Researcher
at the ULB
What you need to know
to be…
"
"
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Contents
A –Belgium, the ULB, research…
2 – Your stay at the ULB : what you need to do ..............................................20
1- The Université libre de Bruxelles
Prior to your stay…
At a glance… ..........................................................................................................................7
A look at our campuses ....................................................................................................9
Residence permit - Visa ...............................................................................................21
> If you come from a country belonging to the EU or EEA .....................21
> If you come from a country NOT belonging to the EU or EEA ..........21
Right to work ......................................................................................................................22
Taxation in Belgium ........................................................................................................22
2 – Top-level scientific research
A recognised player on an international,
European and Belgian level .........................................................................................11
Special features ....................................................................................................................11
Knowledge, know-how and technology transfer,
spin-off promotion ...........................................................................................................11
Prizes and awards ..............................................................................................................12
Research linked to teaching ........................................................................................12
A few figures ..........................................................................................................................12
During your stay …
4 – The ULB’s participative management principle ........................................13
Cost of living .......................................................................................................................25
Healthcare ............................................................................................................................25
Accommodation ..............................................................................................................25
Transport ...............................................................................................................................26
Bank accounts ....................................................................................................................27
Telephone and Internet ................................................................................................27
Sports and Leisure Activities ......................................................................................28
French courses ...................................................................................................................28
5 – A quick introduction to Belgium ........................................................................15
The day of your arrival… ..............................................................................................29
3 – The range of courses offered at the ULB .......................................................13
Getting to your campus ...............................................................................................30
B - Doing research at the ULB : practical aspects
3 – Useful addresses
1 – Welcome to the “mobile researcher”!
EURAXESS, a European portal .....................................................................................19
The European Charter for Researchers ..................................................................19
The ULB’s Mobility Centre .............................................................................................19
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Faculty contacts ..............................................................................................................33
Embassies and consulates ..........................................................................................35
ULB Services – Some further useful addresses .............................................35
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A –Belgium,
the ULB,
research…
Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen, a Brussels lawyer,
who provided the impetus necessary for the4 creation of the Université libre de Bruxelles.
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1 – The Université libre de Bruxelles
At a glance…
As the capital of a federal state at the heart of Europe made up of three
different languages communities, Brussels needs to have a university
commensurate with its status. With 22,000 students, 29% of whom come
from abroad, and its equally cosmopolitan staff, the Université libre de
Bruxelles, or ULB for short, is inherently international, open to Europe
and the world.
The University is a founding member of UNICA, a network of major universities in European capitals playing a front-runner role in European and international research and development and mobility programmes.
On an international level, the ULB has more than 350 Erasmus partnerships,
250 agreements with European and international universities and 120 international and European joint research projects.
It has also established privileged partnerships with the University of California (Berkeley), the Université de Montréal, the University of British Columbia
(Vancouver), Fudan University (Shanghai), the Collège de France, the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI), the University of Oxford, the University of
Cambridge and Waseda University (Tokyo).
The ULB, with its 8 faculties, its schools and institutes, is not just multicultural
but also an all-round university covering all disciplines and all study cycles.
It meets up to its social, societal and scientific responsibilities with great
commitment, combining broad-based teaching with very high-level research.
The ULB is committed to playing a key role in the economic development
of the regions in which it is based (Brussels and Wallonia). The ULB also has
its own teaching hospital (the Erasme Hospital), a cancer institute (the Bordet
Institute), and an extensive hospital network.
In terms of alliances, the Université libre de Bruxelles is part of the University
Academy of Wallonia-Brussels, together with the University of Mons. It also
forms part of the Brussels-Wallonia European University Cluster, along with
5 higher education institutions (Hautes Ecoles), the Royal Military Academy
and 4 colleges of art.
As a state-recognised private university, the ULB receives state funding currently covering approx. 60% of its total budget.
As a permanent thought leader, a place of debate and opinions, the home
of creativity and dissemination of knowledge, the ULB bases its teaching and
The ULB is located in Brussels, the capital of the European Union.
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research on complete freedom of thought. Such free thinking (libre examen), involving a critical stance vis-à-vis any form of authority, is in itself one
of many aspects of human emancipation.
We tend to say there are as many definitions of free thinking as there are free
thinkers (or maybe even more!). This is probably not entirely false. Though it
is difficult to give any uniform definition of this principle which was «codified» in 1971 in Article 1 of the ULB statutes, it is worthwhile recalling the original intention of the ULB’s founding fathers. They wanted a «free» university
- free with regard to the State, free with regard to the Church: «To examine,
without any political or religious constraints, the major issues affecting mankind and society, to freely explore the sources of truth and goodness, this is
the role of our university, this is its raison d’être» (Th. Verhaegen, 1854). From
this, we can also deduce that free thinking implies the rejection of any argument dictated from above, particularly in scientific, philosophical, ethical
or political matters, permanently questioning and criticising received ideas
and actively seeking mankind’s emancipation from all forms of subjugation,
clericalism and discrimination.
