The University of Leuven is a dynamic organization. Most importantly, it is a group composed of students, professors and staff. Every member of this group can devote himself to the development and absorption of knowledge in his own field in an exciting environment. The responsibilities of the leadership center of Leuven University include leading the implementation of policies and the choice of decisions. In the first year in office, the current leadership not only consolidated the achievements of its predecessor, but also focused on formulating new initiatives and implementing its key policies in many different aspects. Many of these items are described in detail in this booklet.
On the level of humanity, Leuven University hopes to be a university that will satisfy every member and inspire them to work. As far as organization is concerned, we will continue to develop the team organization structure, so that colleges, research units, departments and departments have their new positioning and responsibilities. We will continue to strive to improve the quality of services provided by various departments for each member of this group. In scientific research and teaching, we pay attention to the choice of major decisions and the refinement of models and working principles, making Leuven University a leading academic institution. The above points are combined into a dynamic foundation, which is to strengthen the implementation of its mission by Leuven University.
These brochures in front of us are actually not complete. The university itself is a complex and ever-changing group, and it is impossible to introduce it in detail in a booklet. What we can show is some representative facts and data. I hope the articles in this booklet can inspire you to experience and understand the University of Leuven, and discover and understand the people, thoughts and initiatives of the University of Leuven and its affiliated hospitals.
All the operations of the University of Leuven are based on' people'. Without the' brain', the University of Leuven cannot exist. Therefore, caring for employees is the core, which can be seen from the development of transparent personnel management, especially the work growth of employees. To this end, we have implemented relevant measures for faculty, administrators and technicians.
In the personnel management system, it is the direction of our efforts to give every employee a clear title orientation and formulate a clear promotion system. When weighing the appointment and promotion of full-time teaching staff (ZAP company), both teaching and scientific research positions are the focus of assessment. For academic assistants (Australia) and appointed, visiting and lectured professors and academic researchers (meals), we continue to strive to develop an environment that encourages academics and research. Doctoral education is gradually developing towards diversification of abilities, and its scope is not limited to research and teaching. In terms of administrative and technical personnel, according to their needs, the new rules of employee group insurance have been implemented and the work structure has been refined. An elaborate administrative organization and detailed division of powers and responsibilities enable employees to have a clear understanding of each work authority and a correct understanding of its content, obligations to be performed and their remuneration.
Diversity and equality of opportunity are the key points we have repeatedly emphasized in various measures. Research and teaching are human nature's work, and progress and growth can only be achieved in a good environment, and in this positive environment, we can also take care of work and personal family life at the same time. From all levels, diversity has its added value, and it is also one of the foundations of creation and renewal. Based on this, we are particularly careful to reduce the administrative burden of anti-production efficiency. At the same time, in order to ensure a relaxed and comfortable working atmosphere, the related conditions in the hardware environment are also our concern.
The University of Leuven has 16.297 employees (8. 107 should be employed in the university, and 8. 190 should be employed in the university affiliated hospital), making it one of the largest local employers. In 2005, the University of Leuven had 65,438+0.399 teachers, 2.748 administrators and technicians, and 3.960 assistants and researchers.
The University of Leuven owes its existence to its students. If there are no students, then it will lose its reason for existence. It is also one of its missions to train students to become critical and mature citizens. Therefore, there is another meaning for students to attend university leaders' meetings.
By February 2006 1, there were 3 1.447 registered students in Leuven University, including 5.009 freshmen, who came to all departments of Leuven University for the first year of registration. About 55% of the freshmen are women. Faculty of Arts, Medical College, Law School and Business School are the most populous colleges.
Of all the registered students, 88% are Belgian, 6% are EU citizens and 6% are from countries outside the EU. These foreign students mainly come from several countries in the following list.
The University of Leuven is allied with 65,438+02 universities, which are distributed throughout the Flemish region. The University Union of Leuven has a total of 700,000 students, ranking first in the Flemish teaching system.
