Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is a medium-sized (almost 16.000 Students & 6,500 Staff) research-led university, with the primary objective of providing students with academic education in humanities, sciences and technology. VUB has 8 faculties: Economy & Social Sciences, Sciences & Bio-Engineering Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Psychology & Educational Sciences, Law & Criminology, Medicine & Pharmacy, and Art & Philosophy. VUB is providing 108 Dutch-taught programs, 34 English taught masters & advanced master programs, 8 English taught postgraduate certificate programs, 5 double degree engineering master programs, and 3 multidisciplinary doctoral schools.

About the VUB Chair of Social Entrepreneurship

The VUB Chair of Social Entrepreneurship was launched in 2015 within the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences and Solvay Business School. Prof. dr. Nikolay Dentchev was appointed as Chair. The chair is currently founded by BNP Paribas Fortis, Close the Gap and Euroclear. The main objective of the VUB Chair of Social Entrepreneurship is to bring together both academia and business, NGO’s and public organizations in search for sustainable business models of social entrepreneurship. Our mission is to become a centre of excellence for social entrepreneurship in Belgium and abroad. The VUB Chair of Social Entrepreneurship aims at becoming an internationally recognized center of excellence through our scientific research and hands-on support of social entrepreneurs. Currently has 4 fulltime PhD students at VUB, 1 posdoctoral researcher and 4 joint PhD students abroad (Bolivia, Ecuador and Bulgaria).

Over the last five years, the VUB Chair of Social Entrepreneurship received much visibility in Belgium and abroad. The VUB networks allowed us to have access to numerous contacts with academics and practitioners. We realized that the development of supportive ecosystems for social entrepreneurs can greatly contribute not only to the development of theoretical knowledge but also to society at large. The VUB Chair of Social Entrepreneurship seeks to leverage on several initiatives and projects we are currently leading in Europe and abroad: We are currently the coordinators of project such as VLIR IUC in Bolivia (P5), SEfficiency (VLIR Joint) and ERMIScom (Erasmus + Strategic Partnerships)