A look at our campuses
In Brussels…
The Solbosch campus is the University’s main campus, where you will find
the University’s administration and general services. It is the home of most
faculties except the Faculty of Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine, the School
of Public Health, the Institute of Motor Sciences and the Institute of Pharmacy.
The Plaine campus is located less than a kilometre away from the Solbosch
campus. Here, you will find the greater part of the Faculty of Sciences, as well
as the Institute of Pharmacy. The secretariat of the Faculty of Sciences is also
located there.
The Erasme campus is where you will find the Erasme Hospital, the Faculty
of Medicine, the School of Public Health and the Nursing College attached
to the ULB and the Institute of Motor Sciences.
In Wallonia…
The Parentville campus is the home of a training centre and several research
teams, along with the ULB’s Centre of scientific culture.
The Biopark Charleroi Brussels South, located on the Charleroi airport complex (Gosselies) houses the Institute for Molecular Biology and Medicine
(IBMM), the Institute for medical immunology (IMI), the Laboratory of
plant biotechnology (LBV), several spin offs, an incubator (Wallonia Biotech
SA) and ImmuneHealth, Wallonia’s first integrated centre of vaccinology.
The Treignes site houses the Ecomuseum of the Viroin region.
To access the plans of the various campuses:
www.ulb.ac.be/campus/index.html
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2 – Top-level scientific research
The ULB is keen to develop its scientific research on a high international
level, thereby contributing to the development of knowledge.
A recognised player on an international, European and Belgian level
ULB is a major player in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the
European Research Area (ERA). It belongs to the top research networks in
Europe. The ULB has won three European Research Council (ERC) Starting
Grants: two (out of three gained by Belgium’s French Community) in 2008 one in medicine, the other in economics - and one in 2009 in mathematics.
On top of these, the University has gained one Advanced Grant (in Applied
Sciences). It also has over a hundred international or European joint research
agreements. The University actively participates in the European Science
Foundation’s (ESF) networks and programmes.
Turning to Belgium itself, here the ULB plays a leading role in the Interuniversity Clusters (Pôles d’attraction interuniversitaires or PAI) and the Concerted
Research Activities (Actions de recherche concertées or ARC) where some
ten projects are chosen each year in disciplines as diverse as physics, the
history of religions, literature, economics, medicine or molecular biology.
Special features
At the ULB, research is carried out in research units. These all enjoy great
freedom in selecting and conducting their research projects.
Furthermore, research is increasingly acquiring an interdisciplinary dimension, as witnessed by the numerous projects transcending the boundaries
of traditional disciplines.
For several years now, the ULB has been engaged in a process of structuring its research and capitalising on it. This is being done through the
establishment of Doctoral Schools, the definition of a researcher status with
upgraded career prospects, improved employment conditions for contract
researchers, an incentive policy favouring interdisciplinary research and the
creation of patent and investment funds (Theodorus I and II).
Knowledge, know-how and technology transfer, spin-off promotion
The ULB is active in business and social development via various activities
involving research, technology transfer and spin-off promotion. It currently
owns more than 70 active patents in areas as varied as biotechnology, physics, electronics, chemistry, mechanics and health. 24 spin-offs have emerged from the ULB, with some 225 employees and total annual turnover of
EUR 27.5 million.
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The ULB is involved in the management of various industrial and scientific
parks in Brussels and Wallonia.
3 – The range of courses offered at the ULB
Prizes and distinctions
Our system of teaching is in line with the «Bologna» process. We offer a firstcycle program (taking students up to a Bachelor degree) normally lasting
three years (180 ECTS or 60 ECTS /year). This is followed by a second cycle
taking students up to a Masters degree. This cycle lasts one or two years
depending on the desired depth and gives access to a professional career.
ULB research is behind three of Belgium’s five Nobel Prizes (two in Medicine
and one in Chemistry), one Fields Medal (Mathematics), three Wolf Prizes
(Physics and Mathematics), two Marie Curie Awards (in Artificial Intelligence and in Physics and quantum information), 44% of the five-yearly FNRS
(Fonds national de la recherche scientifique) Prizes and 29% of Belgium’s
French Community’s Francqui Prizes.
In addition, prestigious awards have also marked the careers of several University members (a Nobel Peace Prize for Henri La Fontaine in 1913, two
Palmes d’Or at Cannes for the Dardenne brothers, etc.).
Research linked to teaching
The ULB closely links teaching and research and is always keen to integrate research results into its teaching and the development of its teaching
methods.
Supplementary courses allowing students to acquire a specialist qualification may be followed after attaining at least 300 ECTS, achieved by gaining
a Masters degree in two years. These courses lead to an MC (Master complémentaire) degree. Finally, the third cycle of doctoral courses, also accessible
to holders of an MA achieved in two years, leads to a doctorate (PhD).
The ULB offers a wide range of courses. Information about the University,
its organisation, regulations, faculties, institutes, programmes, course programmes, etc. is available on the ULB website. We recommend you visit the
respective pages where you will already find a lot of answers to any questions you may have when preparing your application for an international
exchange visit to our University.
