KU Leuven

KU Leuven

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven[a]
Latin: Universitas catholica Lovaniensis
Other name	Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven[b]
Motto	Sedes Sapientiae (Latin)
Motto in English	Seat of Wisdom
Type	Publicly-funded Catholic university
Established	1425 as Studium Generale Lovaniense (predecessor institution) 1834 as Catholic University of Belgium 1970 (split)
Academic affiliation	CESAER CLUSTER Coimbra Group EASN Association EUA Europaeum EQUIS LERU VIU TPC Una Europa Universitas 21
Budget	€1,1 billion in annual income[1]
Chairman	Marianne Thyssen
Chancellor	Jozef De Kesel
Rector	Luc Sels
Administrative staff	11,534
Students	65,189 (2021–22)
Doctoral students	7,172 (2021–22)
Location	Leuven , Belgium 50°52′41″N 4°42′00″E / 50.878°N 4.700°E / 50.878; 4.700
Campus	Main (urban/university town) campus in Leuven and satellite campuses in Aalst, Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Diepenbeek, Geel, Ghent, Kortrijk and Sint-Katelijne-Waver
Colors	Blue and white
Mascot	Fons Sapientiae
Website	kuleuven.be

KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)^[a][2] is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium.

In addition to its main campus in Leuven, it has satellite campuses in Kortrijk, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Ostend, Geel, Diepenbeek, Aalst, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, and in Belgium's capital Brussels.^[3] KU Leuven is the largest university in Belgium and the Low Countries. In 2021–22, more than 65,000 students were enrolled, with 21% being international students.^[4] Its primary language of instruction is Dutch, although several programs are taught in English, particularly graduate and postgraduate degrees.^[5][6] It is routinely ranked among the top 50 universities in the world by Times Higher Education.^[7]

Although Catholic in theology and heritage, KU Leuven operates independently from the Church.^[8] KU Leuven previously only accepted baptized Catholics,^[when?] but is now open to students from different faiths or life-stances.^[9][10]

While nowadays only the acronymic name KU Leuven is used, the university's legal name is Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, officially Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven,^[b] which translates in English as Catholic University of Leuven.^[a] However, the acronymic name is not translated in official communications, like its similarly named French-language sister university Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain).

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