International student

Life in Brussels, capital of Belgium

Brussels is one of the most cosmopolitan capital cities in the world. Although the main language is French, many different nationalities rub shoulders, turning the city into a Tower of Babel. When you walk through the city, you hear many languages spoken around you, due to the presence of the European institutions as well as 3000 foreign companies and associations.
The city is very lively, with many cultural activities to enjoy: concerts, theatre, cinema, exhibitions and performances of all types.

Brussels was the cultural capital in 2000 and is renowned for its beautiful Grand'Place and its wealth of museums and remarkable monuments, in particular from the art nouveau era.

Brussels is a city on a human scale, with all the advantages of a capital city – and without the inconveniences. Its proximity to Paris, London and Amsterdam is yet another attractive feature of of the city.

The Université libre de Bruxelles is located on 3 campuses:

• the Solbosch campus, the University's main location, houses the University's administration as well as other facilities and services. Most Faculties are also based here, except the Medical School, the School of Public Health and the Faculty of Pharmacy.

• the Plaine campus, situated at less than a mile from the Solbosch site, accommodates many science departments. The Faculty of Pharmacy and the administration of the Faculty of Science are based there as well. In addition, this campus hosts the Victor Horta Higher Institute for Architecture, which is associated with ULB.

• the Érasme campus houses the Erasmus Hospital, the Medical School and the School of Public Health, as well as the School of Nursing, which is run by ULB and the Faculty of Motor Science..

Belgium at a glance

Belgium is a federal state made up of three Communities (the French Community, the Flemish Community and the German-speaking Community) and three Regions (the Brussels Capital Region in the centre, the Flemish Region to the north and the Walloon Region to the south). In terms of language, both French and Dutch are spoken in the Brussels Capital Region and the latter is officially bilingual; Dutch is spoken in the Flemish Region, while in the Walloon Region both French and German are spoken although the Region is not officially bilingual.
The country's main federal institutions are the federal government and a bicameral parliament comprising the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. The Communities and Regions also retain their own legislative and executive authority.

Belgium's three Communities are delineated by language and their main powers and responsibilities include education, culture and what are referred to as 'social matters' such as family/ child support and certain aspects of healthcare. By contrast, the three Regions focus more on geographical issues and their powers extend primarily to considerations of a more economic nature such as public works, agriculture, employment, landuse planning and the environment.
To know more about the country's specificities and find useful information visit www.belgium.be.