Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

State University of Leuven

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Founded
  
1817

State University of Leuven

Similar
  
American College of the Imma, University of Lovanium, Brussels Faculty for Protestan, Catholic university of Mons, Evangelical Theological Faculty

The State University of Leuven was a university founded in 1817 in Leuven in Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was distinct from the Old University of Leuven (1425-1797) and from the Catholic University of Leuven, which moved to Leuven after the State University had been closed in 1835.

Contents

History

The State University of Leuven was founded by King William I of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1817 in Leuven. This continued the history of having a major university in Leuven, with the Old University of Leuven having been active from 1425-1797, and the State University used the same campus and facilities and a dozen of professors of the Old University taught there.

Belgium's independence from the Netherlands in 1830/31, plunged the universities into disorder. Attempting to prevent university education from being fragmented, the new government closed Leuven's faculties of law and natural science but backed down due to protests. A proposal to concentrate university education at Leuven was rejected by parliament on 4 August 1835. On 27 September 1835, the state university was officially closed, with most professors moving to the state universities of Ghent and Liège.

Meanwhile, the bishops of Belgium had founded a new Catholic University at Mechlin. This provoked serious riots in the cities of Ghent, Leuven and Liège by liberals, who feared the Church encroaching on state education. After the State University had been closed, the Catholic University moved its headquarters to Leuven on 1 December 1835 and then took the name of Catholic University of Leuven, again leading to protests by liberals, particularly due to its efforts to usurp the heritage and identity of the historical Old University of Leuven.

Buildings

The University was housed in former colleges of the former University: College of St. Donat, the Premonstratensian college, the Veterans college and the King college.

Faculties

The State University of Leuven counted upon the creation the Faculties of Law, Medicine, Science and Mathematics and of the Natural Philosophy and Letters.

Rectors

  • Harbaur Francis Joseph, (1776–1824) (or Franz Joseph Harbauer), an Alsatian, Court physician, a former pupil of the philosopher Fichte at the University of Jena, had been in Paris, Fulda, St. Petersburg finally arrive in the Netherlands. Unusual character, he spent lavishly to boost the University.
  • Jacmart Charles (1773–1849), Rector in 1822-1823, 1830–1831 and 1831-1832.
  • Dumbeck Francis Joseph, 1825-1826.
  • Jean-François-Michel Birnbaum, rector until October 1827.
  • Secretaries (Graphiarii)

  • Gerard Jean Meyer, 1825-1826.
  • Members of the Academic Senate

  • Frederick Reiffenberg (1795–1850), historian and philosopher, secretary of the Academic Senate.
  • Librarian

  • Karl Bernhardi
  • P. Namur
  • Notable alumni of the State university of Leuven

  • Alexandre Gendebien (1789–1869), liberal politician .
  • Andre Dieudonne Trumper (1794–1874), doctor in medecine and Venerable Master of the respectable lodge of the "True Friends of the Union and Progress" at the Orient of Brussels.
  • Ferdinand de Meeûs (1798–1861), banker.
  • Jules Guerin (1801–1886), physician.
  • Sylvain van de Weyer (1802–1874), liberal politician.
  • Augustus Van Dievoet (1803-1865), jurist and historian of the law.
  • Bernard du Bus de Gisignies (1808–1874), law, politician, ornithologist and paleontologist.
  • Hippoliet Van Peene (1811–1864), physician and playwright, wrote the lyrics of the Flemish anthem "De Vlaamse Leeuw"
  • References

    State University of Leuven Wikipedia


    Similar Topics