Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12...

23
BRUSSELS WALLONIA EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY CENTRE Living and studying in Brussels GUIDE

Transcript of Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12...

Page 1: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N

U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Living and studyingin Brussels

GU

IDE

Page 2: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

2 P ô L E U N I V E R S I TA I R E E U R O P é E N d E B R U x E L L E S W A L L O N I E

h

ä

03 Belgium – general information04 belgium – historical background06 Federalism in Belgium08 Belgium in a nutshell11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels 16 Brussels and Europe17 Overview of the french community’s educational system 19 Higher education in the french commununity20 Académie universitaire Wallonie Bruxelles 21 The Brussels Wallonia European University Centre21 registration fees22 Partner institutions of the Brussels Wallonia European University Centre 24 The ECTs system (European Credit Transfer system)24 ECTs Credits26 The ECTs Grading scale 28 Practical information33 Transportation35 Outdoors activities and recreation39 Other useful telephone numbers and useful addresses40 student glossary

i

v

Page 3: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

03B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

General information

The history of Belgium has always been oneof cultural and commercial exchange and itsnational character has resulted, in part,from its role as a meeting place for WesternEurope. Traces of Austrian, spanish, Frenchand German influence are apparent in itspeoples’ lifestyles and in its architecture,renowned for superb examples ofRomanesque, Baroque, Gothic and ArtNouveau.

Folklore is a very important part of Belgianlife. Many festivals, ceremonies,enactments, parades, etc. take placethroughout the year.

Thanks to its history and role as aninternational centre for business andculture, Belgium is a very convivial andwelcoming country.

The Kingdom of Belgium is located in Northern Europe between France(south-west), Luxembourg (south), Germany (east), The Netherlands(north-east) and the English Channel (west).

Its capital, Brussels, is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in theworld. It hosts the headquarters of the European Union and NATO andis home to many multinational companies.

Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German.

BelgiumÎ

Page 4: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

05B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 04 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Historical background

Belgium gained its independence in 1830after an uprising which led to its separationfrom the Netherlands. The name “Belgium” is derived from thename given by Julius Caesar to the “Belgae”,a Celtic tribe, in 57 B.C. He described themas the bravest and most indomitable of allGauls.

The region was threatened by Germanictribes. The Franks invaded the region in theearly part of the fifth century, imposing theirGermanic dialect. The south, on the otherhand, had been thoroughly impregnatedwith Roman culture. It absorbed the Francs,who were a minority, and kept the Romanlanguage. This was the very beginning oftoday’s language border.

Trade routes were established along water-ways beginning in the 9th century. Tradingposts developed and, over time, grew intotowns. The textile industry developed inlarge towns and later in villages and ruralareas. Bruges became the region’s mainexporting seaport. The Belgian territories (with the exception ofthe Principality of Liege) came under therule of the Dukes of Burgundy in the 15thcentury. They retained a substantial degreeof autonomy.

The region that was to become Belgium setitself apart during the reign of the spanishEmperor Charles V (1515-1555) by its high de-gree of urbanisation. Antwerp became thebusiness and financial centre of Western Eu-

rope. The first half of the 16th century was aperiod of prosperity, and the arts andsciences flourished. spanish rule was followed by Austrian rule(1715 – 1794) and French rule (1794 – 1814).The French Emperor introduced a new legalframework for civil law – the NapoleonicCode, which was to serve as the model forthe future Belgian civil code. AfterNapoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in 1815, theregion became part of the Netherlands.Open revolt broke out in Brussels onseptember 23, 1830 and Belgium secededfrom the Northern Provinces. The provisionalgovernment declared independence onOctober 4, 1830. A constitution, consideredvery progressive at that time, was approvedby the National Congress on February 7,1831.

In 1830, the Great Powers recognised theseparation of Belgium and The Netherlands.Leopold of saxe-Coburg, a German prince,became the first King of Belgium in 1831. Hewas succeeded by his son Leopold II in 1865.Belgium became a major industrial powerduring their reigns. A number of colonialexpeditions were financed; the best knownones explored the Congo in Africa. Despite neutrality imposed by the GreatPowers, Belgium was invaded by Germany atthe start of the First World War. King Albert I,the commander-in-chief of the army, andQueen Elisabeth, stayed in the country,showing their willingness to remain with thepopulation. The King was to be known there-after as the “Roi soldat” or the “Roi chevalier”.

With the second World War looming,Belgium again adopted a neutrality policy.But this did not prevent it being invaded byGermany again. After 18 hours of fighting,King Leopold III decided to capitulate – adecision that led to a breakdown of relationswith the Belgian government and was tobecome known as the “Question royale”.On liberation, Leopold III was forced toabdicate in favour of his son Baudouin I,who was to remain on the throne until hisdeath in 1993. He was succeeded by hisbrother, King Albert II, currently the sixthKing of the Belgians.

European Community issues have played anall-important role in the country’s recentpolitical history. A number of reforms havetransformed Belgium into a federal state.The political scene has also been domi-nated by economic problems and, in-creasingly, by globalisation. Belgium hasplayed an important role in the constructionof the Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union,the Benelux and European integration. As amember of the United Nations, and in theservice of peace throughout the world, itoften sends troops and observers to takepart in international actions. To find out more, go to the history page ofthe Belgian government’s website at:

http://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/countr y/

Page 5: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

07B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 06 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Federalism in Belgium

Belgium is a federal state made up oflanguage communities and regions.

The federal government is responsible for:

n Law enforcement, justice, national defence and the federal government’s foreign policy n social securityn Monetary policy, asylum and immigrationpoliciesn Fiscal, commercial, civil, and labour legislation

The state also has jurisdiction whenever anexception to community or regional compe-tences (see below) is formulated in itsfavour. This currently includes:

n Nuclear energyn Railways and Brussels-National Airport n Language issuesn Brussels’ main bi-cultural institutions including the Royal Museums of Fine Art ofBelgium and the Royal Monnaie OperaHouse.

Belgium is divided into three regions:

n The Brussels-Capital Regionn The Walloon Regionn The Flemish Region

Each Region has jurisdiction over regionaleconomic affairs. This includes employment,oversight of municipalities and provinces,public works, transportation, land develop-ment, the environment, housing, etc.

Belgium is also subdivided into threelanguage communities:

n The French-speaking Community n The Flemish-speaking Communityn The German-speaking Community

The Flemish-speaking Community (yellow)The French-speaking Community (red)The Brussels-Capital Region, where thesetwo language communities both havecertain competences (striped yellow and red)The German-speaking Community (green)

The communities are based on culturalaffinity defined primarily by language. Theymanage cultural affairs in its broadest sense(culture, schools and education, the media,sport, healthcare, childhood and youthservices, etc.).

