ensuring that all reports are handled in confidence. A counsellor listens to the complainant's story and provides information about likely assistance and next steps.
Although the VUB help line is housed with the prevention and environmental service, it operates independently and autonomously. In recent years, we have reviewed the operation of the help line and expanded the number of staff members to enable a more structural approach to transgressive behaviour. This results in a more rapid follow-up and personal support for complainants. We have also developed a preventive policy, carried out awareness campaigns, improved our statistics monitoring and more. Students and staff alike are experiencing improved access to the help line.
Now that the COVID-19 crisis is fully behind us and our campuses are busy again, we are seeing an increase in reports of transgressive behaviour. In 2023, the help line received 188 complaints. About half of these reports concerned psychological violence on our campus. In the coming years we will continue to evaluate and adjust the help line's operation as a part of our You Are Not Alone (YANA) policy. With this policy we pay maximum attention to prevention. If transgressive behaviour still takes place, we want victims, counsellors and other stakeholders not to be left feeling alone.
• Number of reports to the help line
• Profile of reporters to the help line
• % characteristics of the report
• Number of 'limits awareness leadership and bystander intervention' sessions
• Number of participants in the session since 2022
With our 'Limits awareness' policy for student life we aim to prevent sexual misconduct. We do this by providing students with the necessary tools to handle sexuality safely. The flag system used by Sensoa, the Flemish expertise centre for sexual health, serves as the guideline. The method, developed in Flanders, assesses sexual behaviour on a case-by-case basis, responds appropriately and prevents future incidents.
In addition to preventing sexual misconduct, we also stepped up our approach to alcohol and drug use among students in 2023. Our new substance policy aims to encourage students to responsibly
“As a welcoming university, VUB wants to be a safe environment for anyone who works and studies here", says Vice-Rector for Education and Student Affairs, Nadine Engels. “Drug use does not belong in a safe environment as it always involves risk. In the long term it can lead to addiction, and in the short term there
handle alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs and psychoactive medication by raising awareness of the associated risks.
In collaboration with Sensoa we have organised 'Limits Awareness Leadership and Bystander Intervention' training for our staff on 13 occasions since 2022. How, as a bystander, do you respond to transgressive behaviour from colleagues? In total, 205 colleagues have participated in the training. In 2023, 5 sessions were held on the VUB Main Campus and 1 on the Health Campus. The training will be adjusted in future to better meet the needs of our leaders.
are physical and mental risks, depending on the substance used. It can also have negative consequences for the environment. We want to open the subject for discussion among students and to teach them to give careful consideration to substance use. This way, we evolve towards a Community of Caring, where everyone – from student to lecturer, from student association to well-being actor – knows and adopts their role."
Serious illness, death or loss: students and staff can experience these too. This is why VUB gives a place to compassion and grief in its community. As a sign of commitment we have even signed a declaration of intent as a 'Compassionate University'. “This makes us a pioneer in Europe", says Sarah Dury of the Compassionate Communities Centre of Expertise. During annual 'Compassionate Week', students and staff can attend workshops and seminars, write a sympathy card or come together in the 'Compassionate Café’ for a moment of connection. A variety of activities provides a platform to help share loss, illness and grief. During the Moment of Comfort, we, as a community, pause to remember the VUB members who passed away the year before.
During Compassionate Week 2023, we unveiled our permanent 'Before I Die Wall'.
The wall is part of a global art project and invites the VUB community as a whole to reflect on the things that truly matter, such as our own mortality. The concept was developed by artist Candy Chang in New Orleans. Worldwide, there are already more than 5,000 'Before I Die' walls in over 35 languages in 75 countries including China, Argentina, Italy, Iraq, Finland, India, Japan and South Africa. The latest wall is now in Brussels, on the VUB campus in Etterbeek.
