VUB Today | Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Critical thinking

“If you believe in freedom of expression, you have to be able to handle criticism”

Samuel Baker

“I hope to one day return to Rwanda, when press freedom is restored”

The Difference Day Honorary Title for Freedom of Expression 2025 is awarded to journalist Samuel Baker Byansi

Cecilia Anesi

“Investigative journalists aren’t popular in Italy”

Cecilia Anesi of the Investigative Reporting Project Italy (IRPI) is one of the 2025 Difference Day laureates

Marta Marco Aragón in lab

“This grant is recognition that my work is valuable”

Marta Marco Aragón, one of four VUB researchers awarded a grant by Kom op tegen Kanker

Jasje van schimmel

"I have worked hard to find a good balance between science and design"

VUB researchers at Milan Design Week with jacket and furniture made from mycelium

Not to be missed

2025 Difference Day

Difference Day 2025: celebration of press freedom and free speech

BOZAR - Centre for fine Arts

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Laurens De Backer en Jonas Görgen

VUB Students at the Future Proef Awards for Sustainable Theses: 3 Nominations, 1 Finalist

Caryl Phillips

Society and engagement

From Slum Landlord to Empathy: Shifting Perspectives in Migration Literature

Digitize Me campagnebeeld

"AI confirms what we already think – yet it’s disagreement and conflict that actually help us grow"

Karen Celis

Inclusion and diversity

Free to be equal

Nel de Mûelenaere

Critical thinking

Free to be dissident

Nausicaä Martens

Critical thinking

Free to do what you want with your own body

Active Hydrothermal System within the Chicxulub crater helped life recovery after the impact of the Dino-Killing Asteroid

Drakenbootrace 2024

Arts and culture

VUB students go head-to-head with the University of Antwerp in a rowing race

Koert Debeuf

Critical thinking

Free to step away from the march of folly

Imran Nawaz

Society and engagement

Free to love whomever you choose

Team VUBeest

Team VUBeest hacks its way to victory in the Cyber Security Challenge Belgium

2025 Difference Day

VUB and ULB Award Press Freedom Prize to Exiled Rwandan Investigative Journalist and Italian Anti-Mafia Platform

Featured

Difference Day 2025

Zelfportret Lectrr

Critical thinking

“If you believe in freedom of expression, you have to be able to handle criticism”

Cartoonist Lectrr takes part in the debate on “Where to draw the line” on Difference Day

Cecilia Anesi

“Investigative journalists aren’t popular in Italy”

Cecilia Anesi of the Investigative Reporting Project Italy (IRPI) is one of the 2025 Difference Day laureates

Karel Van den Broeck

Society and engagement

"It’s fashionable to portray journalists as spreaders of fake news"

Journalist Karl van den Broeck on the importance of Difference Day

Samuel Baker

“I hope to one day return to Rwanda, when press freedom is restored”

The Difference Day Honorary Title for Freedom of Expression 2025 is awarded to journalist Samuel Baker Byansi

Featured

Cancer research

Teelbalweefseltranslantatie

Science and research

World First: Testicular Tissue Transplant Aims to Restore Fertility in Man After Childhood Cancer Treatment

Immature Frozen Testicular Tissue Reimplanted After 16 Years

onderzoekers

VUB Research Team Presents Innovative Local Treatment for Osteolytic Bone Disease in Multiple Myeloma

Onderzoekers in labo met microscoop voor Wereld Kankerdags bij UZ (Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel)

Tailored Cancer Treatment

Damya Laoui

VUB researcher Damya Laoui on the future of cancer therapy

Press

Active Hydrothermal System within the Chicxulub crater helped life recovery after the impact of the Dino-Killing Asteroid

VUB and ULB Award Press Freedom Prize to Exiled Rwandan Investigative Journalist and Italian Anti-Mafia Platform

Better Symptom Screening in Multiple Sclerosis Thanks to New App by VUB and UZ Brussel Researchers

VUB Team Pioneers with Mycelium at Milan Design Week 2025

More press releases

Short

VUB Engineering Sciences organise Project Week Technology & Sustainability for the first time

Prof Ilse Rooman has been elected as a board member of Pancreatic Cancer Europe

Jo tondeur participates as an expert in discussion with a student council on smartphone at school

More short news stories

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Climate

Mental health

Fertility

Broaden your horizons, create more impact

Public programme

Zelfportret Lectrr

Critical thinking

“If you believe in freedom of expression, you have to be able to handle criticism”

Cartoonist Lectrr takes part in the debate on “Where to draw the line” on Difference Day

Cecilia Anesi

“Investigative journalists aren’t popular in Italy”

Dood in venetie Dirk Bogarde

Arts and culture

“Acting on first impressions may seem harmless, but before you know it, you’re classifying people as safe or unsafe”

Val van Assad in Damascus

"For the first time in more than 50 years, there is hope"

More info about the public programme

Stories of our

Alumni

VUB-alumna Tina De Bruyn

“Every day, I go home with the feeling that what I’ve done has truly mattered”

Alumna and biomedical researcher Tina De Bruyn Carlier on compassion at life’s crossroads

Vlag Oekraïne

VUBers in Action: Solidarity with Ukraine

A spontaneous collection during the Cyclocross for those affected in Ukraine

Arno Bouwens

Alumnus Arno Bouwens works as R&D director at biotech startup Perseus Biomics

"As an engineer, you are lucky that you usually have good career opportunities"

VUB exchange students sanna and emir sitting on a rock

A VUB Exchange Love Story

Sanna and Emir met while doing their exchange at VUB

Public programme

Events with impact

21/12 up to and including 20/04 - 2025

Testerep and the sunken Ostend

11/04 up to and including 03/05 - 2025

Activity organised by external partner

Opera | I Grotteschi

Student Speakers' Corner 2025

Difference Day 2025: celebration of press freedom and free speech

BOZAR - Centre for fine Arts

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Throwback to the opening of Bio Incubator Brussels

Opening Bio Incubator Brussels

Check out all photos