The Regions and Communities are alsoresponsible for some international mattersand, within the limits of their powers, areauthorised to sign international agreementsand treaties. They have a constitutional

status and each has a parliament and agovernment exercising legislative andexecutive powers, respectively. These institutions were created as a resultof Belgian federalism. They are entitled tomodify, within certain limits, both theirinternal organisations and operation. It isthanks to these rights that the FlemishRegion and Community merged their parlia-ments and governments. Although theyhave joint institutions, each retains anindependent legal status. The FrenchCommunity and the Walloon Region, on theother hand, still have separate institutions.The Walloon Region also has jurisdiction inGerman-language communes where theGerman-speaking Community enjoys thesame powers as the other two Communities. Laws voted into effect by the Regions andCommunities are called “decrees”. Thosevoted by the Federal Government are called“laws”.Legal structures have been put in place inthe Brussels-Capital Region to provide bet-ter services for the Region’s mixed Frenchand Flemish population. Brussels’ regionallaw consists of “ordinances” which have alegal status virtually equivalent to that of thedecrees and laws. The Government has set up a ConstitutionalCourt to handle jurisdictional conflictsbetween the country’s various institutions.

For additional information on Belgium andits federal system, Communities andRegions visit the websites of:

The French-speaking Community of Belgium‡ www.cfwb.be/

The Federal Government of Belgium ‡ www.belgium.be

Page 6: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

09B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 08 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Belgium in a nutshell

Official name: Kingdom of BelgiumUsual name: Belgium Continent: EuropePopulation: 10,951,266 (2011)Area: 30,528 km2Federal capital: BrusselsCapital area: 161 km2Federal capital population: 1,151,963 (2012)Head of State: H.M. King Albert IINational holiday: July 21st - anniversary of the swearing in of King Leopold I (1831)National languages: French, Dutch (Flemish) and GermanCurrency: Euro (€, EUR)Gross National Product: 64.529 billion euros (2009 estimate)Distribution of the working population by industry (2000):Agriculture: 72,973Industry: 1,076,917services: 2,942,674Time zone: GMT + 1 hourDaylight savings time (summer): GMT + 2 hoursWeights and measures: Metric systemHousehold electricity: 220 voltsPopulation density: 356 inhabitants per km2 (2009)Highest point: signal de Botrange (694 m)Maximum distance between two points: 280 kmGeographical centre: Nil-saint-VincentAverage annual temperature: 9.8 °C (2007)Average winter temperature: 3 °C (Brussels)Average summer temperature: 16 °C (Brussels)Rainfall: 780 mm (annual average in 2007)Sunshine: 1,555 hours (annual average in 2007)

sources : http://statbel.fgov.be/fr

î

á

·

n CREDOC (Centre for Legal Documentation)www.credoc.be

n Federal Governmentwww.Belgium.be

n Official Belgian Gazette(Moniteur Belge)www.moniteur.be

n Brussels-Capital Regionwww.bruxelles.irisnet.be

n Walloon Regionwww.wallonie.be

n Senatewww.senate.be

n European Unioneuropa.eu

You can visit the following websites to findout more:

n The National Institute of Statistics (INS)provides statistics on a wide range ofsubjectswww.statbel.fgov.be

n The Ministry of Economic Affairs providesfacts and figures on the Belgian economywww.mineco.fgov.be

n The Federal Planning Bureau provideseconomic analyses and forecasts, e.g.consumer prices, inflation, etc.www.plan.fgov.be/fr/welcome.stm

n The National Bank of Belgium providesstatistics on the Belgian economywww.bnb.be

n Administrative Documentation Centre ofthe French-speaking Community(legal documents)www.cdadoc.cfwb.be

n House of Representativeswww.lachambre.be

n Council of Statewww.raadvst-consetat.fgov.be

n Flemish-speaking Community(Flemish Region)www.vlaanderen.be

n French-speaking Communitywww.cfwb.be

n French Community Commissionwww.cocof.irisnet.be

n German-speaking Communitywww.dglive.be

Page 7: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

11B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

General information about the federal capital

Brussels is the capital of both the BelgianFederal state and of Europe. It is at thecentre of Belgian economic, political andcultural life. The French and FlemishCommunities and, of course, theBrussels-Capital Region have also chosenthe city as their capital and have set upadministrative offices here.

Brussels is a meeting place for interna-tional business. It hosts many tradeshows and is the world’s second busiestconvention city, hosting over 1,000 busi-ness conferences every year in its well-developed meeting facilities. some 2,000foreign companies, including 1,400American ones, and over 1,000 interna-tional associations are headquartered inBrussels. Europe is similarly well repre-sented, as witnessed by the many Euro-pean Union bodies located in Brussels.These include the Committee of Regions,the Economic and social Committee andthe European Commission, Council andParliament.

Brusselsthe capital of Belgium

Brussels has also been home to NATOheadquarters since 1967. The presence of60 foreign banks has helped makeBrussels the world’s seventh biggestfinancial centre. The city, which was Euro-pean City of Culture in 2000, is reputed forits stunning Grand-Place and its wealth ofmuseums and remarkable monuments.

Page 8: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

13B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 12 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Historical overview

Archaeological finds indicate that thesenne River valley has been inhabitedsince Neolithic times. The Nervians settledthere in the 3rd century B.C. They wouldlater fight against Caesar’s army.

The Franks built towns in the 5th centuryand, by the 9th century, under Charle-magne, the Brussels region had becomevery prosperous.

In 977 (Brussels was officially founded in979) Charles of Lower-Lotharingia wasgranted Lower-Lotharingia as a fiefdom byOtton I I . The duke built a for t i f iedresidence (castrum) on the island of saintGéry in the middle of the senne. Its strategiclocation (at the intersection of the senne,still navigable at the time, and a trade roadlinking Nivelles and Antwerp) and its mili-tary presence, led to the city’s administra-tive and economic development. The citybuilt a pier, a market place and severalchurches and chapels (saint-Géry, saint-Michel and saint-Jacques).

The name Bruocsela was used for the firsttime in a charter from this period (the localswamps gave the city its name:Bruoc=swamp, sella=house).

Beginning in the 11th century, people leftthe banks of the senne to move toCoudenberg (currently Place Royale), onthe higher reaches of the valley. Duke JeanI of Brabant set up his residence there inthe 13th century. The Dukes of Brabantbuilt a castle on the Coudenberg and

continued to promote the city’s develop-ment until the 15th century. Brusselsreached out to the country’s two mainregions through the gates of Namur andFlanders. The city was already a majorcommercial hub in the 11th century but itwasn’t until the 12th century that craftindustries began to develop and the citybecame truly urban.

