Van Rompuy to lecture at UCL

The outgoing European Council president Herman Van Rompuy will be a guest speaker at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL) from October 6. In his first duty for UCL, he will lead a conference called ‘L’Europe dans la tempête’. From the second semester, when he will no longer have to fulfil any presidential duties, he will continue his stay at UCL, reports Le Soir.

Van Rompuy “will be a guest lecturer with us and will pass on his learning and knowledge to master’s students in European studies,” said Vincent Dujardin, president of the Institute for European Studies.

Van Rompuy had already lectured in 1980 and 2004 at Antwerp and Brussels. “UCL was the first university to grant me an honorary doctorate, at the start of 2010. I am grateful to it,” said Van Rompuy, confirming that he used to like teaching.

Rumour has it that the outgoing European Commission president José Manuel Barroso is also contemplating taking up work at UCL in a few months’ time.