When entering your application for one of our student exchange programmes, you will need our Erasmus ID-codes. On this page, you'll also find our approved ECHE, European Policy Statement and visa requirements.

Erasmus ID-codes

The Erasmus ID-code of our campuses in Kortrijk, Roeselare and Torhout is B KORTRIJ01, whereas the campuses of Bruges and Ostend have Erasmus ID-code BE BRUGGE11.

European Policy Statement (2021-2027)

VIVES University of Applied Sciences, with its modern and competence-based higher education, its innovative practical research, and its services provided to society, offers an adequate response to today’s and tomorrow’s social and global challenges. VIVES is an appreciative and people-oriented institution which concentrates on professionally oriented Bachelor’s degrees and Associate Degrees. Students are given every opportunity to work on their future. "Design Your Future" as the baseline of VIVES underlines this.

VIVES is embedded in the Association KULeuven. Together with its fellow members we actively participate in the promotion of qualitative Flemish Higher Education and in doing so also in the promotion of the European Higher Education Area. VIVES consists of two entities and therefore has two Erasmus codes. The internationalisation strategy and the EPS are the same for both entities.

Internationalisation is part of VIVES’ core mission. The three priorities of VIVES’ take on education are: DRIVE, CONNECTION and INNOVATION. These priorities are structuring our take on internationalisation too.

DRIVE: design your future

Internationalisation as a driving force for self-development and international orientation. From encounters with other people and worldviews students and staff get inspiration and the drive to professionalise themselves, to engage and to grow into critical and responsible global citizens. International competencies are the driving force in this lifelong learning process.

CONNECTION: design our future

Internationalisation as a key to global engagement. By actively going into dialogue with the working environment and the society VIVES wants to be a legitimate partner in this globalised world. The university of applied sciences plays its social role and takes responsibility, by striving for equality, global justice and social protection.

INNOVATION: open (y)our world

Internationalisation as an inspiration for social change and improvement. More than ever there is a need for knowledge and research to find innovative answers to global and local challenges. International partnerships, contacts, events and networks remain a major source of inspiration and provide a challenging learning environment.

By encouraging internationalisation in VIVES, thanks to and through the ERASMUS+ Programme, there has been a strong growth in international mobility and partnerships between VIVES and institutions worldwide. This sharp rise in international study, internship and research opportunities within the ERASMUS+ Programme and the impact this generates worldwide increased the need for a qualitative and sustainable internationalisation strategy. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer an inspiring framework for this, linking internationalisation and sustainable development, based on the principles of universality, interdependency and inclusiveness. This ambitious framework calls on all stakeholders at all levels and all over the world to commit themselves to working for structural change in the face of sustainable development. VIVES is challenged to assume its responsibilities and thus play an active role in the search for sustainable answers to global challenges. The ERASMUS+ Programme offers a lot of opportunities to do this.

Since internationalisation is part of the institutional vision of VIVES and the SDGs are becoming increasingly embedded in European institutions and our societies, we want to link the ERASMUS+ activities with this and thus broaden the perspective on ‘Global Engagement’. This EPS is therefore bringing together the European, international, inclusive and sustainability agendas. The 5 pillars (5 Ps) of sustainable development: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership, are the foundation for this EPS. In the context of the Erasmus+ Programme, we aim to achieve the following goals by 2027:

1. PEOPLE

1.1. VIVES ensures the necessary structures are in place so that all students and staff can acquire international competencies and competences for sustainable development. VIVES has evaluated its structures, supporting activities and facilities against the principles of Universal Design (for Learning). This means we work as inclusive as possible and, where necessary, provide additional support to students and staff with special needs. These structures and support also guarantees that students and staff are recognized for their activities undertaken during the mobility period, based on an agreement and according the institutional strategy.

1.2. In order to promote academic and social integration, VIVES stimulates the intercultural mix in the institution by offering a welcoming learning and working environment to all colleagues and students. To promote this intercultural mix on campus, VIVES offers a variety of foreign language courses for all students. Because the well-being of the individual student is central, VIVES attaches great importance to the social integration of the students. VIVES supports this by adapting both the campus and the organisation to an intercultural and international community and by organising a buddy system for incoming students. For the various institutional consultative bodies, VIVES removes the barriers for inclusive participation. In addition, VIVES pays attention to the intercultural mix in the various study programmes and encourages dialogue between cultures and nationalities. To this end, VIVES organises institution-wide and education-specific activities, in order to arrive at intercultural encounters and thus the exchange of knowledge. To strengthen academic integration as well, VIVES values the international and intercultural experiences of students in the educational context and considers them as partners in the learning process.

1.3. VIVES has stimulated a passion for global engagement among all stakeholders. VIVES aims to inspire and stimulate its staff and students to act sustainably and actively as global citizens by validating civic and global engagement in the job description and curricula. In doing so, VIVES aims to ensure that both staff and students are prepared to reflect critically on their own culture and society and to have a broad perspective on the global context.

