Hasselt University


Hasselt University is a public research university with campuses in Hasselt and Diepenbeek, Belgium. It has more than 8,190 students and 1,850 academic, administrative and technical staff. The university was officially established in 1971 as the Limburg Universitair Centrum and changed its name to Hasselt University in 2005.
UHasselt is ranked in the section 301-350 in the Times Higher Education ''World University Ranking''.
As of October 2020, Rector of Hasselt University is Prof. Bernard Vanheusden. Vice-Rector for Education is Prof. Elke Hermans, Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation & Internationalisation is Prof. Ken Haenen.

History

Establishment and start

UHasselt/LUC was official established by law in May 1971. In September 1973, the first academic year followed with around 320 students and six programmes.

Growth

In the ensuing decades, Hasselt University went through an enormous transformation. In 1991, the Limburg Business School was transformed into the university's third faculty. The curriculum was expanded to include Transportation Sciences, Law, Architecture, Interior Architecture, Engineering Technology, Rehabilitation Sciences and Commercial Sciences. In 2022, five additional programmes were launched: Social Sciences, Materiomics, Nursery and Midwifery, Healthcare Engineering and Engineering Technology: Computer Science.

Partnerships

In 2001, UHasselt/LUC and Maastricht University founded the Transnational University Limburg – an international partnership involving two universities in two countries. tUL offers several programmes: Computer Science, Statistics, Biomedical Sciences and Law. In 2003, UHasselt/LUC and university colleges PHL and XIOS formed the Limburg Association of Higher Education, or AUHL. The Association eyes the further development of higher education and scientific research in the Region.
In 2022, Hasselt University joined the EURECA-PRO European University Alliance. The network enables students and staff to study, teach and research in the field of responsible consumption and production. The long-term ambition of UHasselt and its partners in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, Romania and Spain, is to become the European hub for education and research in sustainability.

Name change

In 2005, LUC was renamed Hasselt University.

From one to two campuses

In 2012, UHasselt opened a second campus in the city centre of Hasselt. It includes the Rectorate, the Law Faculty Building and the Old Prison. The Old Prison is the university's main seat as well as the place where new students must register. Campus Hasselt also includes the Refugiehuis and Witte Kazerne, located in the Maastrichterstraat.

Rectors of Hasselt University

Rectorial elections at UHasselt take place every four years. All members of the faculty and school boards are eligible to vote. As highest decision-making body, the board of governors officially appoint the new rector. Over the past decades, Hasselt University has had four rectors :
  • 1972–1988: Louis Verhaegen
  • 1988–2004: Harry Martens
  • 2004–2020: Luc De Schepper
  • 2020–present: Bernard Vanheusden

    Campuses and main buildings

Campus Diepenbeek

Campus Diepenbeek is located in the ‘green belt’ near Hasselt. The campus is home to several research institutes, incubators and spin-offs. The student restaurant, University Library, class rooms and auditoriums are located in Main Building D. Other notable campus buildings are the Science Tower and the Application Centre for Concrete and Construction.

Campus Hasselt

Campus Hasselt consists of the Rectorate, the Faculty of Law and the Old Prison. The almost 200-year-old building has a restaurant, two auditoriums and former prison cells turned into study rooms. The Student Service Centre, where enrolment of new students takes place, is also located in the Old Prison Building.
The Offices of the Rector and Administrators are located on walking distance, at the sixteenth-century Refugiehuis. The adjacent Witte Kazerne is home to some central administration offices and the Transportation Research Institute as well as the School of Transportation Sciences.

Faculties, Schools and research institutes

Faculties and Schools

UHasselt has seven Faculties and three Schools, offering 18 Bachelor and 35 Master programmes in total :
  • Architecture and Arts
  • Business Economics
  • Engineering Technology
  • Law
  • Medicine and Life Sciences
  • Rehabilitation Sciences
  • Sciences
  • School of Transportation Sciences
  • School of Educational Studies
  • School for Social Sciences

    Research institutes and centres

UHasselt has four research institutes covering the entire research spectre :
There are also three research centres:

Student Council

Each academic year, UHasselt students elect a Student Council, consisting of fourteen members from the different Faculties and Schools. These representatives take part in several decision-making bodies, including the Board of Governors and the Educational Council.

Student Associations

UHasselt has a rich student life, with several Student Associations:
  • Ambifaarke
  • ASG
  • BeMSA Hasselt
  • Biomedica
  • CCG
  • Commeatus
  • DIP's
  • ELSA Hasselt
  • ESN Hasselt
  • Filii Lamberti
  • Hermes
  • JOSS
  • Junior Consulting
  • Miezerik
  • Themis
  • Rekinea
  • Humanitas

    Academic life

Opening academic year

The formal opening of the academic year traditionally takes place in the penultimate week of September. The day starts with the Procession of Professors in the centre of Hasselt and a toast by the Mayor at City Hall. In the afternoon, a ceremony with speeches and music is held.

Foundation Day

Hasselt University celebrates its Foundation Day on May 28. To mark the occasion, honorary doctorate degrees are awarded to individuals for outstanding contributions made to a specific field and/or to society in general. Each honorary doctor receives a diploma and the University Medal. Since 2022, UHasselt also hands out the Foundation Day Honorary Award to an organisation.