"Small but impressive" describes Belgium quite well. Both the seat of the European Union and the NATO headquarters are located in Brussels, the capital city of this densely populated country. Belgium lies between the Netherlands and France – also figuratively speaking. In northern Flanders, people speak Dutch, while French is spoken in southern Wallonia. The two regions might be more divided than united, but some things can be found throughout the country, such as great architecture and delicious waffles.

With the "Partner Country of the Month" campaign, we want to shine a spotlight on the wide diversity of countries, regions and partner universities of TU Dresden that our students can explore during a semester abroad.

© panthermedia/vichie81

General facts and figures about Belgium

Capital: Brussels
Population: 11.7 million
Official language: Dutch (also called Flemish), French, German
National holiday: July 21st (inauguration of the first Belgian king)
Currency: Euro

You can find further facts, figures and information on Wikipedia, on belgium.be or e.g. on Wikivoyage.

Language matters

• Hello - Hallo / Salut
• My name is … - Mijn naam is … / Je m’appelle …

• How do you do? - Hoe gaat het? / Ça va?

• Attention! - Pas op! / Attention!

• Thank you - Bedankt / Merci

• See you later - Tot ziens / à bientôt

Of Belgium's three official languages, Dutch and French are the ones that really matter, as German native speakers only make up about 1% of the population. Both languages differ somewhat from the variants spoken in France and the Netherlands respectively. For example, numbers in Wallonia make more sense than in France: 70 is called septante and 90 nonante, instead of soixante-dix (60-10) and quatre-vingt-dix (4-20-10). But why is 80 still called quatre-vingt? Good question.

Only in federal politics is it a matter of course to be proficient in both languages. For example, the Belgian king consistently delivers his speeches in all official languages. On road signs, however, things are usually handled differently: If you want to go to Antwerpen in Flanders, you may only find signs to Anvers while in Wallonia. So it's worth knowing place names in both French and Dutch.

For studying at one of our partner universities, English language skills are usually sufficient. However, please check the exact requirements before applying.

Belgians usually speak English well, especially in cities and in Flanders. However, speaking the respective regional language will certainly help you in making friends and getting to know Belgian culture. Starting from German, you can study French in Dresden at TUDIAS (also as a preparation course for a period abroad) and both French and Dutch at VHS.

© panthermedia/siraanamwong (YAYMicro)

Did you know that ....?

• the national symbol of Belgium is a little boy peeing? In keeping with the Belgian penchant for self-irony, Manneken Pis fills up a fountain in Brussels. The little statue often gets dressed up and has an extensive wardrobe - a tradition that started with a king making amends. When French soldiers stole the statue in the 18th century, Brussels was in uproar. To calm things down, French King Louis XV declared Manneken Pis a knight and gave him a distinguished gentleman’s outfit complete with a sword and cross of honour.
• the way we imagine the earth was shaped by a Belgian? In the 16th century, Belgian cartographer Gerardus Mercator created his first world map using a projection which turns the surface of the globe into a rectangle. His representation revolutionized seafaring and can still be seen everywhere today, be it in atlases or on Google Maps. What many people don't realise is that the Mercator projection distorts the earth’s proportions when moving away from the equator, making e.g. Greenland seem much larger than it really is.
• in Belgium, there is a specially shaped beer glass for every type of beer? The individual shapes are supposed to show off the beer’s flavour profile in the best possible way. Given the wide variety of Belgian beers, that surely poses a challenge. In bars, beer is of course served in the appropriate glasses, and many Belgians have the glasses for their favourite types of beer at home.
• in Belgium, there is a specially shaped beer glass for every type of beer? The individual shapes are supposed to show off the beer’s flavour profile in the best possible way. Given the wide variety of Belgian beers, that surely poses a challenge. In bars, beer is of course served in the appropriate glasses, and many Belgians have the glasses for their favourite types of beer at home.

• the saxophone, French fries (not so aptly named) and roller skates are Belgian inventions? Belgium is also the home of the world’s first stock exchange and the country where the Big Bang theory was first proposed. The term spa also originates here, named after the city of Spa, which is famous for its mineral springs.

• Belgium and the Netherlands share the place with probably the most convoluted borders in the world? In the village of Baarle, within Dutch territory, there are 22 areas belonging to Belgium. The largest of those again contain a few Dutch areas. The crazy and confusing borders are marked by crosses throughout Baarle and often run right through houses. The position of the front door decides which country a divided house belongs to. However, this rule is not necessarily an exemption from the other country’s laws, like during the Covid pandemic, when shops sometimes needed to close only the sections located in Belgium.

© panthermedia/shock

Cooperation with TU Dresden

You can find an overview of all cooperations of TU Dresden that you can use for your exchange in our database. It is also often worth your time to ask professors in your own faculty who might have direct contacts to your partner university of choice.

Our Belgian partner universities via Erasmus+

• About Erasmus+
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Brussels
  • International Relations
  • Communication Science
  • Sociology
  • Chemistry and Food Chemistry
  • Vocational Education
  • Physics
  • History
  • Computer Science
  • Geosciences
  • German as a Foreign Language
  • Business Administration and Economics
  • Biology
• Brussels Free University
  • Architecture

• Hasselt University in Hasselt / Diepenbeek

  • Business Administration and Economics
• Ghent University
  • Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology
  • Dental Medicine
  • Biology
  • Architecture
• KU Leuven
  • Dental Medicine            
  • Catholic Theology
  • German Language and Literature
  • Medicine
  • Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology
• Université de Liège
  • Business Administration and Economics
• University College Charlemagne in Liège
  • Landscape Architecture

Don't miss...

© panthermedia/kasto

Bruges carries the well-deserved nickname "Venice of the North". Its medieval old town, crisscrossed by canals, is one of the best preserved in Europe and its splendor still bears witness to the wealth that Bruges once acquired as a center of the cloth trade. The city can be explored on foot or by boat. On bad weather days, a visit to the Chocolate Museum is worthwhile (including chocolate and praline tastings).

© panthermedia/Havanaman

In Flanders Fields Museum Ypres. Belgium was an important battlefield of the First World War. Bloody trench warfare raged for years in the surroundings of Ypres, and its traces can still be found everywhere. The In Flanders Fields Museum presents the events before and during the war in an interactive way, staying close to eyewitness accounts and people's experiences. Also worth a visit: Sanctuary Wood Museum. In its crater-strewn grounds with original British trenches, you can get a first-hand idea of life in the trenches.

© panthermedia/ACMPhoto (YAYMicro)

Brussels Flower Carpet. Every two years, volunteers transform the central market square of Brussels into a brightly coloured carpet woven of hundreds of thousands of flowers. Each time, the various patterns are inspired by a different theme, often in cooperation with cultures from around the world. You can discover the next flower carpet in August 2024.

The astronomical observatory Volkssterrenwacht Armand Pien in Ghent opens its doors every Wednesday evening free of charge. With a fully-equipped 19th century observatory and also with modern telescopes, you can observe and learn about the night sky. There is also lots of information about meteorology, and on bright summer evenings it's time to observe the sun or the panoramic view of the city.

Reading Between the Lines transforms itself depending on your perspective, sometimes appearing solid, sometimes letting you view the landscape behind it. The "see-through church" is made of thin steel plates and can be discovered close to our partner city Hasselt. There is a lot more to explore in the surroundings, preferably by bike: Have you ever wanted to cycle through treetops or at eye level with ducks?

Let's get cooking...

Belgium is home to many delicacies of the not-that-healthy kind. Delicious fries are for sale at street kiosks everywhere, with a wide range of sauces (based more on mayo than on ketchup). Belgian chocolate is world-famous for its good quality and the country is considered a praline-making paradise. Beer comes in countless varieties – including fruit beers and special trappist beers brewed by monks. And then there are the waffles... more on that later.

Like many other aspects of culture, Belgian cuisine is divided between Wallonia and Flanders. Therefore, a lot of specialties are regional rather than spread throughout Belgium. Moules frites, mussels with fries, are considered the national dish of Wallonia, while the colourful stew Waterzooi is typical of Flanders. The cuisine of Brussels is, of course, very international.

Gaufres de Liège – Liège Waffles

Belgium is famous for its delicious waffles, with two particularly important varieties. Brussels waffles are fluffy and moderately sweet, while the rich Liège waffles hold a sinful secret. Pearl sugar is baked into the batter, forming a caramelized crust. Even though Liège waffles are sold all over the country, you can find the best ones in Liège itself, e.g. at Une Gaufrette Saperlipopette. Or would you like a foretaste?

© panthermedia/PeteerS

Ingredients (makes 7-10 waffles):

• 500 g flour
• 35 g fresh yeast
• 125 ml lukewarm milk
• 125 ml lukewarm water
• 25 g powdered sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 250 g butter
• 3 g baking soda
• 25 g honey, vanillin or cinnamon – depending on your taste
• 300 g pearl sugar
• You also need a waffle iron

Preparation:

1. Make a yeast dough with the yeast, the powdered sugar, the egg, water, milk and 400 g of the flour. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.

2. Add the butter, honey (or flavouring of taste), salt, baking soda and the rest of the flour. Knead the mixture to obtain a smooth dough and let it to rise again for 10 minutes.

3. Add the beaded sugar and divide the dough into pieces that fit into your waffle iron (depending on the size of the iron, 90 to 140 g). Allow the dough to rise while the waffle iron is heating up.

4. Cook the waffles and enjoy them fresh. You can add your topping of choice. Bon appetit oder eet smakelijk!

(Many thanks to visitezliege.be!)

Contact

Have you had a great time in Belgium? Do you have tips for places and experiences that are not to be missed? We would be happy to share your experiences here, on social media or, if you want, in information events for other TUD students. Get in touch with us:

© Sven Ellger/TUD

Advice on studying abroad

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Ms Federica Serra

Infocenter/ Study abroad; TUDworldwide: America

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International Office

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