Université catholique de Louvain
Belgium's largest French-speaking institution is the Université catholique de Louvain. It has campuses at Louvain-la-Neuve, which was built specifically for the university, as well as Brussels, Charleroi, Mons, Tournai, and Namur. Following a merger with Saint-Louis University in Brussels in September 2018, the university has used the trademark UCLouvain instead of the initials UCL. The original University of Louvain (Universitas Lovaniensis) was founded in 1425 in the ancient town of Leuven (or Louvain) and was abolished by legislation in 1797, making it Belgium's and the Low Countries' first university. In Europe, this university was the epicenter of Baianism, Jansenism, and Febronianism.
The State University of Louvain was established in 1817 and was abolished by statute in 1835. In 1834, a new catholic university, the Catholic University of Mechlin, was created in Mechlin and relocated to Leuven in 1835. It is usually, but controversially, regarded as a continuation of the earlier institution. AB The Catholic University of Leuven split in 1968, with the Dutch-language Katholieke Universiteit Leuven remaining in Leuven and the French-language Université catholique de Louvain relocating to Louvain-la-Neuve, Wallonia, 30 kilometers southeast of Brussels.
Leuven/Louvain, as it is currently known, has been an important contributor to the development of Catholic theology from the 15th century. The University of Louvain is frequently placed among the world's top 50 philosophy schools and top 20 theology and religious studies schools.
- QS Ranking 2022: 207
- THE Ranking 2022: 201
- ARWU Ranking 2021: 101
Established:1425
Location: Louvain-la-Neuve, with campuses in Brussels
Website: www.uclouvain.be
