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 Magalhaes 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 (  ).

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

International possibilities (for UCL students)

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.
The natural place for exchanges is the second year.  They typically last for a semester, either a semester of courses, or a semester of research related to the final thesis in a foreign laboratory.

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.

Their training involves up to 50% (excluding the final thesis) of courses in English, which also provides an excellent opportunity to prepare a stay abroad.

Besides the exchange programmes, the industrial training can be carried out in a foreign research laboratory or company.  

International appeal (for non residents) :

A student may take up to 50% (excluding the final thesis) of Master’s courses in English. In practice, first-semester courses of both years are mainly in English. Those of the second semester are mainly in French. This "bilingual" organization will allow, first-semester courses in English, while learning French so as to attend second-semester courses in that language.