The Dukes of Burgundy transformed theCoudenberg Palace into a vast and sump-tuous residence in the 15th century. It was,unfortunately, destroyed by fire in 1731.Located on the main Cologne to Boulogneroad, the city experienced great economicand artistic development under Burgun-dian rule.

During the reign of Charles 5th in the 16th

century, Brussels was proud to have manyrenowned residents including the physi-cian Vesalius and humanists such as Eras-mus. The inhabitants of Brussels rebelledagainst Philip II and, from 1599 on, redis-covered their joie de vivre under Arch-dukes Albert and Isabel of Austria.

Brussels suffered tremendously fromFrench bombardments during the 1695siege of the city. The Austrian period beganin 1715. It was followed by French rule andremoval of the city’s fortifications.

Corporations have had a great deal of say incity affairs since 1421. Brussels flour-ished in the 18th century thanks to the poli-cies of its governor, Charles of Lorraine.

Brussels was French from 1794 to 1814, theyear the first world congress of economistswas held there. Belgium became part of theKingdom of The Netherlands in 1815, only togain independence in 1830, with Brusselsbecoming the capital of the kingdom ofBelgium.

King Leopold I inaugurated the “AlléeVerte”, the continent’s first railway, in1834. The University of Brussels wasfounded the same year.

At the end of the 19th century, Brusselsbecame the capital of Art Nouveau thanksto the famous architect Victor Horta.

Many new architecture projects saw theday under King Leopold II. Victor Hugo,who lived in the city, wrote “I am enthu-siastic about Brussels!” Others after him,including Toulouse-Lautrec, sacha Guitryand Aldous Huxley, voiced their admirationfor the city, highly urbanised thanks to thegenius of Leopold II. Many famous people,including Mozart, Napoleon and the Dukeof Wellington spend time in the city.

The 20t h century saw these trendscontinue. Brussels expanded and theWorld’s Fair of 1958 underscored themodern era.

New administrative and commercialdistricts bore witness to substantial newurban development. Despite this, about15% of the city is still covered by greenareas, parks, squares and woods.

Page 9: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

15B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 14 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

What to visit in brussels

Tourist attractions AtomiumHalles saint-GéryCity Hallsaints Michael and Gudule Cathedral Manneken PisPalace of Justice Royal Palace of LaekenChinese Pavilion and Japanese Tower Column of CongressPlace Royale European CommissionThe sablon district (antiques shops) Grand-PlaceThe Government districtTour & TaxisGaleries Royales saint-Hubert

Museums

Archives and Literature Museum (Brussels)Archives and museum of Flemish life in Brussels (Brussels)General Archives of the Kingdom of Belgium(Brussels)Royal Library of Belgium (Brussels) solvay Library 1902 – 2002 (Brussels) BOZAR - Centre for Fine Arts (Brussels)Cantillon Brewery - Brussels Gueuze Museum (Anderlecht)Art centre of the Rouge-Cloître (Auderghem) The Comic strip House (Brussels)Cinematek (Brussels) Coudenberg - Former Palace of Brussels(Brussels) Crypt of the monument – Place des Martyrs(Brussels)

Jean Massart experimental garden (Auderghem) Erasmus House (Anderlecht) Monument for the Jewish martyrs of Belgium(Anderlecht) Museum of Ancient Art (Brussels)Museum of Modern Art (Brussels)BELvue Museum: history of Belgium (Brussels)Chocolate and Cocoa Museum(Brussels)Cinquantenaire museums: Autoworld (PalaisMondial de l'Automobile), Royal Museum ofthe Army and Military History, Royal Museums for Art and History (Etterbeek)Horta Museum (saint-Gilles)Magritte Museum (Ixelles)Medicine Museum (Anderlecht) The MIM, Musical Instruments Museum andthe Royal Museums for Art & History (Brussels) Museum of Natural science Brussels Public Transport Museum Van Buuren Museum and Gardens (Uccle)Museum of the City of Brussels(Brussels)

Nearby

Huizingen :Provincial domain (park with pond, swim-ming pool, playground and animal park)

Meise :National Botanical Gardens

Tervuren :Royal Museum of Central Africa

Villers-La-Ville :Cistercian abbey

Waterloo :Butte du Lion Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo Wellington Museum

Wavre :Walibi (theme park)

See the following websites for additionalinformation about Brussels:

Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region: www.bruxelles.irisnet.be

For tourist information, see:

Belgian Tourist Office: www.opt.be/

East Belgium Tourist Office: www.eastbelgium.com

Visit Flanders: www.visitflanders.com

BIP - Bruxelles Info Place + 32 (0) 2 563 63 99 2-4 rue Royale - 1000 Bruxelleswww.biponline.be/

The Belgian Tourist Welcome Centre and Information Office + 32 (0)2 504 03 90 Rue du Marché aux Herbes, 631000 Brusselswww.bruxelles-tourisme.be/

Brussels International-Tourism & Conferences + 32 (0)2 513 89 40 Brussels City Hall. Grand-Place1000 Brusselswww.brussels-international.be/

VisitBrussels :+ 32 (0)2 513 89 40 www.visitbrussels.be/

Page 10: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

17B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 16 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Brussels and Europe

Brussels is located at the heart of Europe. The French-speaking Community is responsi-ble for educational matters in Wallonia andthe Brussels-Capital Region (French-languageschools), except for private schools. The edu-cational system consists of three major typesof institutions: n Public (official) institutions organised andmanaged by the French Community (FC) n Public (official) institutions subsidised bythe FC but operated by communal or provin-cial governments n Independent “free” institutions (con-fessional or non-confessional) subsidised bythe FC

All institutions belong to one of these threenetworks and are under the supervision of one(or several) organising powers (pouvoirorganisateur). The FC government is responsiblefor institutions managed by the FC. subsidisedofficial institutions are operated by theprovinces and municipalities and subsidisedfree institutions are run by individuals orcompanies.

Overview of the french community’s educationalsystem

London350 km

Paris294 km

Köln200 km

Amsterdam197 km

Luxemburg210 km

Page 11: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

19B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

General information

There are three types of higher education institutions:

n Universities n Colleges of Higher Education (Hautes Ecoles)n Colleges of Higher Education for the Arts (ESA)

Higher education in the French commununity

Universities

The first years of university provide basictraining in the chosen major field andgeneral science education.

