HISTORY
The Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) share a common origin, dating back to 1834 — just four years after the creation of Belgium — when Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen founded the Université Libre de Belgique, which was renamed Université libre de Bruxelles in 1842. In 1969, the Dutch-speaking Vrije Universiteit Brussel was established as an autonomous institution, mainting strong ties with the French-speaking ULB. Both universities have always been co-located in Ixelles, Brussels, and continue to uphold the same strong, shared values.
In 2013, their partnership was formally recognized through the creation of the Brussels University Alliance. In 2025, this collaboration received a significant boost with the establishment of the Andrée Geulen asbl-vzw, an initiative aimed at deepening the partnership between both universities in the lead-up to their bicentenary in 2034.
VISION 2034 & MISSION
As a driving force behind the VUB-ULB partnership, the 2034 vision of the Andrée Geulen asbl-vzw is to foster a dynamic university hub, that sustainably strengthens each university and boosts their pillar historic role in the Brussels’ ecosystem.
Our Mission is to establish and operate an equitable governance, that supports and elevates the partnership between ULB & VUB.
We are the neutral partner that accelerates existing collaborations and enables new ones between the two Brussels universities, across a wide range of domains:
- Research
- Education
- Infrastructures and logistics
- Community services and events
- Public affaires
Together with ULB and VUB, we are proud to highlight joint achievements such as:
- The renovation of Usquare, the former gendarmerie school on the General Jacques Boulevard, housing interuniversity teams.
- The construction of LIC Learning and Innovation Center, connecting the ULB campus to the VUB campus and hosting our shared library.
- The Bruface Brussels Faculty of Engineering, offering 5 common joint degree masters: in Architectural Engineering, in Electromechanical Engineering, in Chemical and Materials Engineering, in Civil Engineering and in Electrical Engineering.
- The MUS interdisciplinary Master in Urban Studies.
- Celebrating together the Saint-Vé and the Brussels Pride.
- The creation of the FARI institute, promoting AI for the common good in Brussels.
Joined research initiatives like USET, BrIAS, Fablab, BRIGHTcore, OpenLab.
ANDRÉE GEULEN
Andrée Geulen (1921–2022) was a Belgian schoolteacher living in Ixelles and a courageous member of the resistance during World War II, known for her efforts to save Jewish children from Nazi persecution. She began teaching in 1942 and was outraged by the treatment of her Jewish pupils. In 1943, she joined the Comité de Défense des Juifs (CDJ), becoming one of its few non-Jewish members. She coordinated the rescue of over 300 Jewish children, hiding them in monasteries, orphanages and foster families across Belgium. She meticulously kept coded records to help reunite the children with surviving family members after the war.
Her impact was amplified by her ability to collaborate across multiple clandestine networks, including teachers, religious communities, and resistance cells; which allowed her to extend her reach and save even more children. She was named as honorary citizen of Ixelles in 2022.
Andrée Geulen’s courageous resistance during the Nazi occupation reflects freedom of thought, human dignity and resistance to oppression. These values are deeply aligned with the VUB and ULB principles of critical thinking, social responsibility and the moral duty to stand up against injustice. But most of all she demonstrated that if we accept our differences and unite, we can have a far greater impact.
TEAM
Our Andrée Geulen asbl-vzw team consists of our Director Gaëlle Raskin, and our Project Coordinators Sophie Boucher, Laura Vannerom and Els Decoster. Dirk Jacobs (ULB) is the President of the asbl-vzw, and he is seconded by Wim Vandenbussche (VUB) as vice-president.