For more information : www.ulb.ac.be
A few figures
* 3,500 researchers (scientists and academics involved part-time or full-time
in research) out of a total of 5,000 staff.
* A total budget of EUR 132 million, coming from public funds (27%: ULB
operating budget and own capital), research agencies (20%: FNRS and associated funds), public research contracts (regional, federal, European) and
private funds (53%).
* Almost 500 research unit, in such varied sectors as science, humanities
and medicine.
* Between 1500 and 1800 PhD students (30% from abroad); an average of
150 PhD theses defended each year.
* Some 35% of all university publications in Belgium’s French Community
* 24 spin-offs.
4 – The ULB’s participative management principle
Article 2 of Section 1 of the ULB’s statutes refers to the University’s principles
and its mission. It is stated here that the University is to base its organisation
on internal democracy, independence, autonomy and solidarity.
Internal democracy presupposes guaranteed fundamental freedoms within the University and the requirement for the university community’s
constituent bodies to participate, with deliberative powers, in the University’s management and the supervision thereof.
The Board of Directors is the University’s top management body, with a
right of initiative in all areas. It is responsible for drawing up the statutes and
general regulations, defining the university’s policies and objectives, compiling and approving the budget and accounts. Its decisions are final and it
is responsible for supervising all decentralised bodies. It consists of :
• The president and vice-president of the Board of Directors ;
• the rector and the pro-rector ;
• the deans of the Faculties ;
• a president of a teaching or research School or Institute other than
the Faculties ;
• seven members from the academic staff ;
• five members elected from and by the members of the non-permanent scientists ;
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• eight student members (one per Faculty) ;
• one student member representing the teaching and research Schools and Institutes other than the Faculties ;
• five members elected from and by the administrative, technical, managerial and other specialist staff ;
• four members elected from among persons representative of the
country’s social, political and economic world, who have demonstrated their commitment to the University.
Researchers are represented under the category “non-permanent scientists”.
As representatives of the scientific staff on the University’s Board of Directors,
the scientists’ delegation endeavours to defend the interests of scientific staff,
but also to have a positive influence on their development.
To learn more about Board representation and participative management:
www.ulb.ac.be/ulb/greffe/documents
5 – A quick introduction to Belgium
Before the 1830 revolution, Belgium was part of the «United Kingdom of the
Netherlands”. In 1830 it seceded from the Northern provinces and declared
its independence, gaining recognition as an independent state in the 1831
Treaty of London. A royal house was introduced and the country became a
constitutional monarchy. The current king is Albert II, the sixth king of the
Belgians.
Since 1994, Belgium has been a Federal State consisting of three regions :
Brussels, the bilingual capital where French and Dutch are joint official languages ; Flanders, the Dutch-speaking North ; and Wallonia, the Frenchspeaking South.
Belgium has common borders with France, the Netherlands, Germany and
Luxembourg. It is divided into three geographical regions : 67 kilometres of
coastline and coastal plains along the North Sea, the hilly region of central
Belgium and the Ardennes hills and forests in the southeast.
Belgians well known abroad include the writers Maurice Maeterlinck (Nobel Prize for Literature in 1911), Emile Verhaeren, Georges Simenon (Maigret)
and Hugo Claus ; the painters Breughel, James Ensor, Paul Delvaux or René
Magritte, worthy successors of Rubens and other Flemish masters ; the artists/cartoonists Georges Remi (Herge, the father of Tintin), Franquin (Gaston
Lagaffe), Peyo (The Smurfs), Morris (Lucky Luke) ; the film directors Chantal
Akerman, Jaco Van Dormael, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne ; the architects
Victor Horta and Henry van de Velde ; the singer/songwriter Jacques Brel
and sport personalities such as Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters, and of course cyclist Eddy Merckx, probably Belgium’s most famous sportsman.
The library network at ULB now boasts more than 1.5 million books and periodicals.
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Well-known Belgian specialties include its mouth-watering chocolates, its
crispy French fries served with mussels, and its wide range of local beers.
Beyond such clichés, you will have the opportunity to discover «another
Belgium» during your stay, a Belgium of greater complexity, interesting and
rich in variety. You will find a wide range of guides on the country and its
capital either in print or online, allowing you to sample the whole range of
different facets offered to your curiosity. Have fun!
B - Doing research
at the ULB :
practical information
The ULB has built up a Biopark (Gosselies) around the Institute of Biology and Molecular Medicine and the
Institute of Medical Immunology.
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1 – Welcome to the “mobile researcher”!
EURAXESS, a European portal
As a way of increasing the visibility of its researcher mobility policy, the
European Commission has set up its “Researchers in Motion” portal
EURAXESS, http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess). This aims to become the reference
website for all practical issues, from jobs to funding opportunities for studies throughout Europe.
The European Charter for Researchers
Published by the European Commission, the European Charter for Researchers defines the roles, responsibilities and duties of researchers and their
employers. Alongside it, there is also a Code of Conduct for recruiting researchers. The Charter establishes a framework needing to be respected
in order to guarantee the quality of the research profession in Europe.
