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INTRODUCTION
Belgium is situated in Western Europe. It is bounded by the Netherlands, France,
Germany, Luxembourg and the North Sea. The country's topography is that of a
great fertile low-lying plain. The capital of the country is Brussels. The
population is 10.4 million. There are two main language communities in Belgium:
the Dutch-speaking Flemings in the north, and the French-speaking Walloons in
the south. Brussels is officially bilingual. In the far eastern part of the
country there is a small German-speaking community. The Dutch, French and
German speakers form three autonomous communities, each with its own linguistic
and cultural policies. Belgium is a constitutional monarchy with King Albert II
(who acceded in 1993) as head of state. Belgium's structure is federal in three
ways: governmentally, culturally, and territorially. On gaining independence in
1830, Belgium became a unitary state in which the decision-making power is
invested in a national parliament and a national government. Four state reforms
carried out between 1970 and 1993 have transformed Belgium into what it is
today: a country that reconciles both regional and cultural diversity in a
single federal structure. See also the federal web site, www.belgium.be, which
provides various kinds of information about Belgium.
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EDUCATION SYSTEM
The higher education system in Belgium is the responsibility of the
communities. Thus the Flemish community is responsible for education in the
Dutch-speaking part of the country, while the French community is the governing
body for the French-speaking part of Belgium. The colleges of higher education
and the universities have recently introduced the Bachelors-Masters structure,
which has been in effect from the 2004-2005 academic year on. The former higher
educational structure, which involved basic courses of one cycle, basic courses
of two cycles and academic courses, has been abandoned. Higher education under
the Bachelors-Masters structure is still divided into two types of education:
higher professional education and academic education. Higher professional
education is restricted to Bachelors courses, and is provided only at colleges
of higher education. Academic education consists of Bachelors courses and
Masters courses, and is provided both at universities and at colleges of higher
education. More information is available from the Federal Public Service of
Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Co-operation:
www.diplomatie.be
Higher Education in the Flemish Community:
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www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/download/heifl.pdf (brochure in
PDF format)
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www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/interna/Naric/default.htm
- www.enseignement.be/citoyens/index.asp
- www.cfwb.be/infosup/pg009.htm
- www.cfwb.be/equival
- www.enseignement.be/citoyens/annuaires/sup/equivalences/equivalences.asp
- www.cfwb.be/allocations-etudes
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