Internationalisation

Global framework

The Faculty of Applied Sciences has taken part, since their inception, in all the various mobility programmes which have been set up at both the European and world levels.

The numerous contacts it has with professional circles, notably via its Advisory Board, have demonstrated  to what extent employers are favourably impressed by a mobility experience in someone’s CV. The ever-increasing internationalization of research via networks linking laboratories throughout the world, speaks in favour of encouraging this mobility.

Students’ interest is aroused at the end of their Bachelor studies, notably via intensive courses such as those of the ATHENS (  ) or BEST (  ) networks.

In the course of the two-year Master’s programme, students are encouraged to take part in a 1- or 2-semester exchange scheme

Within Belgium, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is involved in a privileged partnership with the Faculteit Ingenieurswetenschappen of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, with whom it has set up an exchange scheme relating to the first year of the Master’s curriculum (   ).

At the European level, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is strongly involved in the CLUSTER excellence network (  ). This network encourages internal mobility, since this is a guarantee of quality as concerns both the level of teaching and the hosting of exchange students. Moreover, Cluster partners have signed an agreement recognizing each other’s Bachelor’s curricula. This agreement stipulates that all Bachelors of network institutions will have access to the Master’s studies in any institution on a par with local students.

Outside Europe, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is a partner in the Magalha#s network, which groups about fifteen European universities together with the best South American science and technology universities (   ).

Besides these network partnerships, the Faculty has also signed a number of individual agreements with various universities in Europe, North America or elsewhere in the world. A list of these agreements may be found on the website of UCL International Relations (  ).

International possibilities (for UCL students)

UCL is also a partner in the TIME programme (  ) which gives students the opportunity to obtain two engineeering degrees, via a specifically tailored curriculum.

Double engineering degree : students may replace the second year of their Master’s by two years of study in a different institution within the TIME programme and conventions with the Ecole nationale supérieure du pétrole et des moteurs (ENSPM). Upon completion of their curriculum, students are automatically awarded the UCL degree following that of the host institution.

Under certain conditions, students may take part in the selection process for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Chicago and Cornell universities (for further information, refer to website http://www.uclouvain.be/10490.html)

Besides intensive courses which are one component of international relations, FAS students with outstanding results are encouraged to apply for 5- or 10-month exchange programmes.
When taking place during the first Master’s year, exchanges are generally 10 months long. In the second year, they only last for a semester, either as courses or else research in a foreign laboratory as a complement to the final thesis.

Some other more specific exchange programmes have been set up with South America, where the academic year is naturally on an “austral” basis.

Students are informed about the various exchange programmes as from their second Bachelor’s year. They are encouraged to prepare for their exchange in a timely manner, notably by taking language courses at the Modern Languages Institute of UCL.