ASL, the ‘Academische stichting Leuven’ supports excellent research at KULeuven and is encouraging its high-quality, comprehensible and creative communication. ASL grants different awards , organizes science events and is publisher of the Dutch periodical 'Karakter'.
ASL, aims to encourage and strengthen scientific research and academic reflection and communication, also by critically questioning scientific culture. It supports excellent research at KU Leuven and funds researchers who share their expertise in a high quality and comprehensible way with a broad and diverse audience.
It pays particular, but not exclusive, attention to young researchers, to super-diversity and to the specific needs related to it.
ASL achieves its goals by:
- granting awards that encourage excellent PhD research at KU Leuven and the accessible and high-quality communication about it;
- granting awards for books on Scientific reflection and Communication realized at Belgian universities and colleges;
- organizing annual events on science, science reflection and dissemination for diverse social audiences;
- publishing the periodical “Karakter- Journal of Science”.
Karel Baert, Pieter Bergé, Ivo Carmen, Tinne Claes, Boushra Dalile, Veerle Darras, Frank Dausy, Jef Dauwe, Leen Decin, An Descheemaeker, Helder De Schutter, David D'Hooghe, Veerle Draulans, Jan Eggermont, Nadia Fadil, Hilde Heynen, Martin Hinoul, Roger Huybrechts, Maarten Larmuseau, Chantal Maertens, Johan Martens, Koen Matthijs, Martin Moors, André Oosterlinck, Dirk Roose, Ilse Samoy, Kristien Smedts, Jo Tollebeek, Jan Tolleneer, Stefaan Vaes, Geert Van Calster, Matthieu Vanhove, Cynthia Van Hulle, Luc Van Meervelt, Paul Van Rompuy, Kristin Verbeke, Jan Verhaeghe, Jean-Christophe Verstraete, Annemieke Verstuyf, Christoffel Waelkens, Johan Wagemans
Pieter Bergé (chairman), Tinne Claes, Boushra Dalile, Frank Dausy, Leen Decin, Helder De Schutter, Nadia Fadil, Roger Huybrechts, Maarten Larmuseau, Chantal Maertens, Koen Matthijs, Dirk Roose, Kristien Smedts (treasurer), Luc Van Meervelt, Kristin Verbeke, Jean-Christophe Verstraete, Jan Verhaeghe (secretary)
The Association
ASL, an academic association known as ‘Academische stichting Leuven’ was originally founded as ‘Vlaamse Leergangen’ on October 29, 1924 by Emile van Dievoet, Joris Helleputte, Adriaan Noyons, Prosper Poullet, Prosper Thuysbaert, Frans van Cauwelaert and Aloys van de Vyvere. Pieter-Jozef Sencie was the first president. The goal of the association was to have Dutch-language education established at the then uniquely French spoken Catholic University of Leuven (now KU Leuven). With the support of several Flemish associations, the number of Dutch-language colleges at the Leuven Catholic University increased in the 1930s indeed and the Dutchification of the university was initiated.
In 1947, ‘Vlaamse Leergangen’ also founded the Dutch-language journal ‘Onze Alma Mater’, which published scholarly articles on topics from a wide variety of research fields, often with a recognizably Catholic slant. In 1962, the association moved into the building known as ‘Huis Vlaamse Leergangen’, which it had founded, at the corner of the Muntstraat and the Boekhandelstraat in Leuven. The new building was inaugurated on the thirty-fifth anniversary of the association by Bishop Honoré van Waeyenbergh, rector magnificus of the University. A plaque was also placed on that occasion, describing it as the association's duty to "continue to work for the promotion of scientific knowledge and culture of our Flemish people."
After the splitting of the University in 1968 and the moveout of the French branch of the university to Louvain La Neuve, near Wavre, an autonomous Dutch-speaking institution called KU Leuven was created. This also implicated that the main goal of ‘Vlaamse Leergangen’ namely the creation of a university teaching Flemisch colleges, was achieved.
Hitherto, a search for redefining the main aim of the foundation was initiated and in 2003 resulted in the presently known association ASL. The focus shifted to the financial support of young researchers, especially at the doctoral and postdoctoral level. The journal ‘Onze Alma Mater’ was reformed into the periodical ‘Karakter- Journal of Science’, which included shorter, more essayistic texts for a wider readership.
The building ‘Huis Vlaamse leergangen’ was transferred to the City of Leuven, which sold it to Cera in 2009. The building, which was not protected as a monument, was demolished in 2016 and Cera built a new headquarters on the same site. The memorial stone mentioned above was preserved and placed in the University Hall in 2019.
Since 2022, ASL has emphatically profiled itself as an organization promoting high-quality and creative science reflection and communication.
In 2024, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of ‘Vlaamse Leergangen / ASL’, a book by historian Ruben Mantels will be published on the history of our association.
Membership in ASL includes the following benefits:
You can do this by registering on this website and paying your membership fee/subscription.