K.U.Leuven Science and Engineering Reform Guido Langouche Marrakech, 12 February 2008 Tempus Reform Project

K.U.Leuven history 1425 foundation 1797 abolition by French authorities 1835 foundation of present catholic university 1911 start of courses in Dutch 1970 splitting into 2 sister-universities Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Université Catholique de Louvain

Students and Staff Students: 32,500 Staff: 17, % female50 % in university hospital 4,000 international students 1,400 professors (1,000 fte) [data February 2007]

Budget and Governance Annual Budget (non-hospital) Education (ministry) 250 M€ (university pays all salaries, is owner of buildings) Research (competitive) 350 M€ (fraction of income from industry: 100 M€) Governance “free university” but same funding rules as state universities Academic Council decides on - appointments, promotions, evaluations - study programmes [within legally approved fields] - internal budget flow (until 2004) (central university  faculty  department)

Study Programmes Programmes: 49 bachelor programmes (3 yrs) including 2 in English 123 master programmes (1 or 2 yrs) including 32 in English, 1 French 66 specialized programmes (‘master after master’) including 43 in English, 1 Spanish Diplomas / year: 4,000 master degrees 1,500 postgraduate degrees 450 doctoral degrees

Faculties 13 faculties % of students Medicine 16 % Law13 % Arts 12 % Engineering 12 % Economics 12 % Psych. & Educ. Sc.11 % Science 8 % …… 3 “groups” Arts & humanities50 % Science & Engineering25 % Bio-medical sciences25 %

Science and Engineering Group Faculty of Sciences 2,400 students 5 departments Faculty of Engineering 3,800 students 7 departments Faculty of Bio-engineering 1,400 students 3 departments

Reform needed in Science and Engineering “Walls between faculties too high” - overlapping research fields but lack of collaboration across faculty walls - lack of interdisciplinarity when opening new positions - lack of study programmes across faculty walls - students cannot switch between pure & applied sciences - no master thesis works allowed outside department - 3 faculty deans do not talk to each other at group level - budget stream contributes to lack of collaboration: central university  faculty  department

How to introduce reform ? How to bring down walls between faculties ? by giving extra power to faculty deans BUT ! extra power only if shared power

2004 reform: Group structure imposed after intensive discussions approved by academic council part of decisive power from “academic council” to “group” reform of study programmes open positions for professors internal structure (departments / institutes) budget flow: central university  group  department condition: joint decisions across group needed ! [small board: vice-rector + 3 deans + 3 representatives]

since 2004 being implemented: students can move more easily cross faculty lines: e.g. bachelor in physics  master in electrical engineering new joint study programmes: [open to bachelors from all 3 faculties] [choice between engineering track or pure science track] master of nanoscience and –technology master of bio-informatics master of environmental sciences master of artificial intelligence

since 2004 being implemented: new joint doctoral school “Leuven Arenberg Doctoral School in Science, Engineering and Technology” - common internet portal all research positions jointly advertised (from many different funding agencies) - common follow-up procedure for doctoral students

Group library new joint library 15 departmental libraries suspended in favour of 1 group library

Conclusion Implementing University reform by consent is not obvious Long preparations and negotiations needed (preceded by international case study report) Determined University Board needed (rector and vice-rectors have to speak with one voice) Offering something in return definitely helps to convince (‘extra power’)

K.U.Leuven 578 years old but “alive and kicking”