This is followed by further concentration onscientific research methods and specialisedcourse content. Universities prepare senior-level managers and high level researchers. University studies are divided into two cycles.

The first is a general training cycle of 180ECTs (see the section on the ECTs system).This normally lasts three years (BA degree). The second, Masters (MA) cycle, providesstudents with a professional qualificationafter one (60 ECTs) or two years (120 ECTs)depending on the degree of specialisationdesired. The two-year Master’s degree willhave one of three orientations: teaching,research or professional.

study programmes in all subjects last fourto five years (with the exception of medicaland veterinarian studies).

This revised programme integrates most ofthe current third cycle materials into thetwo-year MA (complementary specialist andpedagogical skills training) and is intendedto combine knowledge and know-how toprovide students with advanced trainingadapted to today’s international challengesand the complexities of the knowledgesociety.

Page 12: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

21B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 20 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Universities play an all-important role inshaping Europe’s knowledge economy andthe European Research Area. Yet their suc-cess is dependent on increased collabora-tion, pooling their resources and sharingtheir competences to gain greater interna-tional visibility.

This was the spirit which drove the Univer-sité Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), the Universitéde Mons-Hainaut (UMH) and the FacultéPolytechnique de Mons (FPMs) to join to-gether to become the l’Académie universi-taire Wallonie Bruxelles on 8 June 2004. Thetwo Mons higher education institutionshave since merged, becoming the Universityof Mons (UMons).

Colleges of higher education (HautesEcoles) The Colleges of Higher Education aredivided into eight categories offering eitherlong (TL) or short (TC) programmes. The categories are:n Agricultural Engineeringn Applied Artsn Economicsn Teacher trainingn Paramedical sciencesn social studiesn Technical studiesn Translation and Interpretation

Short programmes consist of a single 180-ECTs cycle normally lasting three years andleading to a Bachelor’s degree (four yearsfor a midwifery course). Programmes com-bine theory and practice and prepare stu-

dents directly for taking up professionalwork. In certain areas, supplementary one-year courses are available, leading to spe-cialist degrees. Pathways are also availableallowing students to switch to a universityor a Haute Ecole to study for a Master’s de-gree.

Long programme are university level andconsist of two cycles, as in the universitysystem: n The first cycle offers general training for atotal of 180 ECTs over a period of threeyears. students graduate with a transitionalBachelor’s (BA) degree.n The second cycle, the Masters (MA), leadsto a career after either one (60 ECTs) or twoyears (120 ECTs) depending on the degreeof specialisation sought. specialisedcourses are offered after the second cycle insome fields. They last two years at most.

Colleges of higher education for thearts (ESA) The EsA offer both long and short highereducation programmes. These collegesprepare students for arts-related fields infour areas of study:n Plastic, visual and spatial artsn Musicn Theatre and the performing artsn Entertainment, broadcasting and commu-nications

For several years now, higher education inEurope and in Belgium in particular hasbeen undergoing deep changes, completelyreshaping the education landscape.

The Centre’s partners have for a long timemaintained a network of intense and variedbilateral relations with each other in theareas of both education and research.

A careful look at their different offeringsrevealed a significant number of comple-mentarities, many of them established bythe “bridge” (passerelle) decrees.

A recent analysis of student careers hasrevealed a large number of studentsswitching courses and/or switchingbetween a university and a Haute Ecole orvice-versa.

These are the reasons why the Centre’spartners wanted to set up a teaching andresearch body in the Capital of Europe witha comprehensive, consistent, varied andhigh-level offering. One of the main objec-tives was to leverage synergies, withstudents the main beneficiaries.

The Brussels Wallonia European University Centre

The Brussels Wallonia European UniversityCentreWithin the Brussels Wallonia EuropeanUniversity Centre, the course programme isstructured around the following themes:

n Law and administrationn Economics and managementn Information and communicationn Languages and literaturen Psychology, teaching and educational

sciencen Healthn Arts, architecture and artistic creationn Human and social sciencesn science, applied science and technology

Registration fees Regular students must pay a registrationfee. Erasmus students pay their fees to theirhome institution.Administrative fees vary from institution toinstitution, and from course to course.Registration fees similarly vary from institu-tion to institution. students from outsidethe European Union are required to payspecific registration fees.

Académie universitaire Wallonie Bruxelles

Page 13: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

23B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 22 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

The Brussels-Wallonia European UniversityCentre consists of one university and tenother higher education institutions:

Universityn ULB Université Libre de BruxellesAv. F.D. Roosevelt 50B - 1050 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 650 21 11 www.ulb.ac.be - [email protected]

Colleges of Higher Education (HautesEcoles)n HEBHaute Ecole de Bruxelles Chée de Waterloo 749 B - 1180 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 340 12 95 www.heb.be

n HEFFHaute Ecole Francisco FerrerRue de la Fontaine 4 B - 1000 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 279 58 10 Fax : +32 2 279 58 29 www.he-ferrer.eu

n HELBHaute Ecole Libre de Bruxelles Ilya PrigogineAvenue Besme 97 B - 1190 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 349 68 11 www.helb-prigogine.be

n INSASInstitut national Supérieur des Arts de la Scène et Techniques de DiffusionRue Thérésienne 8 B-1000 BrusselsTél. : +32 2 511 92 86www.insas.be

Federal institutionn ERM Royal Military Academy Av. de la Renaissance 30 B - 1000 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 742 60 36www.rma-ac.be

The only federal institution, the RMA’smission is set down in the organic law ofMarch 18, 1838. This post-secondary militaryteaching institution provides its studentswith academic, military and sports training.The institution’s students are officer candi-dates and career soldiers in the Belgianarmed forces. students may also be fromother European Union countries and may ormay not be soldiers or Belgian citizens, butall must meet the admission guidelines setby the King and certified by the Minister forNational Defence.

The RMA has had two faculties since the2003-2004 academic year: the PolytechnicFaculty and the Faculty of social and Militarysciences.

n HELDBHaute Ecole Lucia de BrouckèreAv. Emile Gryzon 1B - 1070 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 526 73 00www.heldb.be - [email protected]

n HE-SpaakHaute Ecole Paul-Henri SpaakRue Royale 150 B - 1000 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 227 35 01 www.he-spaak.be

Colleges of Higher Education for theArtsn ARBA - ESARoyal Academy of Fine ArtsRue du Midi 144 B - 1000 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 511 04 91 www.arba-esa.be

n CrB Royal Conservatory of Brussels Rue de la Régence 30 B - 1000 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 511 04 27 www.conservatoire.be

n ENSAV Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Visuels de la CambreAbbaye de la Cambre 21 B - 1000 Brussels Tél. : +32 2 626 17 80 www.lacambre.be

Partner institutions of the Brussels WalloniaEuropean University Centre

Page 14: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

25B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 24 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

The partners of the Brussels-WalloniaEuropean University Centre use the Euro-pean Credit Transfer system (ECTs). Thisg u a r a n t e e s t h a t t h e a c a d e m i cp r o grammes students have followed willbe recognised by other higher educationinstitutions. It allows “incoming”students to take courses offered at hostinstitutions when these have a bilateralagreement with the home institution.Thanks to ECTs, students can participatefully in the academic life of the institu-tion they are visiting.