The Charter and the Code : the brochure is part of the Welcome Pack and
is also available at the Research Administration (Solbosch campus: 9th floor,
Building S, 44, Avenue Jeanne).
The ULB’s Mobility Centre
You’re coming to do research at the ULB ? Our Mobility Centre is there at
your service ! The booklet you’re holding in your hands right now is provided by the Centre to help you make your first contacts and to find your
way through the necessary administrative procedures.
The ULB’s Researchers Mobility Centre (Centre de Mobilité des chercheurs)
was created on the initiative of Mr. Serge Jaumain, the current vice-rector
for European Policy and International Relations.
Whatever question you might have, the Centre is there to put you in
contact with the right people in the University’s various administrations,
the ones ready to help you and respond to your questions and individual
needs.
You will find the ULB Mobility Centre on the Solbosch campus in Ixelles
(1050 Brussels).
Paul Héger Avenue, Solbosch campus, Brussels.
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2 – Your stay at the ULB : what you need to do
Prior to your stay…
For your temporary stay at the ULB to be a success, there are certain
things you have to do. These are described briefly below.
Residence permit - Visa
On the Mobility Centre’s web page, you will find the contact data of all persons you might need to contact with respect to : visas, work permits, employment opportunities, recognition of degrees, wages and taxation, pension rights, healthcare, social security, accommodation, crèches and schools,
language courses, social and cultural aspects, intellectual property rights.
Researchers coming from countries belonging to the European Union (EU) or
the European Economic Area (EEA), i.e. all EU Member States plus Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland, do not need a visa. EU nationals just need
their passport or ID card, whereby that document’s validity must cover at least
the whole stay.
European researchers wishing to take up professional work in another Member
State are covered by the free movement of workers’ legislation.
On the same web page you will also find a number of useful links to
important institutions and documents :
- European “Researchers in Motion” portal ;
- Information on practical aspects of mobility ;
- Practical guide for researchers coming to Belgium ;
- Mobility Centre of the Brussels-Capital Region
- FNRS Mobility Centre ;
- The main website for rental accommodation.
Put briefly, you will find all you want on Mobility Centre’s web page :
www.ulb.ac.be/international/mobility.html
If you come from a country belonging to the EU or EEA :
On arriving here - provided the duration of your stay is more than three months
- you will need to go to the citizen registration office at the municipal authority
(administration communale) of your place of residence in Belgium to register as
a foreigner and thereby to obtain a residence permit for the duration of your stay
in the commune.
If you come from a country not belonging to the EU or EEA :
Non-European researchers (except EU) wishing to do research at the University
or in a research centre, need a type D visa. This visa is issued when coming to
stay in Belgium for research purposes by the consular authorities in your country
of residence. Such a visa acts as a residence permit valid for one year (though
renewable).
Conditions for obtaining a type D visa :
You need to :
- come from a non-EU country ;
- hold a degree entitling you to take up a PhD course in the country where
the degree was obtained ;
- have been selected by an officially recognised research body in Belgium
to carry out a specific research project.
The application for a residence permit/visa must be made to the Belgian
embassy in your country of origin.
Researchers need to present the following documents when applying:
- a valid travel document ;
- a medical certificate attesting that the researcher does not suffer from any
specific disease listed by law ;
- a certificate of good conduct (if the person is older than 21) attesting that
the person has not been convicted of any crime or offence ;
- a host agreement (convention d’accueil) or a notice of arrival (avis d’arrivée) depending on the circumstances and who is covering costs.
Warning : to avoid any unwelcome surprises regarding the nature and legality of your stay in Belgium, it is imperative to contact the mobility Centre
before departing.
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On arrival, you will need to go to the citizen registration office at the municipal authority (administration communale) of your place of residence in
Belgium to register as a foreigner and thereby to obtain a residence permit
for the duration of your stay in Belgium.
PhD candidates
If your individual situation has any special features, you can contact the
person responsible for remuneration at the payroll administration, or the
appropriate tax administration at the Finance Ministry.
Right to work, salary, taxation : useful addresses are to be found at the end of
this guide
People coming to the ULB for research work in connection with doing
a PhD at the ULB need to apply for a residence permit as a student and
not as a researcher. You can submit such an application to the Registration Service.
Guest researcher
In all other cases, if you have no special status (i.e. a contractual relationship with the ULB), it is necessary to register as a guest researcher in order to qualify for insurance during hours of work at the ULB.
Researchers registered at the ULB are covered by a specific « ULB »
insurance policy against injuries incurred within the strict framework
of their academic activities.
Right to work
Foreigners in possession of a research-based residence permit are exempted from having to have a separate work permit. However, this exemption is
only valid for the duration of the research project.
You need to know that, to be able to work in Belgium, even on a voluntary basis, non-Belgian nationals need to be in possession of a work permit,
as Belgian legislation makes no direct connection between residence and
work.
As each case is different, the person in charge of visas and work permits
at the ULB is there to guide you through the steps needing to be initiated
before your arrival.
Taxation in Belgium
The remuneration specified in your contract is gross remuneration. From
it, various social security contributions and PAYE income tax are deducted.