Student welfare facilities pay attention to the quality of students' learning and living environment. The learning guidance center provides advice to students seeking help at any stage of their studies. In the practical work of diet, housing, psychological counseling and health care, social and legal support, we have established cooperative relations with other universities in the Leuven University Alliance. We also continue to pay special attention to dormitory services and assistance to the disabled, such as people with physical or sensory disabilities, people with chronic diseases and people with learning difficulties. The guidance room for students' work-study programs has arranged work-study programs after school for nearly 1000 students, and the accumulated annual remuneration has reached almost 2 million euros.
Student welfare facilities contributed to the open enrollment of Leuven University. Good social welfare facilities, whether material or spiritual, are one of its indispensable factors. Making it easy for students with financial difficulties to enter Leuven University does not mean that the teaching level and quality will be affected.
The University of Leuven, together with the city government of Leuven, provides students with a rich choice of sports and cultural activities. Students' sports and cultural activities are inseparable from their intellectual cultivation and should be integrated. For the same reason, the cultivation of ideas, rituals and beliefs in university parishes has also been incorporated into our entire education system. From another point of view, the university parish has thus brought a more specific image of Christian belief characteristics to Leuven University.
teaching
Academic activities are the essence of Leuven University. Knowledge comes from thinking and research, and it needs to be passed on to a new generation of knowledge researchers. Therefore, teaching is the core of Leuven University and the reason for its existence. It is hard to imagine the University of Leuven without students and teaching. Teaching is the difference between Leuven University and research institutions.
At the University of Leuven, research and teaching are closely linked. Scientific research is the source of academic teaching content, and teaching is the touchstone of research results. The purpose of teaching is also to cultivate students' ability to organize knowledge. With solid knowledge in their own fields and extensive knowledge in other fields, students cultivate a scientific research attitude: mastering the methods of obtaining scientific research results, exploring empirical and data thinking skills, judging and scientific attitude. In addition, students also extend university education to aesthetics, culture and social education in a broad sense. Therefore, students have the ability to independently establish relevant and in-depth views, correctly handle and bravely assume social responsibilities.
The introduction of bachelor's degree system and the completion of master's degree system provide a good opportunity for thorough teaching reform. Every teaching department has a brand-new look, and the courses have been improved according to new viewpoints and needs. The flexibility of teaching enables students to adjust their academic plans according to their personal expectations and needs. This development trend is also a great challenge to the teaching management department.
Toledo is the electronic learning interface and virtual learning environment of Leuven University and its allied universities, which allows teachers and students to enhance the teaching and learning process through interactive dialogue.
The University of Leuven regards high quality as the goal of its practical teaching. The internal evaluation system and the inspectors from outside the school not only present the existing quality of the university, but also serve as the basis for the follow-up quality tracking and improvement. The University of Leuven is committed to building a university with the highest quality in Europe and Flanders.
Quality assurance and development is a dynamic process, in which new initiatives need space. Positioning and fund planning enable us to work towards this goal. Its full name is "Teaching Development and Practice Plan", which was established in 1997. Its purpose is to give innovative teachers the opportunity to develop new working modes. The Teaching Development Fund (money) has inspired the teaching reform at the alliance level. Groups of working groups are connected with positive enthusiasm and lead countless new ideas to substantive results. The completion of the transformation planning of the departments within the Leuven University Alliance has enabled the research plans provided by the universities within the Alliance and the University of Leuven to be successfully transformed.
The quality of teaching basically depends on the quality of people, that is, the students and teachers in the school. Therefore, giving students the opportunity to participate in their own education construction and giving high praise to teachers' efforts in teaching are the basic goals of the leadership center and administrative departments of Leuven University. Their role is to provide needed service support, prepare funds and create conditions so that the daily teaching process can be carried out smoothly and deeply. Joining Kotrec campus is of great significance to the whole education system of Leuven University. Its independent policy and special attraction make Kotrek an ideal starting point for higher education. Although the university is small, it does not hinder its compatibility with big universities, and its regional characteristics can also cooperate with international opening. The close relationship between Leuven University and Kotrec University not only enables the two sides to effectively exchange people and ideas, but also ensures a good relationship between them in the future.
