Home to Europe's most innovative University
KU Leuven, most innovative university in Europe, growing fast in quantity and quality.
Six centuries of history
From Renaissance philosophy to cutting-edge nanotechnology: as one of Europe’s oldest universities, KU Leuven boasts a long tradition of ground-breaking research and high-quality education.
Inspiring the outstanding
Reuters yearly identifies and ranks the educational institutions which are doing the most to advance science, invent new technologies and power new markets and industries.
KU Leuven University is the highest-ranked non-US institution on the Reuters list of the world's most innovative universities.
KU Leuven proudly takes the seventh place, worldwide.
KU Leuven is growing fast, both in quantity and quality. But it has never forgotten the simple fact that it is a community of people. It is a warm and uniquely lively environment in which there is so much to discover. A good spot for associations to meet and exchange knowledge
- Prof. Koenraad Debackere - Former General Manager KU Leuven
Innovation through collaboration
'Research has its own finality, but it also feeds many other relevant areas.' Says Prof. Koenraad Debackere, former General Manager at KU Leuven and Managing Director of LRD: 'Tech transfer, for instance, which KU Leuven adopted very early on, has proven very fruitful, enabling research results to find their way into economic life and society. Our university hospitals have their operational independence, but are at the same time closely intertwined with the university combining top-level healthcare with fundamental and clinical research.
KU Leuven is truly one of the best universities in the world. This is clear from our position in the different global rankings, but perhaps even more so from our combination of high-level education and more translational research. Old, but definitely not old-fashioned!
- Prof. Kevin Verstrepen - KU Leuven
A top pick for associations
Prof. Koenraad Debackere argues:
'The recognition received through and from private benefactors, local companies, national funding schemes, European resources and contracts with multinational companies illustrates that the university’s success is very much appreciated by society at large. KU Leuven is growing fast, both in quantity and quality. But it has never forgotten the simple fact that it is a community of people. It is a warm and uniquely lively environment in which there is so much to discover. A good spot for associations to meet and exchange knowledge'