The former are dependent on your status as a worker (e.g. employee, grant
student, etc.), whereas the latter is dependent on your fiscal status (Belgian
resident or non-resident, whether you are single or married (and whether
your spouse is dependent on your income), whether you have children or
other dependents).
Generally speaking, when you work a full calendar year, have steady earnings and no changes in your fiscal situation, the PAYE income tax withheld
on 12 months of work, holiday pay and the year-end allowance will basically
cover all income tax due for that calendar year.
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During your stay…
Cost of living
To live in Brussels on a modest budget (January 2010), you should reckon
with some €800 per month, over half of which will be needed for accommodation.
See useful addresses at the end of this guide
Healthcare
If you come from an EU Member State and already have health insurance,
you should bring with you proof of such insurance (the European Health
Insurance Card / EHIC). This will cover you, should you need medical treatment in Belgium.
Non-EU students also need health insurance valid in Belgium. It is strongly recommended that such insurance be taken out before leaving your
country of origin (private health insurance). An alternative is to take out
health insurance (either with a public (mutuelle) or private insurance company) once you are here. This will cover you as a PhD student, guest researcher or lecturer for the duration of your stay.
N.B.: The ULB has its own Medical Service. Healthcare is provided by experienced general practitioners on the Solbosch campus (accidents and other
emergencies). You can make an appointment to see a general practitioner
or a sports physician. Specialists are also available for consultation in the
areas of cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, gynaecology, ear-nosethroat, paediatrics, and psychiatry - and for stopping smoking).
Moreover the Erasme Hospital on the Erasme campus in Anderlecht is the
ULB’s teaching hospital.
See useful addresses at the end of this guide
Accommodation
Most students live in private lodgings, as there are only very few places
available in the University halls of residence. The average price in University halls of residence is €300. The cost of sharing a private flat is around
€350.
The best way of finding lodgings is to look around when you actually get
here. We advise you to book a room in a hotel (which can be quite expensive) or a Youth Hostel (see http://www.laj.be/), using this as a base for going
out to look for rental (“A louer”) accommodation near the University campus where you will be located. You can also follow up offers from leaving
students posted outside ULB restaurants and lecture theatres.
The Erasme campus (Brussels) is where you will find the24Erasme Hospital, the Faculty of Medicine, the School of
Public Health and the Nursing College attached to the ULB and the Institute of Motor Sciences.
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You can also get addresses of flats or rooms for let at the ULB’s Accommodation Office (Office du Logement), where you will be given access to an
updated accommodation database. The office guarantees a series of basic
criteria (price range, cleanliness, etc.) and will inform you of the terms and
conditions of any lease. Otherwise you can visit such specialised websites
as http://immoweb.be.
An alternative to public transportation is cycling. Brussels, as a signatory
of the “Charter of Brussels», is committed to developing the cycling infrastructure and promoting cycling in the city. This means that you will find
around Brussels 180 self-service bicycle parks where bicycles can be rented
by subscribers (1-day, 7-day, annual and other subscriptions available) at
very affordable prices (the 1st half hour is free).
Warning : It nevertheless sometimes takes several weeks to find adequate
accommodation.
For more information : www.villo.be
See useful addresses at the end of this guide
Transport
Belgian public transport consists of buses, trams, the underground (métro)
and trains. The price of a single ticket inside Brussels is €2 but you can also
buy a monthly or yearly season ticket. You can also buy 10-trip or 5-trip
tickets, which work out cheaper than buying single tickets. We encourage
you to find out about these and make use of them.
For more information, please visit:
Trams-bus-métro: www.stib.be
Trains: www.b-rail.be
There are several car parks at the ULB but the number of spaces available is
limited. To use them, you need official permission. To get this, you will need
to submit an application (download and fill out the form on the Infrastructure Administration’s website).
See useful addresses at the end of this guide
Good to know : there is a car-sharing scheme available on the Solbosch
campus. This will allow you to use a vehicle for a few hours or a whole day:
the “Cambio” station is at 87A, Avenue Buyl (Solbosch campus, the entrance
next to Building C).
More information :
VAP (www.vap-vap.be) and Cambio (www.cambiocar.com).
For all information on alternative forms of transport : contact the HR Administration’s Mobility Coordination Service
See useful addresses at the end of the guide
Bank accounts
For paying for your lodgings and current expenses, we advise you to open
an account at a bank of your choice, once you have arrived in Brussels. To
do this, simply go to any bank branch, taking with you your passport or
identity card (for EU citizens) and proof of registration at the University. In
the last few months, a copy of your registration at the municipal authority
in Belgium is being requested, meaning that the application can take a little
time.
Good to know : there is a bank branch on both the Solbosch and Erasme
campuses.
Telephone and Internet
In this age of mobile phones, you can either go for purchasing «pre-paid»
cards or taking out a subscription. This can be done at a store of your choice.
There is a wide range of providers on offer and you will be able to compare
prices and offers, once you are settled in Brussels.
Internet access is also very widespread. On the University campus you
will find Internet and WiFi access in the halls of residence enabling you to
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connect to Internet in most ULB buildings. To gain access, all you need to
do is to activate your ULB Email account. You can do this once you have
completed your registration as a researcher or PhD student.