The ECTs also enables “outgoing”students to continue their studiesabroad, while remaining registered attheir home institution.

Whether “incoming” or “outgoing”, withthe help of ECTs a student may – onhaving gained the prior approval of theinstitutions involved - continue hisstudies in the host institution and gain adegree. students can also opt to spenda period in a third institution. It is up tothe various institutions involved to setthe conditions a student must meet inorder to receive a degree or transfer toanother institution.

The ECTS system European Credit Transfer System

Credits are issued as a numerical value andassociated with course units, that is, thevolume of work the student must completefor each course.

Credits express the amount of work requiredfor each course unit in relationship to thevolume of work of an entire year of study(lectures, workshops, seminars, internships,research, field work, projects and exams orother forms of evaluation). There arenormally 60 ECTs credits per academic year.

The three main tools used to ensure that theECTs is effective and facilitates academicrecognition are: n The information package: This is veryuseful for both student and administrativepersonnel. It provides information on insti-tutions, faculties/departments, courses of-fered, administrative procedures, theorganisation and structure of studies and oncourse units.

n The learning agreement: Written by thestudent and his international relations

supervisor(s) and submitted to the institu-tions concerned before the student leaveshis home country, it describes the student’srequired study programme and the ECTscredits that will be granted followingsuccessful completion of requirements(exams, evaluations, etc.). This contractcommits the student to following the studyprogramme of the host country and toviewing it as part and parcel of their post-secondary education. The home institutionagrees to guarantee full academic recogni-tion of the credits earned in the hostcountry. The host institution commits toproviding the agreed-to courses, based on aclass schedule of their choosing.

n The transcript of records: The transcriptprovides a clear, complete and understand-able record of every student’s academicresults. The transcript must be easy totransfer from one institution to another. Itprovides the student’s ECTs credits for thecourses they have taken and an evaluationof their results based on the local gradingsystem. The combination of local results andECTs credits provide a qualitative andquantitative measure of the student’sacademic performance in the foreigncountry.

ECTS Credits

Page 15: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

26 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

The ECTs grading scale is used by all Brussels-Wallonia European University Centre members.

For additional information, go to the following European Commission website:http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/socrates/ects/index_fr.html

A 10 Excellent: excellent work with only minor shortcomings

B 25 Very good: above-average work despite a few shortcomings

C 30 Good: good work overall despite a number of shortcomings

D 25 satisfactory: fair work with significant shortcomings

E 10 Pass: Minimum requirements were met

FX - Fail: additional work is required before course credit can be awarded

F - Fail: a substantial amount of work is required

The ECTS grading scale

ECTsGrade

DescriptionNormal % of studentsobtaining this grade

Page 16: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

29B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 28 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

l A medical certificate stating that you donot have a condition which could be a danger to public healthl If you are older than 21, a certificate ofgood conduct you’re your home country(stating that you have not been foundguilty of any crimes or offences).

nDocuments from your home institution l An attestation that it is your first stay (thiswill be completed by the host institutionon returning to your home countryl Learning agreement: courses and / orplacements – placement agreement –“quality commitment”.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES: l http://www.belgium.be/en/education/coming_to_study_in_belgium/l http://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/travel_to_belgium/studeren_In_Belgie/

Office des étrangers :https://dofi.ibz.be/sites/dvzoe/index.html

Registration

Erasmus students must pay registration feesat their home university. The home institutionwill send all pertinent information on the stu-dent to the host university before their de-parture. When the student arrives inBrussels, they must go to the student mobil-ity office at their host institution and get anattestation proving that they are an Erasmusgrant holder. Here they will also get help or-ganising their stay.

Group and individual information sessionsare held for incoming students when they ar-rive in Brussels. The dates and times of thesesessions are provided on arrival.

Other schemes are also possible (work place-ments, etc.). Persons interested should con-tact the student Mobility Department of theinstitution of their choice.

Facilities provided by the Brussels-Wallonia European University Centre

Centre students get preferential access to thelibraries of our 11 institutions (http://www.poluniv-bxl.be/pole 4.html)

They also have access to ULB sports facilitiesat preferential rates(http://www.ulb.ac.be/docs/sport/index.html)

students can also attend a variety oflanguage classes (French, for example).

For additional information, contact the hostinstitution once you arrive in Brussels.

Health and insurance

Students from european union countries

Erasmus students must be in possession ofa European health insurance card (EHIC).This document proves that the student ispaid up on insurance contributions in theirhome country and gives them free access tothe Belgian medical services reimbursementsystem (up to the age of 25). This form andthe proof of registration delivered by thehost institution are needed to register with aBelgian health insurance fund (mutuelle).

Access and residencyrequirements

Students from European Unionmember countries and other eligiblecountries

n A STAY OF LESS THAN 3 MONTHS

No specific requirements. Just show up atthe host institution on arriving in Belgium.

n A STAY OF MORE THAN 3 MONTHS

You will need to register with themunicipal authorities (administrationcommunale) of the district you are livingin within 8 days of arriving in Belgium.Take with you your:l ID document (ID card, passport)l 6 passport photosl A certificate issued by the host insti-tution stating that you are here as anErasmus studentl Proof of sufficient financial means .

Residency in Belgium is subject to thefollowing three conditions:

l students must register with themunicipal authorities of their communeof residence within eight days of theirarrival in Belgium (six ID pictures and11.00 €) l The ID document used to enter Belgium(ID card, passport, etc.) and a proof ofregistration from the university

l Proof of sufficient financial means As each municipal administration hasits own rules, you are advised to contactit beforehand to find out exactly whatyou need to bring with you to registeryourself (passport photos, fees, proof ofhealth insurance, copy of your birthcertificate, ….).

Note: the department responsible forinternational students at your hostinstitution will provide an attestationstating that the student is in possessionof an Erasmus grant and is registered atthe institution.

