Université catholique de Louvain
Research, education, professionalisation
Building on almost 600 years of experience, the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) is today a multisite university in Belgium (Louvain-la-Neuve, Brussels Woluwé, Brussels Saint-Gilles, Mons, Tournai, and Charleroi) at the forefront of innovation and excellence in education and research. The university involves more than 30,000 students of 123 different nationalities and a staff of about 5,800 teachers, researchers, and administrative and technical collaborators. UCLouvain is responsible for the education of nearly one out of two French-speaking academics in Belgium and proposes courses in all possible disciplines.
Research is one of UCLouvain’s main activities with €242M in annual research and development investment. More than 1000 research contracts are signed every year with universities, public institutions, and private companies. UCLouvain actively participates in the R&I programmes of the European Union, notably involved in 176 projects within FP7 and 158 Horizon 2020 projects. Among Horizon 2020 projects, UCLouvain hosts 52 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and 31 European Research Council grants. UCLouvain is home to three science parks (Louvain-la-Neuve, Brussels, Seneffe), three university hospitals (Saint-Luc Brussels, Mont-Godinne, Sainte-Elisabeth Namur), two museums, and eight main libraries. Research is organised via distinct yet complementary research entities: 22 research institutes, research centers, and technology platforms.
The Materials and Processes Engineering (IMAP) institute is an integrated and multidisciplinary research institute following the full life cycle of materials, from chemical processing to recycling, including process control and materials characterization.
Professor Joris Proost of IMAP has a well-recognised research and innovation track record in the field of electrochemical process intensification, with a particular interest in developing new reactor and electrode technologies for renewable hydrogen production. For more than a decade, Prof. Dr. Proost has received significant structural subsidies on the regional, federal, European, and international levels. He oversees KICStartH2 activities related to his institute.
