Ghent University

Overview

Ghent University (UGent), or Universiteit Gent in Dutch, is an esteemed public research university located in Belgium. With a student body of more than 40,000 and a staff of nearly 10,000, UGent is considered as one of largest universities in the Flemish Region today. UGent prides itself on attracting and welcoming students from all around the globe, with 10% of its population coming from different countries. The primary language of instruction utilized at the university is Dutch, but there are also select postgraduate programs taught in English.

UGent is considered a pluralist university. As such, it is not associated with a specific ideology or religion. This allows the school to remain open to students of all backgrounds, cultures, religions, nationalities, gender, and race. The university also maintains a global perspective as it welcomes international students and employees. It also regularly participates in the Erasmus exchange program of the European Union.

The university in Ghent was founded on October 9, 1817 by King William I of Orange, with JC van Rotterdam serving as its first rector. It started with four faculties: Humanities, Science, Medicine, and Law, which collectively enrolled a total of 190 students. The university originally used Latin for instruction but later adopted the French language for all programs. In 1903, Flemish politician Lodewijk De Raet campaigned for the use of Dutch as the language of instruction. The first Dutch courses were offered in 1906. Today, UGent maintains its identity by providing about 230 programs in Dutch.

The university is considered one of Belgium’s major research institutions. It is also among the biggest beneficiaries of the Research Foundation - Flanders. The university’s annual research investment is estimated to be around £180 million.

While the university’s main campus is located at the heart of the city, its campus in Ostend serves as home to the GreenBridge Incubation Centre, which provides support and resources for startup technology companies. The center also performs its own sustainability research, focusing on seas and oceans.

UGent also has an arm in the Songdo Global University Campus (SGUC) in Incheon, South Korea. As the first European university to be accepted in SGUC, UGent provides bachelor’s programs in Molecular Biotechnology, Food Technology, and Environmental Technology.

Ghent University is affiliated with several Nobel Prize winners, including Joseph Guislain, Peter Piot, Walter Fiers, and Marc Van Montagu. Its notable alumni include Robert Cailliau, who is known for developing the internet with Tim Berners-Lee.