Vision and ambition
weKONEKT.brussels is a joint project of the VUB and ULB launched in 2017. Both universities take responsibility for the city and the community and contribute to the development of a free, connected, resilient and urban community.
Strategy
weKONEKT.brussels aims to further develop and make the connection between the city of Brussels and the university more visible in two ways:
- The connection with the city and its inhabitants: students are massively invited to leave the campus, for instance, several classes are moved to other locations in the city. This increases the visibility of the two universities in Brussels. In this way, we also encourage students to discover Brussels and all its riches.
- The link with the cultural sector, entrepreneurs, politics, government institutions: the aim is to develop sustainable partnerships in order to connect students and actors.
weKONEKT.week
Every year, in the week before the spring break, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and Erasmus University College (EhB) communities go off-campus and venture out into the city. These weeks are designed to connect students with the richness, complexity and beauty of Brussels, and are an important part of their remits as research-driven educational institutions, in which art and social engagement are of great importance. weKONEKT.brussels organises, facilitates and supports these initiatives that strengthen bonds between higher education and the region.
Various partners in Brussels co-create the week, in collaboration with academic staff and students from the universities’ various departments. Activities are developed in collaboration with partners in Brussels, and take various forms: guest lectures, workshops, excursions, guided tours, weKONEKT. round tables and so on. Special attention is given to student-led initiatives, and student engagement lies at the heart of this collective enterprise.