Address: Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 25, 9000 Gent, East Flanders, Belgium
Life Sciences, Engineering, Biotechnology
Ghent University, founded in 1817, is one of the major Belgian universities. It’s a publicly owned, pluralistic university with a strong international focus and comprehensive programs including robust engineering and science faculties.
Ghent University counts about 49,000 students and 15,000 staff, a headcount that includes the university hospital. It is publicly owned and pluralistic, meaning it follows no religious or political line, and roughly one student in ten comes from abroad. The slogan Durf denken, dare to think, has stayed with the university for years and describes its tone fairly well: open, a little irreverent and focused on research.
Science and engineering work from the Sterre campus south of the centre, while the Zwijnaarde technology park and the Ardoyen campus host biotechnology and materials institutes next to company laboratories. The Faculty of Engineering and Architecture is one of the largest in Flanders. Leo Baekeland, who invented Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, took his doctorate here, and the physiologist Corneille Heymans, awarded the Nobel Prize in 1938, worked in Ghent.
Research is strongest in biotechnology, materials science, veterinary sciences, aquaculture, information technology and environmental technology. Ties with the VIB life sciences institute and with imec bring joint laboratories, and membership of The Guild, EUTOPIA and CESAER opens doors for doctoral exchange and joint projects across Europe.
Most bachelor programmes are taught in Dutch, and a growing list of master’s programmes is offered in English. Tuition for EU students follows the regulated Flemish tariff, which is low by European standards, and students on a grant pay less. Students from outside the EU pay higher fees and must plan visa and housing early, since rooms in the historic centre fill up well before term.
Ghent is a medieval city with a large student population, flat streets built for cycling and a busy cultural calendar. Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp are all within an hour by train. About 250,000 people have graduated from the university, and its alumni are especially visible in the chemical, biotechnology and logistics industries around the port.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, Agriculture, AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Food Science, Geotechnics, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Marine Science, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Physics, Process Control, Robotics, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
The Guild, EUTOPIA, CESAER. Extensive global network for research and education.
Research:
Biotechnology, Materials Science, Veterinary Sciences, Aquaculture, ICT, Environmental technology. Broad array of research fields.
Famous Alumnis:
Leo Baekeland, Corneille Heymans, Joseph Plateau, Peter Piot
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
15000
Current students***:
49000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
250000
Pros
Top 100 university globally, broad range of disciplines, significant research output, vibrant student city of Ghent.
Cons
Large university, can be bureaucratic, finding housing in Ghent is challenging.
Best For
Broad scientific research and Dutch-language technical and life sciences programs.
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven offers a comparable education in aerospace, food science and bioinformatics: it covers optics and project management as well, and is slightly larger, at about 62,000 students against roughly 49,000 here.
Université catholique de Louvain offers a comparable education in food science, bioinformatics and geotechnics: it is slightly smaller, at about 37,000 students against roughly 49,000 here, and is private, whereas this institution is public.
Université de Liège overlaps with this university on aerospace, food science and bioinformatics, so the two are easy to compare, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Also strong in bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and microbiology and genetics, Universiteit Antwerpen makes a sensible second look at home; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Vrije Universiteit Brussel overlaps with this university on bioinformatics, nanotechnologies and fluid dynamics, so the two are easy to compare, and it is smaller, enrolling about 20,000 students against roughly 49,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Université de Strasbourg in France shares the food science, bioinformatics and geotechnics orientation of this university, and it is slightly larger, at about 57,000 students against roughly 49,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Zhejiang University, in China, takes a similar route through marine science, aerospace and agriculture; it covers astroscience and transportations as well, and is slightly larger, at about 60,000 students against roughly 49,000 here.
Seen from abroad, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (Italy) is a close relative on subject matter, since marine science, aerospace and agriculture are central to both, and it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
On content, Università di Pisa in Italy and this university are close, as both teach marine science, aerospace and food science; it has almost the same size, at about 50,000 students, and is also a public institution.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on aerospace, food science and bioinformatics is Technische Universität München in Germany, and it has almost the same size, at about 48,000 students, and is also a public institution.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Ghent University?
It is in Ghent, East Flanders, with its central address at Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 25.
How large is the university?
About 49,000 students and 15,000 staff, including the university hospital workforce.
Is Ghent University public?
Yes. It is publicly owned and pluralistic, with no religious or political affiliation.
What language is used for teaching?
Most bachelor programmes are taught in Dutch. A growing number of master's programmes are offered in English.
How much are the fees?
EU students pay the regulated Flemish tariff, which is low by European standards. Students from outside the EU pay higher fees, so check the current amounts.
What is Ghent University known for?
Life sciences, biotechnology, engineering, veterinary sciences, materials science and aquaculture are among its recognised strengths.
Where do engineering students study?
The Faculty of Engineering and Architecture works from the Sterre campus south of the centre and the Zwijnaarde technology park.
Which international networks does it belong to?
It is a member of The Guild, EUTOPIA and CESAER, which support exchange and joint research.
Who are some notable alumni?
Leo Baekeland, inventor of Bakelite, Corneille Heymans, Nobel laureate in physiology or medicine, and the epidemiologist Peter Piot are linked to Ghent.
Is Ghent a good student city?
It is compact, cycling-friendly and lively, with a large student population and good rail links to Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp.
Aquaculture, Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Materials, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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