For students from non-EuropeanUnion countries

Before doing anything else, non-EUs tu dents must contact the BelgianEmbassy in their home country and applyfor a temporary residence permit (this cantake up to 2 months). You will need to havesuch a permit when requesting registrationwith the municipal authorities on arrivingin Belgium. You may also need a visa toenter Belgium. You should contact theBelgian embassy or consulate in yourhome country or a neighbouring country tofind out whether you need a visa.

The following must be provided to theEmbassy in order to obtain a temporaryresidence permit: l Proof that you have sufficient financialmeans

Practical information

Page 17: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

31B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 30 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Housing

students are encouraged to reserve a fewnights in a youth hostel before their arrival.It will be easier to locate suitable housingonce in town. Generally speaking, reserva-tions are allowed for four nights maximum.

There are several alternative housingoptions:

n Rooms with local residentsn Boarding schoolsn Youth hostelsn Private housingn University residencesn Student residences

For information on the advantages anddrawbacks of the various housing options,or for any other information (housing ad-dresses, legislation, leases, rental guaran-tees, etc.), contact the department in chargeof these matters at your host institution.

Below is the contact information for the fiveyouth hostels in Brussels:

n CHAB - Centre Vincent Van GoghRue Traversière 8 - 1210 Brussels Tel. : +32 2 217 01 58 Fax : +32 2 219 79 [email protected] www.chab.be

n Auberge de Jeunesse Génération Europe Rue de l’Eléphant 4 - 1080 Brussels Tel. : +32 2 410 38 58 Fax : +32 2 410 39 05 [email protected] www.laj.be

n Jeugdherberg BreugelRue du saint Esprit 2 - 1000 Brussels Tel. : +32 2 511 04 36 Fax : +32 2 512 07 11 [email protected] www.vjh.be/

n Auberge de Jeunesse Jacques Brel Rue de la sablonnière 30 - 1000 Brussels Tel. : +32 2 218 01 87 Fax : +32 2 217 20 05 [email protected] www.laj.be

n Hôtel des Jeunes SleepwellEspace du Marais asblRue du Damier 23 - 1000 BrusselsTel. : +32 2 218 50 50Fax : +32 2 218 13 [email protected]

Cost of living (January 1, 2012)

Average monthly student living expensesare about 800 €. (estimate only)

Average monthly rent for a room is between300 € and 500 €.

Sample meals

There are many small, fairly inexpensive,restaurants downtown (Italian, Turkish,Moroccan, Indian, Greek, Asian, spanishand other food).

pizza : 8 € ~ 13,00 €soft drink : 2,5 €sandwich : 3,00 €

n Grant holders some organisations providing grants alsooffer health insurance. students should lookinto this before their departure.

n Uninsured students students can join a health insurance fundunder a student plan. For informationcontact:Institut National d’Assurance MaladieInvalidité (INAMI) Tel. : 02 739 71 11 www.inami.fgov.be

Students from countries outside theEuropean Economic Area *

students from countries outside the Euro-pean Economic Area are not entitled to anEHIC. They are not covered for outpatientcare but do get hospitalisation coverage.They can join a Belgian health insurance.The waiting period is waived (if under 25)but applicants will be required to pay amonthly premium of about 15 €. studentsolder than 25 should register with a healthinsurance fund and do a work placement, asthis will enable him to benefit from socialsecurity. Another possibility is to take outprivate insurance in the home country.

n All students All students, and in particular those fromcountries which do not belong to the Euro-pean Economic Area, are urged to subscribeto an insurance policy for risks not coveredby the health insurance fund. Please contact your health insurance fundand ask about “international agreements”before leaving for Belgium.

* E.E.A. (European Economic Area): European Union countries + Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein

Pharmacies

Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. (pharmacies take turnsbeing on-duty at night, on weekends andholidays)

For information on pharmacies in Belgiumgo to www.pharmacie.be For a list of on-duty pharmacies, go to: www.pharmacie.be/FR/frametopfr.htm 0900-10.500 (0.50 €/Min)

Pharmacies post an on-duty list in theirfront window.

Hospitals (partial list)

n Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Erasme Tel. : 02 555 33 32 Emergency : 02 555 34 05 route de Lennik, 808 -1070 Brusselshttp://www.erasme.ulb.ac.be

n AZ Akademisch Ziekenhuis Jette VUBTel. : 02 477 41 11 Emergency : 02 477 51 00 rue Laarbeek, 101 -1090 Brussels http://www.uzbrussel.be/u/view

n Iris-Sud hospitals (11 locations in the Brussels Region) n The Jules Bordet Institute n saint-Pierre n César de Paepe n Brugmann UniversityHospital - Horta site n Queen FabiolaChildren's Hospital n Brugmann UniversityHospital - Paul Brien site n site BaronLambert n Etterbeek Ixelles n JosephBracopsn Reine Astridn Molière Longchamp http://www.iris-hopitaux.be/

Page 18: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

33B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 32 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Telephone service

Banking

beer : 2 €salad : 6,50 € ~ 15,00 €coffee, tea : 2,5 €alcoholic beverage : 4 € ~ 10,00 €

Buying food

soft drink : 1 € Vegetables in season (1 Kg) : 2,00 €milk (1 L.): 0,80 € fruit in season (1 Kg) : 2,50 €pasta (500 gr) : 1,00 €white bread (400 gr) : 1,80 €beef (1 Kg) : 13,00 €

Recreation

films : students (with card) : 8,00 €adult : 10,00 €sports : prices vary a great deal dependingon the sport, club and, sometimes, the timeof day. swimming : 2,00 € ~ 11,00 €tennis : 7,00 € ~ 15,00 € (hour)volleyball : 16,00 € ~ 19,00 €

Your coordinator can tell you about deals forstudents.

There are over a hundred banks in Belgium,active in all areas of banking. There are alsoabout sixty foreign banks in the city.

An ID card or passport is needed to open abank account. A student card may also berequested. Do not forget to close your account whenyou leave Belgium!

Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hours aregetting longer. There are always automaticteller machines around for evenings andweekends!

Public telephones are operated withmagnetic stripe cards available at all newsagents (5, 10 and 20 €). They can also oftenbe operated with: n coins n credit cardsn rechargeable cards (Proton: ask your bank)

Telephone shops provide cheaper service toother countries. Mobile phones operating at 900 or 1800MHz can be used with pre-paid cards. Theyare available in several amounts and with avariety of rate plans for different types ofusers. They can be purchased from threemobile service providers in Belgium(Proximus, Mobistar and Base), but also atthe big supermarkets (Carrefour, Colruyt).

