This year, KU Leuven proudly celebrates its 600th anniversary. Over the past six centuries, our university has evolved into a globally renowned institution, known for its excellence in education and cutting-edge research across all scientific domains. As a university community, we have every reason to be proud. This success is a shared achievement, built by us and the many generations who came before us. What makes this accomplishment even more remarkable is that we continue to perform at the highest level without relying on strict admission criteria, high tuition fees, or other exclusionary selection mechanisms. That, too, is something to be proud of.

KU Leuven is doing very well – and that’s the perspective from which I approach my candidacy for rector. We are a strong university with a proud tradition and a bright future. But no institution is perfect. There are still both major and minor challenges where we can do even better – and should. In this programme, I outline the areas where I believe improvement is needed, and I present concrete solutions to address them. Let me begin by highlighting a few key points. 

First and foremost, there is the workload – a challenge that affects everyone at our university. That is why I say clearly and without hesitation: "Yes, I want to make our university even better - to foster a more humane and caring working environment and to strengthen our essential role as a beacon of knowledge. But not at any cost, and certainly not at the expense of our people’s work-life balance". Striving for that final percentage, that marginal gain - let’s leave that to professional athletes. Sometimes, we need to be able to say: "Given the circumstances, this is good enough. Let’s take a break". It will come as no surprise, then, that the key points of my programme reflect exactly that way of thinking.

The reform of the academic year, coupled with shifting the resit exams, is designed to introduce a true rest period in the summer. This benefits everyone: students can fully disconnect, administrative staff can better spread out their workload and avoid peak pressure, and academic staff can take real breaks and carve out time for research. Beyond well-being, reorganising the academic calendar also brings clear educational benefits: the focus shifts away from summative evaluation toward genuine learning. Students and lecturers gain more space for in-depth content, placing the learning process where it belongs: at the heart of education.

At the same time, I want to reinforce the foundations of academic research. With basic funding, I aim to give researchers the time, trust, and opportunity to do what they do best – pursue knowledge — without being forced into a constant and often frustrating race for grants and funding applications.

When it comes to university governance itself, my aim is clear: administrative simplification. Fewer meetings. Fewer forms. Less regulatory pressure. But this streamlining must go hand in hand with genuine, well-understood autonomy for our faculties - the beating heart of KU Leuven. They deserve full trust. That same principle of autonomy and subsidiarity extends to departments and to our campuses beyond Leuven. We are one university - KU Leuven, and we will govern it together.

A university is more than a training institute or a research centre. It is a place where thinking, debate, and Bildung - personal and intellectual development - are central. It is also a beacon of reason and science within society. This year’s rectoral elections take place in a worrying geopolitical context. As Vice Rector for International Policy, I have seen first-hand the importance of strong international cooperation. But I have also witnessed a worrying trend: universities abroad are increasingly facing government interference that threatens academic freedom. As rector, I will continue to firmly defend our community - staff, researchers, and students - against such undue political pressure. I will also stand up to populist attacks from broader society. KU Leuven must remain a stronghold of free inquiry and independent thought.

I am aware that the coming years will not be easy. With ongoing government cutbacks, the pressure to economise will be high. In a climate of growing polarisation, even universities -including ours - may become the target of hate campaigns. We must engage in open, accessible, and calm dialogue with politics and with society – always in the interest of the university, and thus in the interest of us all.

That is what passion for knowledge and commitment to people mean to me. That is what I want to stand for. And I hope to do so, together with you.

Peter Lievens, 24 April 2025

Education is the heart of the university, a place where knowledge is shared, shaped, and renewed. We therefore strive for a learning environment that not only guarantees quality but also cares for the well-being of students and lecturers, and creates space for creativity in thinking and doing. Education is not a by-product of research, but a fully-fledged academic activity that fuels intellectual curiosity, sharpens critical thinking, and shapes individuals. A future-oriented university thus considers not only what is taught, but also how and at what pace. That is why we are rethinking the academic calendar, introducing structural breathing space in the summer, and reconfiguring assessment periods to help prevent workload peaks.

We want a culture of evaluation in which formative feedback and diversity in assessment methods are the standard, with attention to motivation, learning objectives, and feasibility. Digital innovation plays a supporting role: we want to use AI-powered learning platforms and blended learning wherever they truly add value in terms of flexibility, inclusion, or engagement, not simply because they are trendy.

Finally, we ensure warm and accessible support for students with specific needs, whether it relates to academic guidance, mental well-being, neurodivergence, or a temporary crisis. Educational equity is not an abstract ambition, but a shared responsibility.

Before outlining the specific action points, we want to highlight essential preconditions. These are the foundations we aim to put in place to build a university where students, support staff, and lecturers will all have the space to grow. Educational policy will be developed collaboratively, with the involvement of those it affects. Lecturers will be supported in designing and improving their courses, and that support will be rooted in a model of genuine cooperation.

Thanks to these efforts, we hope to successfully implement four key action points: reforming the academic calendar, critically reflecting on the assessment methods, making more intensive use of digital tools, and providing stronger support for students with specific needs.

