ULB represents today 30,000 students and 3,600 researchers, from whom 30% come from abroad, who are active in 12 faculties with €200 million annual research budget. 4 Nobel Prizes were granted to ULB researchers so far.
Originally founded as Université Libre de Belgique in 1830, ULB started its first academic year in 1834. The University was later renamed Université Libre de Bruxelles, under the ruling of Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen, a politician and lawyer at that time. Interesting : People very often wonder what does the “L” stands for in ULB. It stands for ‘libre examen’, or ‘free enquiry’ the founding principle of ULB to foster freedom of judgement.