Transportationv

Avion

Belgium has five airports: Brussels-National,Charleroi-Brussels south, Antwerp, Liege andOstend.

n Brussels airport / Zaventem The Brussels airport is located 14 km fromdowntown. Train service leaves from theNorth, south or Central stations every 20minutes. It takes about 30 minutes to get tothe airport and costs about 3.50 € (ticketpurchased beforehand) or 6.00 € (ticketpurchased in the train). A taxi ride will costabout 35 €.

+32 900 70 000 (from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) [email protected]/

n Charleroi - Brussels South shuttle buses run between south station(Midi/Zuid) and the airport. Cheap ticketsare available for flights to Europeandestinations. www.charleroi-airport.com/

Trains

Brussels has several big railway stationsand a dense rail network with regular andfairly inexpensive services. Reduced ticketprices are available on certain tourist routesand for special national events.

Brussels has six main stations:

n CentralCarrefour de l’Europe, 2 - 1000 Brussels

n South (Midi/Zuid)Rue de France, 2 - 1070 Brussels(trains leave from the TGV, Thalys and Eurostar platforms)

nNorth Rue du Progrès, 85 - 1210 Brussels

n LuxembourgPlace du Luxembourg - 1040 Brussels

n SchaerbeekPlace Princesse Elisabeth - 1030 Brussels

n SchumanRond-point schuman - 1040 Brussels

information : national : 02 555 25 25 international : 02 528 28 28 www.b-rail.be

Page 19: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

34 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 35B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Métro/Trams/Buses

Tickets can be purchased at several points-of-sale: l on trams and buses (one-way tickets only) l at ticket offices l from automated ticket machines at bus

depots and train stationsl at authorised stores (newsagents, etc.)

A one-way ticket costs about 2.00 € (2,50 €when purchased on a tram or bus). Five-tripcards (7.50 €) and 10-trip cards (13 €) arealso available.There are also monthly passes (35.50 € forpeople under 25 and 45.50 € over 25) andstudents under 25 can get an annualschool pass for between 102 and 204 €.Other types of passes are also available.

Passes are sold at: l the BOOTIKs, 6 shops offering personal

service or an online order system.l KIOsKs, 19 booking offices in the main

Metro stations,l GO, 270 automated ticket machinesl sHOP in most newsagents and

supermarkets.

For more information, also on other special offers: 02 515 20 00 www.stib.be

Taxis

Pick up: 2.40 € during the day and 4.40 € atnight Average price per km: 1.35 € (within citylimits) 2.70 € (outside the 19 Brusselscommunes) The fare is displayed on a meter. Tips areincluded. Collective taxis (“collectos”) can be reservedin advance on www.collecto.org

n Brussels taxi companies:Taxis bleus: 02.268.00.00Taxis oranges: 02.349.43.43Taxi verts: 02.349.49.49Autolux: 02.411.12.21

Travelling by car

seatbelts are mandatory both up front andin the back. Depending on where you aretravelling, road signs may be in eitherFrench or Dutch (or both in Brussels).

Priority: yield to priority vehicles (those onrails, ambulances, etc.) and to those com-ing from the right (unless you are on a prior-ity road).

The maximum allowable blood alcohol con-tent is 0.5 g/l.

n Speed limits:In town 50 km/h or 30 km/h On other roads 70 km/h or 90 km/h On motorways 120 km/h

n In case of breakdown:Touring secours Tel. 070 34 47 77 RACB Tel. 078 15 20 00

Outdoors activities and recreation Ø

Activities organised bythe host institution

Many activities are organised by hostinstitution students.

n Student associations The associations help promote contactbetween students through meetings,cultural events and sports. They help newstudents become part of the community andhelp them fully enjoy their studentexperience. Find out more from your host institution.

Opening hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (normalhours)(Monday through saturday) 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.(department stores).

There are many convenience stores in someneighbourhoods (downtown, universitydistricts, around the train stations, etc.). Opening hours: 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. (hours varydepending on the commune and storesclose later in some neighbourhoods.)

Going out

Shopping

Brussels has lots of night life and a widerange of venues.

Here are some magazines that can help youplan your night out: l KIOsQUE l MAD (Magazine of Arts and Entertainment) l The Wednesday supplement of the

“Le soir” newspaperl TIME OUT

There are also a number of websites thatprovide information on events and current“in” places: www.agenda.bewww.quefaire.bewww.idearts.be

You can find lists of events (in Brussels andother areas of Belgium) by type (exhibi-tions, events, guided tours, theatre, cir-cuses, opera, jazz, classical music, marketsand flea markets, clubs, nightlife, etc.) at: www.noctis.com www.noctis.com/parties&events/parties&eventsF.htm

Below is an example of a website that listsinformation on clubs by day of the week andtypical Brussels bars by setting. www.eurobru.com

Page 20: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

36 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 37B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Main libraries

Every host institution has its own libraries(for a list of them, see http://www.ulb.ac.be/poluniv-bxl/pole_4.html).There are also a number of other libraries

for more in-depth research. The main onesin Brussels are:

n Bibliothèque CF et O.N.E. Bld. Leopold II, 44 1000 Brussels 02 413 27.49

n Bibliothèque Principale de Bruxelles 1 Rue des Riches-Claires, 24 1000 Brussels http://www.brunette.brucity.be/bib/bibp1/

n Bibliothèque Royale de Belgique Bld. de l’Empereur, 4 1000 Brussels http://www.kbr.be/accueil_fr.html

n Médiathèque de l’Université Libre de BruxellesAv. F. Roosevelt, 50CP 160/201050 Brussels http://www.bib.ulb.ac.be/

For a complete list of libraries in Brussels,go to: www.eurobru.com/cultur95.htm

Religious worship andphilosophical movements

The Belgian Constitution guaranteesfreedom of worship. The state recognisesand subsidises secularism, representedby the CAL (Centre d’action laïque – The

