The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is located on two parkland campuses, right in the middle of the city of Brussels. There simply is no better place to locate a university.
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is an internationally orientated university that, through high standard research and made to measure education, actively wants to participate in creating a better society. There simply is no better place to realize these ambitions than in the middle of the city.
The city is where things happen, where things first happen. Contemporary challenges of mobility, sustainability, diversity, radicalisation, governance, creativity, health and wellbeing are more present in an urban context. For a scientist and for an educator, a city is laboratory. For artists a source of inspiration, for entrepreneurs a testbed.
The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is privileged to be located in city of Brussels. But like every city, Brussels has its problems. We as an urban university are privileged to be able to participate in tackling these problems. There is so much we can learn from the city and there is so much that we can do for and with the city.
It is for all these reasons that as rector of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel I fully endorse the aims and the program of the International Day of the Educating City.
Prof. Dr. Caroline Pauwels
Rector Vrije Universiteit Brussel