Internationalisation has been a target for the Louvain School of Engineering (EPL) for some time. These past years, however, it has become a priority in which the faculty is willing to invest time and resources. The International Lhoist Berghmans Innovation Chair launched on January 1st 2014 and renewed in January 2018 with the support of Fondation Louvain is a significant contribution to the internationalisation strategy of the school. It is in fact the largest sponsorship of EPL’s history.
The global objective of the Chair is the development of an ambitious international programme which will attract and educate highly talented Belgian and international students and prepare them to be confronted to industrial competition in international environments.
While it focuses on Master level education it covers different dimensions of international mobility. It seeks:
- To promote incoming mobility by recruiting brilliant international students. These are awarded a merit-based scholarship to do their master in Engineering at EPL;
- To foster the placement of highly talented EPL master students for internships in companies in foreign countries, with priority for companies in North and South America, Russia, India and South East Asia;
- To strengthen existing collaborations between MIT and EPL;
- To support the organisation of education modules in technological innovation in partnership with universities abroad of which the 7th edition will start on September 28th 2020.
About the Lhoist Group
Lhoist Group is a family-owned company and a world leading producer of lime, dolime and minerals. Its current Chairman, Baron Berghmans, is an alumnus of UCL. Sponsoring the quality of higher education is a tradition for the Lhoist Berghmans family. (more information about the Lhoist group activities)
Today, the group continue to grow through acquisition and entry into new territories. With a focus on existing and emerging customer needs, it also invests in new facilities and the development of a portfolio of innovative products and solutions.