(partial list)

n Alliance Française 26, rue de la Loi - 1040 Brussels 02 502 46 49

n Association Socioculturelle Uruguay Argentine 42, bld. du Midi - 1000 Brussels02 512 93 20

n Casa do Brasil350, avenue Louise -1050 Brussels02 626.34.60www.brasbruxelas.be/

n Centre Culturel Arabe 2, rue de l’Alliance- 1210 Brussels 02 218 64 74

n Centre Culturel de Tunisie 101a, av. de Tervuren - 1040 Brussels 02 742 04 89

n Centre Culturel et d’Information de l’Ambassade du Japon 58, av. des Arts - 1000 Brussels 02 475 82 52 76

n Centre Culturel et Scientifique de Russie 21, rue du Méridien - 1210 Brussels 02 219 01 33www.centreculturelrusse.be/

n Centro Galego de Bruselas4, rue Vlogaert - 1060 Bxl02 223 22 75 www.centrogalego.be/

n Centre Hellénique de Culture et de Formation 14, rue des Etudiants - 1060 Brussels 02 538 62 12

n Centre Socioculturel Vietnamien 231, rue au bois - 1150 Brussels 0476 31 36 77

n Centre Tchèque 60, rue du Trône - 1050 Brussels 02 213.94.30www.czechcentres.cz/brussels/

n Chine Académie - Association BelgiqueChine 30, rue des Capucins - 1000 Brussels 02 217 10 62

n Goethe Institut Brüssel 58, rue Belliard - 1040 Bxl 02 230 39 70www.goethe.de/ins/be/bru/frindex.htm

n Institut culturel danois 35/4, rue Royale - 1000 Brussels 02 230.73.26 www.dkibenelux.org/

n Institut Italien de culture38, rue de Livourne - 1000 Brussels02. 533.27.20 www.iicbruxelles.esteri.it/

n Instituto Cervantès64, avenue de Tervuren - 1040 Brussels02 737 01 90http://bruselas.cervantes.es/es/default.shtm

n Maison de l’Amérique Latine 27/4 rue du Collège - 1050 Brussels 02 535 93 80 www.america-latina.be/

n The British CouncilLéopold Plaza, 108 rue du Trône1050 Brussels02 227 08 40www.britishcouncil.org/brussels.htm

Foreign cultural centersCentre for secular Action) and fiveChurches (Catholic, Protestant, Anglican,Jewish and Muslim).

n Bruxelles Laïque asbl (Brussels secular association)Avenue de stalingrad, 8www.bxllaique.be

n Centre d’Action Laïque de la Communautéfrançaise (FC Centre of Secular Action)Campus de la Plaine ULB (accès 2)Avenue Arnaud Fraiteur - 1050 Bruxsselswww.ulb.ac.be/cal/

n Catholic There are normally several churches inevery commune www.catho.be

n Muslim Islamic Centre, Great Mosque of Brussels Parc du Cinquantenaire, 14 1040 Brussels www.centreislamique.be

n Jewish Traditionalist :Rue J. Dupont, 12 - 1000 Brussels Orthodox :Rue de la Clinique, 67a - 1070 Brussels sépharadite :Rue du Pavillon, 47 - 1030 Brussels

n Greek Orthodox Av. de stalingrad, 34 - 1000 Brussels Rue de stassart, 92 - 1050 Brussels Rue du Progrès, 293 - 1030 Brussels Rue des Etangs Noirs, 48 - 1080 Brussels www.pagesorthodoxes.net

n Russian Orthodox Av. De Fré 21 - 1180 Brussels

n Protestant Rue du Champ de Mars, 5 - 1050 Brussels Place du Musée, 2 - 1000 Brussels Chée d’Alsemberg, 877 - 1180 Brusselswww.protestanet.be

Page 21: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

39B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E 38 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Calendrier Académiqueen Communauté française (CF)

New Year’s Day January 1st

Easter sunday and Monday (date varies)Labour Day May 1st

Ascension 6th Thursday after EasterWhitsun 7th sunday and Monday after EasterNational Holiday July 21st

Assumption August 15th

Holiday of the French-speaking Community september 27th

All Saints Day November 1st

Armistice Day November 11th

King’s Holiday November 15th (bank holiday)Christmas December 25th

n European Emergency Number 112

n Ambulance, Fire department100

n Federal Police/Gendarmerie101

n Red Cross105

n Criminal Investigations070 23 33 38

n Anti-poison centre 070 245 245

n Burns centre 02 268 62 00

n On-call doctors 02 479 18 18

n On-call dentists02 426 10 26

n On-duty pharmacies 0900 10 500 (0,45 eur/min)

n Centre for the prevention of marital/family violence02/539 27 4402/647 00 12 (after 5 p.m.)

n Infor – drugs02.227 52 52

n SOS Jeunes (help-line for young people)02.512 90 20

n Assistance to foreigners11, rue J.W. Wilson - 1000 Brussels02 230 81 66

n Information for foreigners9, av. De Fré - 1180 Bruxelles02 375 67 63

n Information for young peopleRue Van Artevelde, 155 - 1000 Brussels02. 503.44.74

n National dialling information 1307

n International dialling information1313

Warning: dial 0 first when calling information from a mobile phone

Other useful telephone numbersand useful addresses ≈

Page 22: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

41P ô L E U N I V E R S I TA I R E E U R O P é E N d E B R U x E L L E S W A L L O N I E40 B R U S S E L S W A L L O N I A E U R O P E A N U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T R E

Student glossaryó

Académique (année ~) University (year)Auditoire Lecture hallBachelier Degree obtained after completing 180 ECTs credits

at a higher education institutionBaptême Hazing Blocus, bloque study period before examsBloquer To study, cram for examsBrosser un cours To skip classBuser To fail examsCommune MunicipalityGSM Mobile telephoneGuindaille student partyGuindailler To party Jobiste student with a part-time jobKot student roomKoteur, euse student living in a student roomLogopède speech therapistMinerval study feesPasserelle Changing majorsPenne University student’s capPils, chope or pinte Beer on tapQuadrimestre Term: the academic year is divided into three

quadrimestres (terms) Saint-Vé student tradition commemorating Theodore Verhaegen,

the founder of the Free University of Brussels. On November 20th, students wander the streets of Brussels singing and drinking beer.

Syllabus Photocopied course syllabus Valve Bulletin board

Page 23: Living and studying in Brussels · 2013. 6. 10. · 11 Brussels – the capital of Belgium 12 Historical overview 14 What to visit in Brussels ... peoples’ lifestyles and in its

Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Bruxelles – ESAEcole Supérieure des Arts (ARBA)www.arba-esa.be

École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Visuels de la Cambre (ENSAV) www.lacambre.be

École Royale Militaire (ERM)www.rma.ac.be

Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles (CRB)www.conservatoire.be

The National College of Higher Education for Theatre Arts and Broadcasting www.insas.be

Partners

Université Libre de Bruxelleswww.ulb.ac.be

Haute Ecole de Bruxelles (HEB)www.heb.be

Haute Ecole Francisco Ferrer(HEFF)www.he-ferrer.eu

Haute Ecole Paul-Henri Spaak (HESPA)www.he-spaak.be

Haute Ecole Libre de BruxellesIlya Prigogine (HELB)www.helb-prigogine.be

Haute Ecole Lucia de Brouckère (HELDB)www.heldb.be