Sport and leisure activities
Doing research at the ULB does not mean that you won’t have any free
time. Quite the opposite! The ULB’s cultural programme (see ULB Culture)
ranges from culture to folklore : organising and hosting cultural activities,
workshops (theatre, cinema, painting, drawing, orchestra, choir, and even a
small “naughty songs” group).
The sports programme (see ULB Sports) promotes sport at the University,
encouraging you to take up sport in general, all in a warm and friendly atmosphere. ULB Sports offers you over 40 different disciplines at very moderate rates.
French courses
For foreign students, the University organises French courses at different
levels before the start of the academic year and during the academic year.
In certain cases, researchers may also benefit from these courses.
The day of your arrival…
If you arrive in Brussels by plane, you will probably land at Zaventem
Airport, which is about half an hour from the centre of Brussels. A number of flights land at Brussels South Charleroi Airport, about one hour from
Brussels. In both cases there are shuttle buses, trains and buses going to
and from the city centre.
To get to the ULB (any one of its Brussels campuses), you can either take a
licensed taxi (which is quite expensive but very reliable) or take the train
connecting the airport with the “Gare Centrale”, Brussels’ central station.
You can also use the “Airport Bus” (€4) taking you from Zaventem airport to
a number of Metro stations, including “Schuman”. To get to the Solbosch
campus from “Schuman”, get off at Delta and take the No. 71 bus. To get to
the Erasme campus, take the No. 5 line and get off at the end station.
If you arrive by train, you can get off at any of Brussels’ main stations, from
where we advise you to use public transport to get to your campus.
For more information and for enrolment : The languages unit
See useful addresses at the end of this guide.
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Getting to your campus…
ERASME CAMPUS
From the Gare Centrale
Take the No. 5 metro (heading for “Erasme”) to the end station.
SOLBOSCH CAMPUS
From the Gare Centrale
Take the No. 71 bus (heading for “Delta”) and get off at “ULB/Solbosch”.
From the Gare du Midi
Take the No. 2 metro (heading for “Simonis Elisabeth”) and get off at “Porte
de Namur”. Then take the No. 71 bus (heading for “Delta”) and get off at
“ULB/Solbosch”. Or alternatively: Take the No. 2 metro (same direction) and
get off at “Louise”. Then take the No. 94 tram (heading for “Herrmann-Debroux”) getting off at the ULB stop.
From the Gare du Midi
Take the No. 6 metro (heading for “Roi Baudouin”) and get off at “Gare de
l’Ouest”. Then take the No. 5 metro (heading for “Erasme”) to the end station.
From the Gare du Nord
Take the No. 3 tram (heading for “Churchill”) and get off at “De Brouckère”.
Then take the No. 5 metro (heading for “Erasme”) to the end station.
CHARLEROI-GOSSELIES CAMPUS
BIOPARK CHARLEROI BRUSSELS SOUTH
The ULB operates a daily shuttle bus between the Solbosch campus and
the Biopark.
- Departure from Solbusch: in front of the Presses Universitaires Bruxelles/
Brussels University Press carpark, Av. Héger at 8:15 a.m. sharp.
3 stops:
1) At the Ixelles cemetery (the 71 bus stop).
2) At the pont Fraiteur/Fraiteur bridge (opposite the Renault garage
and the la Plaine campus).
3) At the Delta metro station after the traffic light on the right near the
71 bus terminus.
- Arrival in Gosselies at 9:15 a.m., at the back of the IBMM building (Rue
A.Bolland) .
- Departure back to Brussels at 6:00 p.m. from the IBMM (Rue A. Bolland, at
the back of the building).
LA PLAINE CAMPUS
From the Gare Centrale
Take the No. 5 metro (heading for “Herrmann-Debroux”) and get off at
“Delta”.
From the Gare du Midi
Take the No. 2 metro (heading for “Simonis Elisabeth”) and get off at “ArtsLoi”. Then take No. 5 metro (heading for “Herrmann-Debroux”) and get off
at “Delta”.
From the Gare d’Etterbeek
On exiting the station, turn right onto the Boulevard Général Jacques. Turn
right again onto the Boulevard de la Plaine. Walk up the Boulevard until you
reach the entrances to the La Plaine campus.
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Or alternatively : take the SNCB train to Luttre and the ULB shuttle bus
between Luttre station and IBMM
- Shuttle bus departure times from Luttre station : 7:50, 8:50, 9:20 and 12:50
(connecting with the trains from Brussels).
- Departure times from IBMM : 12:20, 15:50, 16:50 and 17:20 (connecting with
the trains to Brussels).
- Arrival and departure : Rue A.Bolland, at the back of the IBMM building.
For more information on the campuses in Brussels and Wallonia and how to
get there, we suggest you use the following link :
www.ulbruxelles.be/campus/index.html
NB : A plan (on paper) explaining how to get to the 3 Brussels campuses is
contained in the Welcome pack which the ULB will be pleased to give you on
your arrival.
