Building upon a longstanding partnership between the two main Brussels-based universities, USET signifies the next phase of integration, enhancing the collective research, education, and outreach capacities of ULB-VUB in these domains. Located on the VUB-ULB USquare campus, within a landmark and recently renovated building, USET provides an environment for researchers from both universities to conduct research and collaborate on new projects and joint activities.
Situated across multiple floors, USET offers multifunctional spaces, including meeting and seminar rooms, dedicated offices for staff, flexible workspaces for visiting researchers, a café, and a large reception area. This setting facilitates interdisciplinary research collaborations, engagement with students from various graduate programs, and connections with stakeholders and society in Brussels and beyond.
Research units
The following research units are members of USET:
Brussels Centre for Tourism Studies (BCTS) (ULB)
Cosmopolis Centre for Urban Research (VUB)
Socio-Environmental Dynamics Research Group (SONYA) (ULB)
Centre for Economic and Social Studies on the Environment (CEESE) (ULB)
Networks
USET houses various university-wide thematic research networks with affiliations of researchers from across the ULB and VUB:
Brussels Centre for Urban Studies (VUB)
EBxl network of studies on Brussels (ULB)
Interfaculty Institute for Socio-Ecological Transformations (iiTSE) (ULB)
Education
The critical research capacity at USET is also mobilized to contribute to multiple educational programmes:
Master en Science et Gestion de l'Environnement (ULB)
Master of Science in Geography (VUB and KULeuven)
Advanced Master in Microfinance (ULB, Université de Mons and Université Paris-Dauphine)
Master of Science in Stedenbouw en Ruimtelijke Planning (VUB)
Master en Science et Gestion du Tourisme (ULB)
Master of Science in Urban Studies (VUB and ULB)
USET on Usquare
USET is situated on the new ULB-VUB Usquare campus, in close proximity to various university initiatives, fostering numerous opportunities for collaborations and new projects. These extend across a range of entities, including the Brussels Institute for Advanced Studies (BrIAS), OpenLab, the VUB Fablab and ULB Fablab, the Brussels Studies Institute (BSI), the Brussels Studies journal, Brussels Academy, and the CIVIS and EUTOPIA European University Alliances.