2. PLANET

2.1. VIVES makes an environmentally conscious screening in all its international commitments, taking into account the ecological capacity of our planet. Both in its international policy and all its related actions, VIVES aims to choose the most environmental-friendly option. That is why VIVES wants to screen and evaluate all existing and new international partnerships on ecological criteria. In order to find innovative answers on ecological challenges, VIVES actively searches for projects in this context and exchanges knowledge and expertise serving innovative eco-technological developments.

2.2. VIVES has a detailed plan for sustainable travel for students and staff. To draw up this plan, VIVES establishes criteria (taking into account resources, time and substantive impact) to be met in order to justify air travel and draws up a list of destinations that can be reached in a sustainable way to encourage sustainable travel among students and staff. In the case of justified air travel, VIVES promotes the use of airlines with the smallest carbon footprint and direct flights. VIVES will also calculate the climate impact and act accordingly by compensating the carbon dioxide emissions of air travel.

2.3. VIVES has taken the necessary steps to develop, offer and promote blended and virtual alternatives for students and staff mobility. VIVES aims to stimulate virtual and blended mobility by creating and supporting digital tools and learning platforms for knowledge sharing, for collaborative online international learning and cooperation, and respond to similar offers from partners. Besides that, VIVES also wants to strengthen the international dimension in curricula by using digital tools. Outgoing students are informed and encouraged to use the Erasmus digital tools to manage their mobility.

2.4. Students and staff are aware of their ecological impact, can reflect critically on this and adapt their personal actions accordingly. VIVES takes on the task of informing, sensitising and activating students and staff by means of professionalisation programmes and institution-wide activities.

3. PROSPERITY

3.1. VIVES has initiated globally relevant research projects (through ERASMUS+ KA2 and KA3 activities and research, project work and Bachelor theses) and has participated in existing ones. To achieve this, VIVES has defined criteria for globally relevant research questions, based on the expertise and research focus of the institution, and in consultation with its international partners. VIVES also seeks actively out and consciously opts for broad, interdisciplinary and sustainable research projects, actively looking for expertise and financial resources to support these research projects.

3.2. VIVES, together with its stakeholders, has offered innovative answers to global challenges. VIVES encourages research on ‘wicked problems’, taking into account ecological sustainability and social justice. In its search for sustainable answers to these global challenges, VIVES allows time, space and resources to acquire new knowledge and expertise and encourages staff and students to share knowledge and expertise already acquired.

3.3. VIVES has ensured that the results achieved served the institution, the workplace and society. Within the institution, VIVES facilitates collaboration between (applied) research, education and internationalisation. From its core task of social engagement and community service, VIVES considers it of great importance to disseminate information about its research results with the wider community and its international partners.

4. PEACE

4.1. VIVES is an advocate for peace, social and ecological justice within the institution itself, in the region, but also at national and international level. In order to take up this social role, VIVES wants to build a structural commitment to peace, social and ecological justice in all facets of the institution. This is why VIVES considers it important to critically question its own practices and, where necessary, to adapt the curriculum and existing structures. To broaden the horizons of students and staff, VIVES is committed to inform, sensitise, inspire and activate them on broad social themes.

4.2. VIVES uses adapted, non-stereotyping images and language. VIVES guarantees that “there is no discrimination based on sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation" (Art.21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union). VIVES screens its documents in function of non-stereotyping imaging and terminology about other countries, continents and cultures. VIVES aims to adjust outdating and stereotyping discourses in learning materials, adapt internal and external communication with nuanced concepts and images, and make staff and students aware of unconscious internalized racism in language and image and its consequences.

5. PARTNERSSHIP

5.1. VIVES has a qualitative and sustainable partner policy that focuses on international cooperation with attention to the following transversal themes: capacity building of the various partners; ownership; reciprocity; recognition of each other's interests; the ethical framework; the ecological impact; a win-win for both parties. VIVES carries out activities only within the framework of prior agreements between institutions. These agreements establish the respective roles and responsibilities of the different parties, as well as their commitment to shared quality criteria in the selection, preparation, reception, support and integration of mobile participants. Prior to the conclusion of a new partnership, the official approval of all stakeholders within the organisation must be obtained. VIVES uses different tools to monitor the quality of the partnerships.

5.2. VIVES has strengthened the outward perspective and global engagement through a multi-stakeholder approach. In its activities, VIVES is committed to achieve sustainable results and impact among all stakeholders: individuals, other participating institutions and the wider academic community.

5.3. VIVES is aware of its impact on the partner and aims to communicate about this in an honest and transparent way. Through critical self-assessment and monitoring of existing partnerships, VIVES has developed a methodology for impact assessment of international partnerships and collaborations.

European Policy Statements (2021 - 2027)

Visa requirements

All incoming exchange students with non EU-nationality are expected to obtain a type D visum before arrival in Belgium.

International partnerships

The following portal offers an insight into the international partnerships that VIVES University of Applied Sciences is involved in. The database is regularly reviewed and updated: