Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Leuven’s UCLL University of Applied Sciences, led by Kristel Van Merlo, saw a 20% rise in Nursing, Midwifery, and Dental Care enrollments, surpassing 12,000 students and growing to 17,000 total.
As VRT News reported, Leuven’s UCLL University of Applied Sciences has reported a sharp rise in enrollments for its Nursing, Midwifery, and Dental Care programs this year. The number of students has grown by 20% compared to last year, with 150 more students choosing these courses. Enrollment in these programs usually moves only slightly from year to year.
Why are enrollments rising at Leuven’s UCLL University of Applied Sciences?
Kristel Van Merlo of UCLL says these students “are good with people and curious about the human body.” While these programs have traditionally attracted mostly female students, more boys are now joining. Experts say the rise highlights the strong appeal of healthcare education in Leuven.
“We don’t have a definitive cause, but we do have some suspicions,”
says Van Mierlo.
The increase is partly due to TV programs. Many healthcare jobs are also shortage occupations. Students often find work right after graduation and sometimes start at the same place where they did their internship. This year, UCLL surpassed 12,000 students for the first time. Management programs remain the most popular, with enrollments up 10%.
Van Mierlo says,
“We’re hearing calls from the field for more employees. These professions are important to society, so we’re very pleased that we can play a role in filling these and other shortage occupations.”
Teacher training programs are also seeing steady growth. Preschool education programs recorded a 40% rise in registrations this year. Graduate programs are expanding too, with 300 new students enrolled.
UCLL University of Applied Sciences was established in 2014 as the result of a merger of the formerly independent Katholieke Hogeschool Limburg, Katholieke Hogeschool Leuven, and Groep T. UCLL has seen rapid growth, reaching over 17,000 students in the 2024-2025 academic year, on 8 campuses throughout the cities of Leuven, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Genk, and Diest.
UCLL provides students with 22 professional bachelor’s programs, nine advanced bachelor’s programs, and 46 post-graduate certificate programs. The university is a member of the KU Leuven Association and the E³UDRES² alliance.
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