On August 24th 2019 the KU Leuven Alumni Chapter Beijing was officially installed in the Chinese capital. The next day there was already a first important event: the 20th anniversary of the Double Degree Programme in Engineering Technology of KU Leuven and Beijing Jiaotong University. Both ceremonies were the crowning glory of a quarter-century collaboration between both universities.
In 2013, KU Leuven established its first international Alumni Chapter in Shanghai. Today the university has alumni chapters in 12 countries: Brazil, China, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, the Netherlands, Vietnam, the United Kingdom and the United States.
These chapters are an important asset for KU Leuven.
Internationalization is very high on the KU Leuven agenda. Two key aspects of our strategy are recruiting more students from abroad and promoting international mobility of our students, staff and researchers. As more KU Leuven alumni go on to build international careers we strengthen our global network
Community
This is where the international alumni chapters come in. They create opportunities for our alumni to connect with each other and constitute a direct link with our alma mater in Leuven.
We also call upon the chapters for cooperation, student recruitment, academic diplomacy and to establish links with potential partner universities and local organizations. We send newsletters, organize alumni gatherings and trips and invite alumni to join us for educational fairs and promotion activities in their county. We also reach out to honorary doctors and former visiting scholars because they are members of the large KU Leuven community as well.
Together with the alumni they are our best ambassadors abroad.
Momentum
In 2000 the first six Chinese students graduated from the then University College Group T in Leuven. They started their engineering studies at Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU) and came after one year to Leuven to complete their studies. They were the first to obtain a Double (Flemish-Chinese) Degree in Engineering Technology. Meanwhile, more than 300 students from over than a dozen Chinese universities have followed in their footsteps.
During the memorial ceremony, Professor Guan Zhongliang, Vice President of BJTU, emphasized the importance of the double degree programmes for the universities involved.
The past 20 years have flown by, but we are determined to continue this momentum. The new KU Leuven Alumni Chapter Beijing will help to ensure that the informal network of alumni that already exists will help really come to the fore by playing an active role in the further development of the collaboration and the friendship between our universities.
In his speech Vice President Guan announced a scoop. BJTU is planning to set up its own European Alumni Association with Belgium as the hub and KU Leuven as the center.
Professor Lievens immediately accepted the proposal and promised the initiative full support.
It is yet another proof that we are on the right track with our Truly International Strategy.
Prof. Deng Xinghua;
Prof. Koen Eneman, Campus Chair;
Martine Torfs, Head of the Alumni Office KU Leuven;
Prof. Peter Lievens, Vice rector of KU Leuven;
Prof. Guan Zhongliang, Vice President BJTU;
Wim Polet, Director International Office Group T Campus;
Prof. Zhu Hengjun;
Liu Shaoqing, Director of the Center of International Education BJTU;
Guo Xuemeng, Secretary General of the BJTU Alumni Association;