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3 – Useful addresses
For further information…
Faculty contacts
Faculty of Humanities :
Solbosch campus, Building A door Z, floor 2
Tel.: +32 2 650 44 84
Faculty of Law and Criminology:
Solbosch campus , Building H, floor 1
Tel.: +32 2 650 39 36
Faculty of Social and Political Sciences :
Solbosch Campus, Building H - Floor 3
Tel.: +32 2 650 45 76
Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management :
Solbosch Campus, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 21
Faculty of Psychology and Education :
Solbosch Campus, Building D - floor 9
Tel.: +32 2 650 32 68
Faculty of Science - Interfaculty School of Bioengineering :
La Plaine Campus , Boulevard du Triomphe, entrance 2, Building BC, floor 3
Tel.: +32 2 650 29 46
Faculty of Medicine :
Erasme Campus, Route de Lennik 808, Local J1.11a
Tel.: +32 2 555 61 11
School of Public Health :
Erasme Campus, Route de Lennik 808, Building A, floor 2
Tel.: +32 2 555 40 13
Faculty of Motor Sciences :
Erasme Campus, 808, Route de Lennik, Building N
Tel.: +32 2 555.33.39
Faculty of Pharmacy :
La Plaine Campus - Boulevard du Triomphe, entrance 2, Building BC, floor 3
Tel.: +32 2 650 53 36
Faculty of Applied Sciences - Interfaculty School of Bioengineering
Solbosch campus, Building U, door B, floor 4, room UB4-159A
Tel.: +32 2 650 40 85
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Institute of European Studies :
Solbosch campus, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 39
Tel.: +32 2 650 30 77
Faculty of Architecture :
La Plaine Campus - Boulevard du Triomphe, entrance 5, Building S
Tel.: +32 2 650 50 52
Main consulates & embassies in Brussels
The list is contained in the Welcome pack which the ULB will be pleased to
give you on your arrival.
ULB Services – some more useful addresses…
Accommodation Office
The Accommodation Office keeps a central file on all private accommodation
and provides information on rental terms and conditions. The Accommodation database is available online. Students, researchers, lecturers, exchange
students, etc. from the University have priority access to these services.
Solbosch Campus– Building F1
22, Av. Paul Héger
1000 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 21 73
e-mail: [email protected]
www.ulbruxelles.be/logements
N.B.: for possible accommodation in the University’s halls of residence,
contact: Secretariat of the University halls of residence
Tel.: 02 650 21 54
e-mail: [email protected]
“Aimer à l’ULB” (Love at the ULB)
Family Planning Centre (contraception, pregnancy monitoring)
« Aimer à l’ULB » is a family planning centre available throughout the year. It
deals with contraception (pregnancy tests, morning-after pills, abortion, etc.),
prevention, the detection and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases
(including AIDS), the prevention and detection of gynaecological cancers,
pregnancy monitoring, sterility testing, psychological problems, etc.
Solbosch Campus
38, Av. H. Jeanne
1050 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 31 31
e-mail : [email protected]
www.ul.ac.be/services/etudiants/aimer-a-ulb.html
Bookshop : Brussels University Press/Presses universitaires de Bruxelles
(PUB)
PUB publishes and sells course notes (syllabuses) produced in close collaboration with ULB lecturers. Besides their two bookstores where you will find
a wide range of books and syllabuses, PUB also has its own printing service
(for dissertations, theses, etc.).
Solbosch Campus: Building V
42, Av. Paul Héger,
The Museum of Medicine, Erasme Campus
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35
French courses
DSAA, CTE – Languages unit
1000 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 24 80
e-mail: [email protected]
www.ulb.ac.be/ulb/pub
Solbosch Campus
ULB CP 110, 50 Av. F.D. Roosevelt,
1050 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 20 12
e-mail: [email protected]
Erasme Campus: Building C
808, Route de Lennik
1070 Brussels
Tel.: 02 555 64 29
International Office
Central Information Office
The ULB libraries
The University has on its campuses five main libraries (the Electronic Library
and Special Collections, the Libraries of Law, Health, Science and Technology and of Humanities), and a number of specialised libraries (the Institute
of Biology and Molecular Medicine Library, the Achille Herlant Library of
Pharmaceutics, the Library of the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of
Religion and Secularism, the Institute of Statistics and Operations Research
Library, the “Réserve Précieuse”).
Solbosch Campus – Building NB
2nd floor 2 – room NIV2-150
Tel.: 02 650 23 77 / 47 00
www.bib.ulb.ac.be
Day nurseries
The University offers childcare facilities for children between 3 months and
30 or 36 months. This offer is reserved for student parents and ULB staff. Demand is higher than supply, so it is advisable to consult the websites or the
social services of the municipality (commune) where you will be living. The
network of municipal crèches is there to take in children from 0 to 3 years.
Municipal nurseries are licensed public childcare facilities and subsidised by
the ONE (Office of the Birth and Childhood).
