The number of international students at the Dutch-speaking University of Brussels (VUB) has increased for the eighth year in a row, it announced on International Student Day.
In the previous academic year (2021-2022), a total of 5,129 students from abroad studied at the VUB, a 10% increase compared to the academic year that preceded it. More than half (52%) of the foreign students were from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).
"Our English-language study offer appeals enormously," said Vice-Chancellor of Internationalisation, Karin Vanderkerken.
"In addition, we are located in Brussels, the capital of Europe. You will find a multitude of international institutions here, meaning when you come here to study, you not only gather international academic knowledge but internship and job opportunities are also at your fingertips."
The student population at the VUB counts 152 nationalities, excluding Belgians, with the largest group from the EEA coming from the Netherlands (629 students) followed by Italy (342), Spain (273), Germany (225) and France (173).
Among students from outside the EEA, China is the leader (264), followed by Iran (182), India (156), Turkey (144) and Cameroon (95).
Meanwhile, last year, 300 VUB students went on exchange abroad with exchange programmes such as Erasmus+ and other initiatives, and 304 exchange students also came to the VUB, mostly from Spain (59), followed by Italy (54). France (28), Germany (18) and the Czech Republic (17).
Increased by 2,000
In the academic year 2013-2014, the number of students from abroad at the universities sat at 3,069 students. By 2021-2022, this figure reached 5,129, an increase of 67%.
The growing number of international students followed the trend of the overall number of students increasing, including Belgian students. The number of people who were enrolled in programmes also increased for eight years.
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Overall, the share of international students remained relatively unchanged, with them making up around 25% of the total student population.
VUB students can also spend time abroad for their studies or internships. The top five favourite EEA destinations were Spain (50), France (35), Italy (27), Germany (24) and Sweden (14), respectively.