Scientific and technological research
Scientific and technological research is the lifeline of universities, the source of teaching content and the basis of administrative service support. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to invest in international high-tech research.
In the past few years, universities have been pleased with the substantial increase in funds. Taking the University of Leuven as an example, 65,438+0,996 spent/kloc-0.23 billion euros on academic research. In 2005, it almost doubled to 230 million euros. Its growth is mainly reflected in three aspects: special research fund (converter), research and development center of Leuven University and academic research fund (FWO). Several research plans put forward by the federal government of Fremont will continue this growth. These plans are: Odysseus plans to attract internationally renowned or potential research experts from abroad, methodology plans to continue to fund outstanding research talents, and Hercules plans to fund the purchase of precision scientific instruments.
At the same time, the University of Leuven itself has completed a very important coordinated action, that is, the distribution of internal funds. 1996, the research funds of medical college, science college, engineering college and bioengineering college accounted for 80% of the total expenditure, while in 2005 it only accounted for 65%. In the same period, the research funds allocated to the research groups of humanities departments and colleges increased by as much as 100% to 300%. The number of doctoral programs has also increased greatly in recent years, and it is still increasing (reaching 427 in 2005, including 1 17 foreign doctoral students). In the past few years, after thinking and research, a competency model standard has been drawn up for doctoral students, that is, doctoral students not only gain knowledge and ability from the research process, but also have all kinds of abilities needed in their work and life after leaving school.
achievements in scientific research
In 2005, the publication of scientific research achievements continued to increase substantially. Nearly 40% of Fremont's scientific academic works are published by Leuven University, and in the field of bibliometrics with citations, it also includes nearly half of scientific citations. Obviously, the performance of the University of Leuven has far exceeded the expectations of the outside world if evaluated by the proportion of research funds given by the Flemish government.
From the quality point of view, the publishing volume of the journal of Leuven University is also in the trend of continuous growth, and it is evaluated by influencing factors. These journals rank in the top 10% in their respective fields. In many fields where publishing research results into books is becoming more and more important, the contribution of Leuven University has also increased significantly. Using extra funds to set up elite funding can give world-class research teams more room for development because of this funding, and at the same time, it will not sacrifice other research teams. The improvement of academic works not only shows the rational use of research funds, but also is an important indicator of the image of Leuven University.
Some research projects or special projects of the University of Leuven enjoy considerable popularity, such as Sagalassos of the University of Leuven, cryptography, nanotechnology, stem cell research, genetic research and so on.
In addition, among the representative scientific research projects of the University of Leuven, there are several important studies that can not be ignored, such as the "ecclésiastique" study of the University of Leuven, our role in the research of thrombosis, Rega, and the research on virology in the research center. Of course, we only gave a few examples, and at the same time it was only a brief explanation, which was not complete.
Another important mission of teaching researchers in Leuven University is academic teaching in colleges and universities. Teaching researchers in Leuven contribute to the teaching reform of colleges and universities through the integration or alliance of departments, so that the teaching of colleges and universities is also based on a medium-and long-term research. [Page]
Academic research and society
Scientific research achievements should not only have academic value, but also be evaluated in other aspects besides academic value. If the practical value is evaluated by the transformation of scientific research achievements in economic and social life, Leuven University has also made quite outstanding achievements in this respect, especially the achievements of R&D Center of Leuven University. A large part of its achievements are independently led by the R&D center. The R&D Center of Leuven University has achieved the following results: 60 branches have been established and consulted to manage brilliant patent cases, and at the same time, it is also responsible for the smooth contact between academia and business circles.
The University of Leuven attaches great importance to scientific research that is creative and focused on specific economic goals. Starting from 2006, based on this concept, the Industrial Research Fund (France) was established to promote the interconnection and coexistence of scientific research and economy.
