Vesalius College

Vesalius College was founded in 1987 by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Boston University to offer undergraduate education in English. As an American-style college, Vesalius takes a humanistic approach to intellectual inquiry, encouraging students to not only learn skills and knowledge important to their chosen careers, but to think critically and develop themselves personally and as citizens of an increasingly multicultural and globalised world.

Situated in Brussels and home to a thriving international community, Vesalius College offers students a truly unique educational experience. The College’s teaching methods are characterised by small, interactive classes, flexibility in course selection and continuous assessment. As a small college with a student body of approximately 300 and a low student-to-professor ratio, the faculty is accessible and able to take a personal interest in the success of students to help them achieve their potential. Close working relationships form the cornerstone of the Vesalius educational philosophy.

Students and parents often ask us about the origins of the name of the College. Born in Brussels, Andreas Vesalius was one of the premier freethinkers of the Renaissance. Known as the ‘father of modern anatomy’, he questioned centuries-old beliefs about how the human body functioned and revolutionised scientific study. Publicly challenging established theories, Vesalius embodied our college’s principle of liberal inquiry, unfettered by prejudice deriving from religion, race, gender or political ideology.