Infos :
www.elsene.irisnet.be/site/fr/02vivrexl/grandir/crechescommu.htm
Exchange Programmes Unit
Student exchange programmes are based on agreements between professors or universities. They give students the opportunity of studying abroad
for a period ranging from four months to a whole year at a partner University, with ECTS credits gained at the host University being recognised.
Solbosch Campus
Building S – 5th floor
87a, Av. A. Buyl
1050 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 42 23 –
e-mail: [email protected]
www.ulb.ac.be/services/etudiants/cellule-echange.html
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Solbosch Campus
52, Av. H. Jeanne
1050 Bruxelles
Tel.: 02 650 49 65
e-mail: [email protected]
Medical service
The ULB Medical Service is open to all members of the academic community. It offers general and specialist consultations.
Solbosch Campus– Building M
28, Av. Paul Héger,
1000 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 29 29 / 35 35
www.ulb.ac.be/services/etudiants/service-medical.html
Mobility Coordination
HR Administration
There are lots of mobility-related issues: pollution, noise, energy consumption. The ULB’s objectives in this area are to reduce the overall negative
impact on the environment associated with travel by members of the academic community, promoting alternative modes of travel and providing
incentives to switch to forms of transport other than private cars. With this
in mind, the « Mobility Unit » and a « Mobility » think-tank have been established.
[email protected]
Tel.: 02 650 23 60 (afternoons)
Payroll Service
Solbosch Campus – Sociology Building – 6th floor
44, Av. H. Jeanne
1050 Brussels
www.ulb.ac.be/drh/pp/index.html
N.B. – two further useful websites:
- Employment contracts in Belgium :
www.belgium.be/fr/emploi/contrats_de_travail/index.jsp
- Finance Ministry :
www.minfin.fgov.be/portail2/fr/index.htm
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PsyCampus
ULB Employment Office (CEREP)
PsyCampus offers psychological advice to people having difficulties adjusting to the University or seeking a better personal life balance.
The ULB Employment Office has the mission of preparing future graduates
for the realities of the job market and providing former ULB graduates with
a range of support measures helping them to find a job.
Solbosch Campus
127, Av. A. Buyl,
1050 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 20 25
e-mail: [email protected]
www.ulb.ac.be/services/etudiants/psy-campus.html
Restaurants and shops
There are several University restaurants on the main ULB campuses in both
Brussels and Wallonia. They offer a range of hot and cold meals at preferential prices. Dependent on the campus you are on, you will also find sandwich bars and shops: snack-shops, bookshops, stationery, photocopying,
banks, travel agencies, and an Oxfam shop (at Solbosch), without counting
the shops nearby.
Information : www.ulb.ac.be/services/etudiants/restaurants.html
Social services
Social services are available both to students (Student Social Service - SSE)
and to ULB staff (Staff Social Service - SSP). The SSP can provide you with
advice, material aid, and if necessary, refer you to a specialist.
Solbosch Campus
Building S – 5th floor
87A, Av. A. Buyl,
1050 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 20 14
e-mail: [email protected]
www.ulb.ac.be/ulb/greffe/dscu/docs/stpatgann8.pdf
ULB Culture
Solbosch Campus
Building S – 5th floor
44, Av. H. Jeanne
1050 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 47 18
e-mail : [email protected]
ULBJob
Babysitting, private tutoring, secretarial or computer work - ULBJob is the
central point of contact for jobs for ULB students who need to finance part
of their upkeep and who meet certain academic requirements.
Solbosch Campus
Building M – 2nd floor
Tel.: 02 650 21 71 / 20 22 (9 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
e-mail: [email protected]
[email protected]
www.ulb.ac.be/services/etudiants/ulb-jobs.html
ULB Sports
More than 40 different sports are on offer at very reasonable prices. ULB
Sports also organises inter-faculty and inter-university championships.
Solbosch Campus– Building F1 – 1st floor
22, Av. Paul Héger,
1000 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 21 78 –
e-mail: [email protected]
www.ulb.ac.be/services/personnel/sport-personnel.html
ULB Culture offers cultural activities, workshops, rental and provision of
facilities, the management of student clubs and associations, information
on what’s happening in the cultural world (at the ULB, in Brussels and elsewhere), student rates in various theatres, University radio (Campus Radio
- 92.1 FM), etc.
Solbosch Campus– Building F1
22, Av. Paul Héger, - 4th floor
1000 Brussels
Tel.: 02 650 21 57
e-mail : [email protected]
www.ulb.ac.be/dscu/index.html
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39
Produced by
Françoise Prévot
Alain Dauchot
with the participation of
Elizabeth Olivares,
Serge Jaumain,
Pierre Quertenmont,
Anne Lentiez.
Design :
Wlady Quinet.
Photos :
Jean-Dominique Burton,
Jean-Michel Clajot,
Cassandre Sturbois,
Michel Vanden Eeckhoudt.
Printed by
Pauwels impresor
July 2010.
ULB
Researchers Mobility Centre
(Local Contact Point )
Mail : [email protected]
Tel. : + 32 2 650 65 33
Postal address:
CP131/01
50 avenue F.D. Roosevelt,
1050 Bruxelles
40
www.ulb.ac.be/international