It may be difficult to judge the contribution of researchers in Leuven University to social discussions with a single data, but the leadership center of the university still encourages teachers and researchers to actually participate in these discussions and affirms their participation.
challenge
Like other universities in the Flemish region, the University of Leuven faces several formidable challenges, because there are few daily expenses and subsidies for the daily teaching staff and their infrastructure. Although it is good news that the funding for scientific research has increased substantially, on the other hand, in addition to the guidance of scientific research plans and the training of scientific researchers, the demand for space and equipment has also increased dramatically. Without the strong participation of the government, this urgent problem cannot be solved immediately. Therefore, we have great expectations for the new research funding scheme recently adopted by the Flemish government, and hope that the new scheme can improve the current situation.
Not only in the fields of precision science and biomedicine, but also in several fields of humanities, there are many leading scientific researches that need to invest a lot of money in infrastructure construction, and they also need to arrange places for these instruments, most of which are quite expensive and bulky. The Flemish government has also made great efforts in this regard and invested a lot of money. With the establishment of a flexible cooperative structure, Leuven University cooperates with other universities at home and abroad to enhance the vitality of scientific research and improve the actual efficiency of investment in infrastructure. As for the humanities, just like some fields of precision science and biomedicine, extra funds are needed to establish special literature and virtual professional stacks as research laboratories for researchers and students.
In addition, a non-scientific infrastructure initiative has been developed, which benefits not only the University of Leuven, but also the city of Leuven. Maintaining and repairing existing buildings is still a very important challenge. These buildings are usually of historical value, but they are not suitable for today's needs.
internationalism
Modern universities have an international perspective. The University of Leuven has demonstrated its importance to this point in many ways. It is an active member of the European Union of Research Universities (LERU, founded in 2002) and the only Belgian member. In addition, the University of Leuven is also an active member of coimbra group. Coimbra group is a cooperative relationship composed of several European universities with international standards and broad vision (established in 1985).
Many students from the University of Leuven participated in the student exchange program between Socrates and Erasmus, replacing part of their study career with further studies in European schools abroad.
Foreign researchers have been recruited, and the long-term foreign experience of domestic researchers has gradually become a necessary qualification. The flow of talents will be the core of our leadership policy.
Numerous cooperative relationships and active participation in competitive European teaching and research occasions emphasize the importance of our commitment to the internationalization of Leuven University.
The University of Leuven also actively participates in cooperation with universities in southern European countries, especially in poor countries. Many professors from different departments participate in this cooperation in their personal capacity. In particular, it is a research activity widely carried out in southern Europe by various research groups from the School of Psychology and Education, the School of Bioengineering, the School of Medicine and the School of Pharmacy. In this way, Leuven University has promoted the establishment of active dialogue and cooperation between North and South Europe.
The cooperation between Leuven University and its sister university-New Leuven University (Catholic University of Leuven, University College London) has been strengthened day by day, which has strengthened the international image of both sides in scientific research and teaching.
University affiliated hospital
For many people in fremont, going to Leuven is the same as going to a university in Leuven or going to the best hospital in China. Persistence in modern management, high-level medical talents and dedicated medical staff make the Affiliated Hospital of Leuven University the highest medical center in Europe.
Although it is large in scale, the environment is warm and human.
The affiliated hospital of Leuven University has many functions. They are not only regional hospitals in Leuven and surrounding areas, but also the third clinical and major disease hospitals. In addition, it plays an important role in training future doctors and experts, and it is also an important discussion center for academic and medical research. Different from other hospitals, the Affiliated Hospital of Leuven University has many different functions, but so far, it has only received limited financial support from the government.
It is necessary to cooperate well with other hospitals on the medical work network, but this can only solve part of the problem.
University of Leuven and its region
For Leuven City and Greater Leuven District, Leuven University is an important partner and big employer. In particular, a large number of resident students brought extra income to Leuven's business. The rapid growth of Leuven Technology Company has also significantly enhanced the value of Leuven and created tens of thousands of job opportunities.
The University of Leuven and its whole community have brought a very special atmosphere and a strong international image to Leuven. The constructive cooperation between the university and Leuven is in the interests of both sides and promotes their development.
Kotrekke Campus also participates in some initiatives of its municipal government and provincial government as much as possible. Pay special attention to the development of the European Eurodistrict of Rijsel and Kotrekke/Doornik.