Leuven

Leuven is home to one of Europe’s most innovative universities with a combined student and research staff population of over 55,000, and several other world class research centres so a large share of local economic activities is concentrated around spin-offs from academic research. This has helped the city sustain a continued economic and population growth but, such rapid economic development does not come without challenges: the city has seen rising house prices and rents, with housing becoming inaccessible to an increasing number of people in lower and lower-middle income groups.

Key Facts

Population: 100,000
Country: Belgium

Overview

Leuven is a medium town and the capital of the Belgian province Flemish Brabant, and adjacent to the Brussels-Capital Region. The city is home to the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) – one of Europe’s most innovative universities with a combined student and research staff population of over 55,000. Given the presence of the university and of several other world class research centres in the medical, advanced technological, financial and legal fields, a large share of local economic activities is concentrated around spin-offs from academic research. This has helped the city sustain a continued economic and population growth, which has accelerated in the last decade. Such rapid economic development does not come without challenges: the city has seen rising house prices and rents, with housing becoming inaccessible to an increasing number of people in lower and lower-middle income groups.