Number of rare keystone species living on our campuses
rainwater versus total water consumption
Bias training in each faculty
% women in each faculty evaluation and promotion committee
% women in central governing bodies
Achieved except
Achieved except for Social Sciences and Solvay Business School, which has 30% women
% female (FTE) independent academic staff by faculty
% female bachelor and master students by faculty
Social Sciences and Solvay Business School: 39%
Medicine and Pharmacy: 38%
Engineering: 25%
Physical Education and Physiotherapy: 40%
Linguistics and Philosophy: 43%
Psychology and Educational Sciences: 40%
Law and Criminology: 37%
Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences: 17%
Social Sciences and Solvay Business School: 52%
Medicine and Pharmacy: 66%
Engineering: 24%
Physical Education and Physiotherapy: 45%
Linguistics and Philosophy: 62%
Psychology and Educational Sciences: 83%
Law and Criminology: 68%
Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences: 40%
Social Sciences and Solvay Business School: 52%
Medicine and Pharmacy: 50%
Engineering: 23%
Social Sciences and Solvay Business School: 45%
Medicine and Pharmacy: 40%
Engineering: 24%
Physical Education and Physiotherapy: 34%
Linguistics and Philosophy: 44%
Psychology and Educational Sciences: 46%
Law and Criminology: 36%
Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences: 18%
Social Sciences and Solvay Business School: 54%
Medicine and Pharmacy: 69%
Engineering: 28%
Physical Education and Physiotherapy: 52%
Linguistics and Philosophy: 70%
Psychology and Educational Sciences: 82%
Law and Criminology: 73%
Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences: 42% % women who
Physical Education and Physiotherapy: 57%
Linguistics and Philosophy: 56%
Psychology and Educational Sciences: 83%
Law and Criminology: 75%
Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences: 45%
Predoc academic staff: 45%
Assistant academic staff: 57%
Postdoc academic staff: 34%
Lecturer: 38%
Associate Professor: 36%
Professor: 30%
Full Professor: 19%
Social Sciences and Solvay Business School: 51%
Medicine and Pharmacy: 69%
Engineering: 30%
Physical Education and Physiotherapy: 54%
Linguistics and Philosophy: 47%
Psychology and Educational Sciences: 69%
Law and Criminology: 50%
Sciences and Bio-engineering Sciences: 47%
Predoc academic staff: 48%
Assistant academic staff: 57%
Postdoc academic staff: 33%
Lecturer: 45%
Associate Professor: 31%
Professor: 37%
Full Professor: 17%
% women (FTE) in new independent academic staff (ZAP) recruitments
% women (FTE) in independent academic staff - promotions
% difference in pay of women compared to men
% difference in pay of women compared to men - adjusted wage gap, corrected according to position
% personal characteristics: diversity among first-time students
% personal characteristics: diversity among all students
No significant difference
Migration background 43%
Newcomers: 3%
Foreign-language or multilingual: 57%
Scholarship and near-scholarship: 34%
One or more disabilities: 5%
Short or medium-educated background: 21%
Work student: 6%
Migration background 34%
Newcomers: 4%
Foreign-language or multilingual: 53%
Scholarship and near-scholarship: 27%
One or more disabilities: 5%
Short or medium-educated background: 26%
Work student: 19%
Number of reports to the help line
Profile of reporters to the help line
% characteristics of the report (interaction)
% characteristics of the report (type of report)
Number of 'Limits Awareness Leadership and Bystander Intervention' sessions
Number of participants in the session since 2022
Male/female 56%/43%
External parties/staff/students: 12%/24%/64%
Dutch/English-speaking: 81%/19%
Student - student: 33%
Student - staff: 22%
Staff - staff: 15%
Other relationships: 30%
Unknown: 17%
Bullying: 11%
Psychological violence: 30%
Discrimination/racism: 14%
Sexually transgressive behaviour: 27%
No significant difference
Migration background 44%
Newcomers: 4%
Foreign-language or multilingual: 63%
Scholarship and near-scholarship: 33%
One or more disabilities: 5%
Short or medium-educated background: 21%
Work student: 5%
Migration background: 33%
Newcomers: 4%
Foreign-language or multilingual: 51%
Scholarship and near-scholarship: 26%
One or more disabilities: 6%
Short or medium-educated background: 24%
Work student: 5%
Male/female/other: 35%/ 62%/3%
External parties/staff/students: 12%/46%/42%
Dutch/English-speaking: 81%/19%
Student - student: 28%
Student - staff: 16%
Staff - staff: 34%
Other relationships (external parties): 23%
Unknown: 2%
Bullying: 7%
Psychological violence: 52%
Discrimination/racism: 6%
Sexually transgressive behaviour: 18%
Physical violence: 2%
Other: 14%
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