Global development

Hasselt University sets up initiatives aimed at scientific cooperation with non-European and developing countries (science sharing). Hasselt University provides its students, researchers and staff with opportunities to acquire experience travelling in the South. At the same time, UHasselt seeks to attract students, PhD students, researchers and professors from the Global South to study, work and teach at Hasselt University. Furthermore, Hasselt University seeks to actively participate in the quest for sustainable solutions to social challenges in developing countries by working with local partner institutions. This way, Hasselt University expertise in education and research is applied globally.

The realisation of projects for development cooperation is possible thanks to funding provided by the Flemish Interuniversity Council - University Development Cooperation (VLIR-UOS) The different Institutional Coordinators Development Cooperation (ICOS) of the UHasselt International Office act as a link between UHasselt and VLIR-UOS. The ICOSs of the university are responsible for, among other things, the distribution of calls, guidance with project applications, monitoring of projects, quality controls, reporting and support to project staff.

In addition, each Flemish university is represented in the VLIR-UOS Bureau. The UHasselt Bureau members are Prof. Ken Haenen and Prof. Ann Cuypers.

Contact (ICOS) UHasselt:

Sara Schaeken (Global Minds, ICP, ITP, REI)
Ann Verstraeten(TEAM, SI, JOINT, IUC Morocco)
Liesbeth Oeyen (IUC Tanzania and Congo)

An Institutional University Cooperation (IUC) is a programme of 10 years, aimed at strengthening the capacities of one specific university in the South. IUC’s have an annual budget between 350.000€ and 570.000€, with 2 to 5 different academic projects and one transversal project for capacity building in transversal fields such as ICT, library, English, quality assurance, statistics, etc.

An IUC is a policy-initiated programme and does not result from a competitive call: VLIR-UOS selects eligible countries, and institutions from those countries can submit a concept note. After a first selection, the partner institution meets and selects Flemish partners in the scientific areas of the subprojects. These experts become project leaders, and one Flemish university coordinates the whole programme.

At the moment, four IUC programmes are coordinated at Hasselt University.

A TEAM project involves a scientific collaboration between two departments, one in Flanders and in the partner institution. The goal is to strengthen capacity in education and/or research in a specific scientific area, through various activities such as joint PhD’s, new study programmes, workshops, etc. 
A TEAM lasts max. 5 years and has a total budget of 280.000€. There are regular calls, launched by VLIR-UOS.

More information:

• VLIR-UOS website
• UHasselt contact: Ann Verstraeten

Current UHasselt TEAM projects:

South initiatives are small-scale projects with limited budgets, between academics in Flanders on the one hand and in developing countries on the other. There are two types of South initiatives: 'seed funding', when new partnerships are being established, and 'harvest funding', when the impact of a finished project is increased. The maximum duration of a South initiative is two years, with a total budget of 70.000€.

More information:

• on the website of VLIR-UOS
• UHasselt contact: Ann Verstraeten

UHasselt is involved in different SI:

JOINT are networking projects between several universities from VLIR-UOS partner countries, together with one Flemish university. They are less scientific in nature, but focus rather on exchange of good practices in transversal aspects (management, ICT, library, etc). A JOINT has a duration of three years, with a maximum budget of 135.000€. There are no calls for JOINT projects foreseen in the current five year plan.

More information:

• website of VLIR-UOS
• UHasselt contact: Ann Verstraeten

An International Course Programme (ICP) is an accredited (initial or supplementary) master's programme of two, three or four semesters in a development-relevant subject. It is organised at a university in Flanders, with participants from developing countries as the target group. Within an ICP, VLIR-UOS finances a total of 12 scholarships a year.

Hasselt University currently has two International Course Programmes:

• Master of Statistics and Data Science
• Master of Transportation Sciences

More information:

• VLIR-UOS website
• Contact UHasselt ICP Statistics & Data Sciences: Jade Membrebe
• Contact UHasselt ICP Transportation Sciences: Nadine Smeyers
• Contact UHasselt ICP programme: Sara Schaeken

An International Training Programme (ITP) is an intensive, interactive short-or medium-term programme with practical applications, organised at a university or university college in Flanders and aimed at participants from developing countries. The subject of an ITP relates to development challenges in one or more developing countries. VLIR-UOS finances about 13 scholarships a year within an ITP.

More information:

• Contact UHasselt: Sara Schaeken

Global Minds is a project funded by VLIR-UOS. Each university has developed its own Global Minds project that matches the needs of the institution. The first Global Minds project (2017-August 2022) was completed and the second Global Minds project (pdf, 936 KB) runs from September 2022 to August 2027.

The Global Minds project of Hasselt University aims to provide students, employees and other stakeholders of Hasselt University with a broad view of the world and to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge so that they can contribute to a sustainable and equitable world for people, animal and planet and have an impact on society to guarantee a sustainable and suitable future.

By organizing various activities within the Global Minds project, the aim is to contribute to this objective.

A few Global minds activities:

• Elective course Globalisation & Sustainable Development
• Fair Trade Week
• World Evening
• Global Minds Calls

More information?

• UHasselt contact: Sara Schaeken