In Belgium, which is a federal state, the constitution attributes legislative power over higher education to the Communities. The Dutch-speaking Flemish Community, the French Community and the German Community thus determine which institutes of higher education they organise or recognise, and which diplomas may be legally issued by these institutes. Below is a list of recognised institutes of higher education in Belgium sorted by the responsible Community.
Six Flemish universities issue academic bachelor, master and doctoral degrees:
Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerp
Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel, Brussels (former Katholieke Universiteit Brussel)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels
Universiteit Gent, Ghent
Universiteit Hasselt, Hasselt
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Campus Kortrijk, Kortrijk
As a result of an international treaty between the Netherlands and Flanders, a co-operation between the Universiteit Hasselt (Flanders) and the Universiteit Maastricht (the Netherlands) is recognised as the
Transnational University Limburg, Hasselt
According to the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities and the THES - QS World University Rankings, four Flemish universities (Universiteit Antwerpen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Universiteit Gent and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) are among the top 150 universities in Europe and top 300 universities worldwide.
All recognised Flemish university colleges are associated with a Flemish university. The following university colleges, which issue professional bachelor, academic bachelor's and master's degrees, are recognised by the Flemish government:
Antwerp University Association: university colleges associated with the University of Antwerp
Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool Antwerpen (Antwerp), public
Hogere Zeevaartschool Antwerpen (Antwerp), public
Karel de Grote-Hogeschool (Antwerp), Catholic
Ghent University Association: university colleges associated with Ghent University
Arteveldehogeschool (Ghent), Catholic
Hogeschool Gent (Ghent, Aalst, Melle), public
Hogeschool West-Vlaanderen (Bruges, Kortrijk), public
University Association Brussels: university colleges associated with Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Erasmushogeschool Brussel (Brussels), public
K.U.Leuven Association: university colleges associated with Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Groep T Hogeschool (Leuven), Catholic
Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel (Brussels), Catholic
Hogeschool Sint-Lukas Brussel (Brussels), Catholic
Hogeschool voor Kunsten en Architectuur (Brussels, Ghent, Leuven, Genk), Catholic
Katholieke Hogeschool Brugge-Oostende (Bruges, Ostend), Catholic
Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen (Geel, Lier, Turnhout, Vorselaar), Catholic
Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven (Leuven, Diest), Catholic
Katholieke Hogeschool Limburg (Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Genk), Catholic
Katholieke Hogeschool Mechelen (Mechelen), Catholic
Katholieke Hogeschool Sint-Lieven (Ghent, Aalst, Sint-Niklaas), Catholic
Katholieke Hogeschool Zuid-West-Vlaanderen, (Kortrijk, Roeselare, Tielt, Torhout), Catholic
Lessius Hogeschool (Antwerp, Sint-Katelijne-Waver), Catholic
Limburg University Association: university colleges associated with Hasselt University
Provinciale Hogeschool Limburg (Hasselt, Diepenbeek), public
XIOS Hogeschool Limburg (Diepenbeek, Hasselt), public
Finally, the Flemish government has recognised a number of "registered" institutes of higher education, which mostly issue specialised degrees or provide education mainly in a foreign language:
College of Europe (Bruges)
Continental Theological Seminary (Sint-Pieters-Leeuw)
Evangelische Theologische Faculteit (Leuven)
Faculteit voor Protestantse Godgeleerdheid Brussel (Brussels)
Flanders Business School (Antwerp)
Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde (Antwerp)
Vesalius College (Brussels)
Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School (Leuven, Ghent)
The French Community distinguishes between universities, colleges (Hautes Écoles), arts colleges, and institutes of architecture. A list of all recognised institutes is maintained in the Annuaire de l'enseignement supérieur.
Faculté Universitaire de Théologie Protestante, Etterbeek
Université de Namur, ex Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix, Namur
Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles, Brussels
Université catholique de Louvain, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
Université de Liège, Liège
Université de Mons, Mons
Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles
According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities, two of these universities (Université catholique de Louvain and Université Libre de Bruxelles) are among the top 200 universities worldwide.
According to the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, two of these universities (Université Libre de Bruxelles and Université de Liège) are among the top 200 universities in Europe and top 400 universities worldwide.
Haute École Francisco Ferrer, Brussels
Haute École Paul-Henri Spaak, Brussels
Haute École Galilée, Schaerbeek
Haute École Léonard de Vinci, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
Haute École Lucia de Brouckère, Anderlecht
Haute École Groupe ICHEC - ISC Saint-Louis - ISFSC, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre
Haute École de Bruxelles, Uccle
Haute École Libre de Bruxelles - Ilya Prigogine, Forest
École pratique des hautes études commerciales, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
Haute École Charlemagne, Liège
Haute École Libre Mosane - HELMo, Liège
Haute École de la Ville de Liège, Liège
Haute École de la Province de Liège, Seraing
Haute École Albert Jacquard, Namur
Haute École de la Province de Namur, Namur
Haute École de Namur-Liège-Luxembourg, Namur
Haute École Robert Schuman, Arlon
Haute École Louvain en Hainaut - HELHa, Mons
Haute École de la Communauté Française en Hainaut, Mons
Haute École Provinciale de Hainaut-Condorcet, Mons
Autonome Hochschule in der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft, Eupen
Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles - École Supérieure des Arts, Brussels
Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles - École Supérieure des Arts, Brussels
Institut National Supérieur des Arts du Spectacle, Brussels
École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Visuels de La Cambre, Brussels
École de Recherche Graphique - École Supérieure des Arts, Saint-Gilles
Instituts Saint-Luc de Bruxelles - École Supérieure des Arts, Saint-Gilles
École Supérieure des Arts du Cirque, Auderghem
École Le Septantecinq, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
Institut des Arts de Diffusion, Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
Conservatoire Royal de Liège, Liège
École Supérieure des Arts de la Ville de Liège, Liège
École Superieure des Arts Saint-Luc de Liège, Liège
Institut Supérieur de Musique et de Pédagogie, Namur
Arts², Mons
Académie des Beaux-Arts de Tournai
École Supérieure des Arts Saint-Luc Tournai, Tournai
The academy of the Belgian Army is recognized as equivalent to a university by both the Flemish and the French Community:
Royal Military Academy, Brussels
The following institutes are not recognized by the Flemish or French speaking communities, but by a foreign country:
American University, Brussels Center for European Studies (headquarters: Washington, District of Columbia, United States)
Boston University Brussels (headquarters: Boston, USA)
University of Kent (headquarters: Canterbury, United Kingdom)
Business University, Brussels (headquarters: San Jose, Costa Rica)
According to the THE–QS World University Rankings:
According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities:
According to the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities:
