Activities

As a Faculty, we organise high-quality education and research in an international environment around disciplines as diverse as communication sciences, political science, economics and business administration. We are guided in this by a well-considered policy plan and strategy. In order to achieve our set goals, we divide responsibilities and authorities over various entities. Discover our mission and vision, and what our organisational structure exactly looks like.

Mission and vision

Heart of Europe

Our Faculty makes the most of its location in Brussels, in the heart of Europe. This means that we:

  • are strongly internationally oriented in education and research
  • offer tailor-made, individual and flexible education, with an eye for diversity in all aspects
  •  focus on quality research that is socially relevant, solution-oriented, visible, and interdisciplinary
  • create an environment for students and staff where everyone can develop to their full potential
 
Strengthening our position as a research and teaching institution

As an Urban Engaged University, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School is committed to many areas, such as:

  • the selective growth of programmes where market share can increase
  • the creation of new programmes where and when opportunities arise or partnerships are possible
  • the reorientation of existing programmes to better fit the mission and existing research strengths
  • the continued increase in research output in terms of publications, doctorates, and projects.
 
Diversity and equality

The Faculty is convinced that diversity and equality make an important contribution to excellence. Therefore, we subscribe to VUB's vision of the importance of equality. The Faculty develops, implements, and monitors policies and actions to increase equality and diversity among its staff, for example, through the Gender Equality Observatory.

At the educational level, the Faculty pays attention to diversity through the pilot project 'Yes We Scan' to highlight topics and voices that are currently lacking in the curricula and to make the teaching practice more diverse. 

Internationalisation 

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School has a strong international orientation. The Faculty also offers almost every course in English. We attract students from around the world: today, over 120 different nationalities are represented at our Faculty! Besides the English-language master’s, the faculty also organises two of the three English-taught bachelor's programmes in the university: the Bachelor in Business Economics and the Bachelor in Social Sciences.

Interested in going abroad yourself? Our students reap the benefits of over 90 Erasmus agreements in 24 different countries. Moreover, our faculty members are active in numerous international research projects and we are one of the first European universities to contribute to the success of EUTOPIA.

The world needs you

Our Faculty actively contributes to a better society. We research society and at the same time pass our knowledge on to future generations through education so that they can participate in and seek solutions to the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Organisational structure

Get to know the various entities and departments of VUB that are competent for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School.

Faculty Board

The Faculty Board is the management body within the faculty responsible for the general direction taken by the faculty. Led by the dean, who is supported by a management team, the Faculty Board is also responsible for implementing overall university policy in individual educational programmes and for managing the quality control thereof. Students and academic personnel are also represented on the Faculty Board.

Faculty Council

The Faculty Council is the highest governing body within the faculty, and is responsible for determining faculty policy on matters relating to education, research and services. The Faculty Council convenes at least four times per year, and consists of professors, assistants, administrative and technical personnel and students. The council provides advice to the university’s governing body on matters such as educational regulations and programmes and is charged with taking decisions with regard to the employment of lecturers, the composition of the examination board, etc.  

Faculty Office

The Faculty Office is responsible for the day-to-day management of the faculty and consists of at least the dean, vice-dean and the academic secretary.

Training Councils

The Faculty has 7 Training Councils: 5 for Social Sciences and 2 for Solvay Business School. The Training Council, which takes place at least twice a year, is where the educational recommendations for the Faculty take shape. Students and work-field representatives also have an important voice here.

Dean's office

You can consult with the dean’s office regarding administrative matters, exemptions, examination regulations, problems related to your choice of study subjects, etc. 

Departments and Research Groups

The Faculty consists of several departments, each responsible for the educational and research activities within their specialisation. The departments consist of academic staff (professors, assistants, and researchers), a departmental council that determines their performance and departmental chairmen who assume coordination. A department has several research groups, which are sometimes interdisciplinary and cross-departmental or cross-faculty.

An overview of our departments and research groups

Faculty associations

Our Faculty has 7 student associations and various alumni associations.

Our student associations

Our alumni associations

 

A question for one of our faculty representatives? Contact us. 

In addition, anyone who has graduated from VUB can always join the Former Students' Association (Oudstudentenbond).