There is no age requirement for learning!

That is why the Université libre de Bruxelles chose to open its doors to children, ages 6 to 12.

Our goal is to instill a sense of curiosity early on and to facilitate the learning of sometimes complicated ideas in an original and fun way. The Université des Enfants also aims to discover the various domains of knowledge and research with which to accommodate the youngest generation.

Children at University

Activities are created in a participatory manner and organized around experiences, observations, and games both individual and collaborative. With this approach in mind, the workshops of the Université des Enfants are systematically based on a question that a child could have, and which is developed by the professor.

For example, the Why does chocolate melt in your mouth? workshop introduces concepts of thermodynamics to children by appealing to their logic, comparing chocolate to other things that melt differently, doing experiments to determine when chocolate begins to melt, etc. The impressive bioengineering lab to which the children are brought then naturally becomes a welcoming place where they can enjoy their first scientific experiment.

For another example, Can we live together in harmony? allows children, sitting in a circle, to reflect on values, respect, and difference. The professor begins the discussion and allows the children to express themselves and justify their views. The children are thus introduced to their first philosophy workshop where their ideas confront those of others, either transforming or strengthening them.

The Université des enfants offers two types of activity:

Many thanks to the professors at ULB for their participation.

Our professors strive to be true facilitators of learning and always put the child at the center of activities. Thanks to them, the Faculties of Architecture, Law & Criminology, Letters, Translation, & Communication, Medicine, Pharmacy, Philosophy & Social Sciences, Science, Motor Sciences, Psychologic & Education Sciences, and Economics (Solvay) as well as the Public Health, Bioengineering, and Polytechnic Schools are all represented in the subjects addressed by the Université des Enfants.

Alain Weerens, Alessandra Kupper Cardozo, Alison Inglisa, Annick Englebert, Arnaud Termonia , Audrey Mathys, Bilal Kostet, Claude Boffa, Clément Soupart, Cristina-Alice Toma, Elisa Uffreduzzi, Elodie Verlinden, Frank Mattheis, Frédéric Collignon, Frédéric DebasteIsil Erdinc, Jean Kimus, Jennifer Christophe, Joanne Rasschaert, Khady Diallo, Kristin Bartik, Laura Bourgaux, Laurent Bavay, Léa Ragheb, Maria Kisterva, Mariana Boutuil, Marie JacquetMarie Küntzler, Mounsef Lahboubi, Nadine Mattielli, Naïs Bernat, Patricia Corieri, Pauline Dacremont-Rodriguez, Philippe Lefevre, Pierre Devahif, Sabina Gola, Sandrine Van Wilderode,  Sébastien Clesse Steve Lambert, Suzan Gibril, Thierry Libert, Tinne Debout, Veronica Perez Garcia, Véronique Fontaine, Xavier Pesesse, Guillaume Pé, Nicolas Esser, Vivien Denis Sierens, Romane Boulanger, Dominique Lerinckx, Huran Drouet Cruz, Jacques Lecarte, Pascale Vertongen, Jessica Lechanteur, Célina Leimback, Lauréline Fourdin, Laetitia Hanna, Luz-Maria Valle Videla, Sarah Di Giglio, Caroline Stevigny, Olivier Vaillant, Emmanuel Beeckmans, Jean-Rémi Dierickx, Muriel Moser, Jawad Tarfouss, Luc Evers, Elisa Navarra, Stephen de Souter, Jessica Mulpas, Anaël Chaval, Karima Merakchi, Sophie Van Eck, Alain Jorissen, Pascal Minne

University students guiding children

All activities at the Université des Enfants would not be possible without our team of student workers ready every Saturday to welcome some 200 children on campus. They are charged with the safety of the children, accompanying them to the welcome site of their workshop, and ensuring that each child feels comfortable and is having fun.

The students also work closely with the professors to create useful pedagogical tools for the workshops. These handy students at the Université des Enfants pitch in every week to prepare materials—anything from cutting boxes for “What if loudspeakers were friends?” to the construction of a simulation of a black hole for “What is a black hole?”

The Université des Enfants has 15 university students working each Saturday every academic quarter!

The université des enfants in brief:

Since its creation in 2017:

université des enfants at your school ?

• Are you part of a university, Belgian or otherwise?
• Do you find this project inspiring and wish to have something similar on your campus?
• We will gladly share our experience with you!

→Write to us at ude@ulb.be

The Université des enfants also exists in Charleroi & Mons !

support us

To meet the ambitions that the Children’s University has set itself, we need financial resources. As the programme is completely free to the public, we are dependent on subsidies and donations. Whatever the amount of your contribution, it will always be welcome, useful and put to good use.

A successful workshop or tour at the Children’s University also depends on the quality of the materials available for the activities. Do you have the means to help us? All proposals are warmly welcomed.

Activity reports