Higher Education Systems - Belgium

In Belgium, the higher education system is not unified across the independent communities (Flemish, French and German-speaking communities) that have their own competencies, including their own legislation on education. Each community thus has its own Ministry of Education, even though some educational matters remain the responsibility of the federal government. Below we describe the higher education system in the two main communities Flanders (Flemish) and Wallonia (French).

Higher education in both the Flemish and French communities is organized according to the Bologna agreement in three main cycles:

• Bachelor’s program (1st cycle, typically three years)
• Master’s program (2nd cycle, typically two years)
• PhD program (3rd cycle, minimum three years).

Bachelor’s and Master’s programs are offered by Universities (Universiteit in the Flemish community, Université in the French community) and University Colleges (Hogescholen in the Flemish community, Hautes Écoles in the French community). Universities focus on research and teaching and offer also post-graduate programs including PhD, which are not offered by University Colleges. University Colleges focus more on professional training and offer professional Bachelor’s (in a few cases academic Bachelor also) and Master’s programs. In addition, specialized architecture and arts schools (Écoles Supérieures des Arts) also exist. Universities and University Colleges cooperate intensively forming the so called "Associatie" in the Flemish area and "Pôles Académiques" in the French area. These associations are formed by one university and at least one university college. Most Bachelor’s programs are offered in the language of the region, although a few internationally oriented programs are offered (fully or partially) in English. Master’s programs are offered in Dutch, French or English.

Bachelor’s programs can have a professional or an academic orientation. Both require a study program of at least 180 ECTS credits and take minimum three academic years to be completed. The difference lies in the general goal of the degrees: professional Bachelor’s (e.g. office management, education, commerce, agriculture, health and rehabilitation, social work, applied Informatics, applied arts or the media) are more practice-oriented and focus on the competences necessary for certain professions, whereas academic Bachelors are aimed at providing the learner with theoretic knowledge for further studies at a Master’s level. Academic Bachelor’s programs are offered mainly by Universities and a few University Colleges while professional Bachelor’s programs are offered exclusively by University Colleges. Some University Colleges also offer profession-oriented specialisation programs for holders of a Professional Bachelor’s Degree. These advanced Bachelor’s programs comply at least 60 ECTS credits.

Master’s programs are characterized by the integration of education and research and a Master's dissertation. They mostly consist of 120 ECTS credits, sometimes 60, depending on the field of study, and therefore typically take two (sometimes one) academic years to complete. These programs aim to bring the student to an advanced level of knowledge and competences in a specific field of study. There are also a few profession-oriented Master’s programs offered in University Colleges that do not focus on research.

Post-initial degrees exist at Bachelor’s and Master’s level. Advanced Bachelor’s programs are professional post-initial courses for specialisation. Prerequisite is a Bachelor’s degree. Advanced Master’s programs are academic further studies in which students can enrol after obtaining a Master’s degree. They aim to deepen the knowledge and/or competences in the specific field of study. Both advanced programs require at least 60 ECTS credits and mostly take one academic year to complete.

PhD programs (also called "doctoral programs") lead to the degree of doctor, after successful completion of independent scientific research and defence of a doctoral thesis. Enrolment at doctoral programs degrees is based on several conditions, among which holding a Master’s degree. The degree of doctor is only awarded by Universities.

For Bachelor’s programs (both professional and academic) the general admission requirement is a secondary school-leaving certificate, the "diploma van secundair onderwijs" in the Flemish region or the "certificat d'enseignement secondaire supérieur" in the French region. Compatible certificates from foreign countries, when officially recognized on the basis of a community decree, a Belgian law, a European directive or an international convention, also grant access to Bachelor’s programs. Admission may also be granted to foreign students, after individual assessment of their secondary education diploma.

Academic Bachelor’s degrees give direct access to Master’s programs. Some Master’s degrees will give access to advanced Master’s programs (at least another 60 ECTS credits), in some cases after a preliminary examination. In the Flemish region, professional Bachelor’s degrees may give access to some Master’s programs after a bridging program. The program and study workload will be determined by the institution board, with due consideration for individual skills, working experience, qualifications and competences of the student after an evaluation interview. Foreign higher education degrees give access to Master’s programs (including advanced Master’s programs) if the higher education institution boards consider the foreign higher education degree equivalent to the Flemish / French community degree.

Doctoral programs are open to graduates with a relevant Master’s degree, in some cases after a preliminary examination (depending on the study field). Foreign higher education degrees give access to doctoral programs if the university board considers the foreign higher education degree equivalent to a Flemish / French community Master’s degree. The admission may still depend on a preliminary examination.

With the exception of a few small colleges, all universities and university colleges in Belgium are publicly funded. In Flanders, colleges receive subsidies based on their teaching activities (including the number of students) and universities receive subsidies based on their teaching activities and research output. In the French-speaking community, funding is based on the number of students but the total budget allocated to universities and colleges is fixed, irrespective of the number of students.