Research is the engine of academic imagination. It turns the unthinkable into conceivable and the unknown into accessible. That is why we are building a research environment where quality, collaboration, and societal relevance are not seen as opposites, but as mutually reinforcing. Strong disciplinary work remains the foundation: without firm roots, there can be no fruitful cross-pollination. From that basis, we want to encourage high-quality, creative forms of interdisciplinary collaboration that enable both scientific breakthroughs and the courage to address societal challenges. In doing so, we aim to maximise both scientific and societal impact.

With a well-considered model of basic funding and strategic investments in research infrastructure, we give researchers the space to take risks, build long-term projects, and allow research to develop at its own pace. We strengthen team science through shared infrastructure, interfaculty networks, and joint research spaces, not only physically, but intellectually as well.

In addition, we are committed to an open and forward-looking research culture that embraces a wide range of practices: from AI-supported analysis to open science, from citizen science to international co-creation. Research requires not only time but also breathing room and support. By aligning the rhythm of research more closely with the academic calendar, investing in support for external project applications, science communication, policy engagement, and structurally reinforcing engagement-driven research, we create space for what ultimately matters most: deep reflection, scientific imagination, and meaningful societal impact.

We want to be a university that not only innovates, but also inspires. In a world facing complex transitions - technological, environmental, and social- we consciously embrace our role as a societal partner. Innovations in artificial intelligence, digital education support, and sustainable development will both challenge and strengthen us in the years to come. We will use these advancements as a lever to deepen civic engagement and provide structural responses to the needs of today and tomorrow.

Our university is rooted in society and actively collaborates with policymakers, schools, companies, healthcare institutions, civil society organisations, and cultural actors. Our alumni and their associations are also indispensable bridge-builders. Through community projects, knowledge sharing, and public engagement, we aim to position KU Leuven as a university that places its academic excellence at the service of social progress.

In doing so, we are building a KU Leuven that expands its impact: by embedding new forms of teaching, research, and collaboration within a broad societal mission founded on inclusion, solidarity, and sustainability.

We envision a university where students and staff from all corners of the world not only feel welcome but also supported, valued, and connected.

International diversity is not an end in itself for us, but a source of enrichment for the entire academic community. From that conviction, we are building an inclusive learning and working environment on every campus, with attention to both global accessibility and local anchoring.

We are making targeted investments in initiatives that promote the integration of international students and staff, such as the International House, buddy programmes, social and cultural networking events, and personalised guidance. Language plays a key role in this: we are developing a bilingual academic environment in which language acquisition is actively supported, for students, researchers, and staff, and in which Dutch and English are used complementarily, depending on the context.

We also commit to specific groups, such as students and researchers with a refugee background, through multidisciplinary support programmes and assistance with language, study skills, and psychosocial well-being. At the same time, we encourage the international mobility of staff, both academic and administrative, as a driver for professional development and the exchange of expertise.

International inclusion also means paying attention to other forms of diversity. In our programmes, we embed social responsibility through inclusive curricula, co-creative teaching methods, and the professionalisation of teaching teams. In this way, KU Leuven becomes a university where international excellence goes hand in hand with warm hospitality, social connectedness, and language-conscious participation, a place where every student and staff member feels recognised and involved.

We want researchers, teachers and staff to be able to spend their time on what really matters: good teaching, innovative research and meaningful cooperation with society. Therefore, we are working on fewer rules, fewer unnecessary steps and less (digital and non-digital) red tape. The appointment of a vice-rector for administrative simplification and HR policy reinforces this ambition. We are simplifying procedures, ensuring clearer communication and guiding change in ways that are practical for those who will be directly affected. Digital tools such as AI-driven helpdesks and smart forms are not just introduced, but developed with and for users, with a view to saving time and reducing frustration.

Faculties will be given room to play their strategic role in terms of their disciplinary uniqueness. We will also optimise the functioning of faculties, departments and campuses, striving for an optimal balance between necessary autonomy and administrative efficiency. Our regional campuses will become more strongly embedded as places of innovation, education and cooperation with local partners. This means clear added value for the entire university. Within the organisation, we are committed to better coordination, smoother workflows and shared structures that make cooperation natural rather than creating extra work.

Commitment to people is central to our policy and fundamental to successful academic and professional careers. Student services provide a structural and accessible gateway to support, with attention to mental well-being, social integration, and equal educational opportunities across all campuses. By proactively integrating well-being into our education policy, through thematic sessions, peer coaching, and preventive signal detection, we foster a campus culture where stress, dropout, and isolation are actively addressed. This is currently working well, and we aim to maintain it.

Stuvo is investigating how and where faculties can be strengthened in terms of academic career guidance. This is a much-needed effort, given the particularly high workload in this area, and we want to respond accordingly.

Student organisations and local networks will continue to play a prominent role in strengthening community building and in detecting well-being needs.

Clear, multilingual communication and digital access to support services ensure that every student can receive help, regardless of background or campus location. In this way, we build a university where study success and well-being are not individual responsibilities, but shared priorities.

Commitment to people is an ongoing task. Work-life balance means different things to different individuals, but prioritizing well-being must come first. A heavy workload should not create undue pressure, and the right to disconnect must be fully respected. By embracing a culture of structural efficiency, KU Leuven can become a workplace where all staff can grow professionally and thrive.