Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad VLIR

Overview

The Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad (VLIR)or Flemish Interuniversity Council, serves as the autonomous consultative forum for the five Flemish universities in Belgium—KU Leuven, Universiteit Gent, Universiteit Antwerpen, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Universiteit Hasselt. Established in 1976 as a foundation of public utility, it facilitates strategic inter‑university coordination and policy dialogue with governmental authorities, while operating without statutory degree-granting powers. According to uniRank, VLIR (within the broader body VLUHR since 2010) continues to occupy a central advisory position in Flemish higher education.

History and Legal Framework

VLIR was officially founded on 19 December 1976 as a “stichting van openbaar nut” (foundation of public utility), created by the universities to ensure institutional collaboration and mutual representation. Operating independently, with its own statutes and governance procedures, it is financed primarily through annual contributions from its member universities.

On 20 December 2010, VLIR jointly formed the umbrella organisation VLUHR (Vlaamse Universiteiten en Hogescholen Raad) in association with the Flemish Council of University Colleges (VLHORA). Although accreditation and quality assurance functions were largely centralised under VLUHR’s Quality Assurance Unit, VLIR retains dedicated responsibility for university‑level coordination.

Mission, Vision and Objectives

VLIR’s core mission is to safeguard a coherent, high‑quality Flemish university system by:

• facilitating sustained inter‑university dialogue on education, research, institutional governance, social policy and funding;
• formulating common policy positions to advise Flemish and federal authorities;
• coordinating collective work on staffing, student welfare, diversity, campus infrastructure and data governance;
• promoting a strong international profile for its member universities;
• overseeing the operational agency VLIR‑UOS, which manages scholarships, university partnerships and sustainable-development projects in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Governance, Structure and Independence

Governance rests with a Board of Directors (raad van bestuur) comprising nine representatives appointed by the member universities. A two-year rotating appointment of one rector as Chair governs leadership. Day-to-day operations are managed by two operational bureaus under authority delegated by the Board:

• The Rectors’ Bureau has plenary executive authority over VLIR’s general activities, except where reserved to the Board or explicitly delegated;
• The Bureau UOS manages development‑cooperation activities through VLIR‑UOS.

Both bodies may further delegate responsibilities to their chairpersons or the Secretary‑General, who is appointed through an external selection procedure. Observers from the ministries may attend Board meetings but VLIR operates independently from government control, with authority embedded in its statutes.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation

While the NVAO (Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie) holds legal authority over initial and institutional accreditation, VLIR plays a complementary advisory and organisational role within the external quality assurance ecosystem:

• It coordinates joint external visitations (peer review panels and self-assessments) for cross‑association degree programmes involving universities and colleges;
• It maintains domain working groups on education and quality policy, which help shape institutional practice;
• It still performs five‑yearly external evaluations under the VLUHR‑QAU framework, ensuring continuing compliance with the ESG (Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area).

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

VLIR is a recognised institutional member of international higher‑education networks. As part of the European University Association (EUA), it helps shape European policy discourse and advocates Flemish university interests. It also participates in the EOSC Association, engaging on open‑science objectives and research infrastructure.

Internally, VLIR’s operational arm, VLIR‑UOS, manages a variety of international programmes, notably:

• IUC (Institutional University Cooperation): long‑term capacity partnerships between Flemish universities and selected universities in the Global South;
• Scholarship streams such as ICP Connect, NETWORK, SI, TEAM and technical training (ITP);
• Development‑oriented research, training and innovation projects aligned with the UN SDGs in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

VLIR‑UOS is also a principal channel for federal funding via the Directorate‑General for International Cooperation.

Current or Future Impact on Higher Education

VLIR continues to influence major policy debates and strategic trends in Flemish higher education:

• In 2019 it launched an inter‑university human rights screening tool (mensenrechtentoets) for evaluating prospective research agreements. Following large-scale university statements in October 2023 and January 2025, member institutions agreed to suspend new collaborations with Israeli partners linked to serious human-rights violations;
• In late 2021, Flemish universities — coordinated by VLIR — successfully joined key European Universities Alliances, backed by regional and EU funds to strengthen mobility, joint research and innovation;
• From 2023 to 2025, it promoted the launch of iBOF research consortia across multiple universities, pooling over €25 million in strategic inter‑institutional research funding;
• It plays a convening role in policy advising on digital transformation, AI ethics, inclusive access, data governance, campus well‑being and post‑pandemic recovery;
• Its domain groups are actively shaping ethics, open science, foreign recruitment, knowledge security and equity policies within the university arena.

Summary

VLIR remains the primary unified consultative platform for Flemish universities, holding legitimacy as a legally independent foundation since 1976. While its accreditation role is symbolic—given NVAO’s legal remit—it continues to guide and coordinate quality assurance, policy formation and internationalisation. Through its operational agency VLIR‑UOS, it sustains major global university collaborations and scholarships. Positioned within the broader VLUHR umbrella, VLIR ensures that Flemish universities speak with one voice at national and European levels, safeguarding educational quality, ethical standards and global impact. According to uniRank, VLIR’s continued presence helps anchor a high-performing, collaborative university ecosystem in Flanders.

FAQs

1. What is the Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad?
   It is the autonomous consultative council of the five Flemish universities, coordinating inter-university policy, advising government and managing quality assurance coordination and international cooperation.
2. When was it founded and why?
   VLIR was founded on 19 December 1976 as a foundation of public utility to provide a structured platform for dialogue and mutual representation among the Flemish universities.
3. Is VLIR part of VLUHR?
   Yes. Since 20 December 2010, VLIR has been one of two founding pillars of VLUHR (the Flemish Universities and Colleges Council). However, VLIR retains a distinct university‑level remit, especially in policy coordination and international affairs.
4. Does VLIR accredit degree programmes?
   No. Formal accreditation is conducted by NVAO. VLIR organizes external quality evaluations and peer review for cross‑institutional programmes, but accreditation authority rests with NVAO.
5. What is VLIR‑UOS?
   VLIR‑UOS is VLIR’s operational agency for university development cooperation. It manages partnerships and scholarship programmes with universities in Africa, Latin America and Asia under federal and institutional funding schemes.

Organization Name

Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad
Flemish Interuniversity Council

Acronym

VLIR

Year of Establishment

1/01/1976

Control Type

Private

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

Local or Regional

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

n.a.

Address

Ravensteingalerij 27
Bruxelles
1000 Brussels Belgium

Phone

+32 (2) 512 9110

Fax

+32 (2) 512 2996

Belgian Universities members of the Flemish Interuniversity Council

• Free University of Brussels
• Ghent University
• Hasselt University
• KU Leuven
• University of Antwerp

Official Social Media Channels

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Wikipedia Article

Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad's Wikipedia article

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