Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ghent University’s Coupure campus was evacuated after 5 psychology students fell ill during an exam. 25 students went to the hospital, 70 were affected, exams were disrupted; the cause remains unclear.
As VRT News reported, a building at the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering in Ghent was evacuated this morning, Aug 26, 2025, after several students became unwell. The incident happened on the Coupure campus during an exam session. 5 students from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences fell ill during their psychology exam.
In addition, a weak burning odour spread through the facility, which raised a concern. Emergency personnel were contacted, which led to the decision to evacuate personnel from the building. The 5 affected students were transferred to Jan Palfijn Hospital for medical evaluation.
Why were 70 Ghent University students affected during exams?
The situation caused worry among other students who were present. 20 of them decided to go to the hospital on their own initiative. They were guided by an ambulance driver for further examination. The evacuation lasted for about an hour before the building was declared safe.
4 exams were scheduled that morning. 3 were linked to the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, and 1 was a doctoral defence. According to the university, 3 exams continued after the interruption, but the psychology exam faced the disruption because several students were affected.
After the evacuation, the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering decided to move its exams to other rooms on the Coupure site. The scheduled doctoral defence was also relocated so that it could continue without further delay. University staff confirmed that students who do not feel comfortable retaking their exam after the incident will be offered another opportunity of test at a later date.
The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences was more severely affected. Around 70 students were taking their psychology exam when the problems arose. That exam was cancelled and will be reorganised with advice from the students. For the time being, the cause of the incident is unclear. The fire brigade came to the building and, after an hour, confirmed that the building could be used again and reopened it.
In 2019, Ghent University faced a similar evacuation at the Blandijn campus when a strong and unpleasant smell filled the aula. Students described the odour as similar to mouldy water or sweaty gym clothes. The building was cleared and classes were cancelled as a safety measure.
The fire brigade carried out checks but found no dangerous substances inside. Investigators later suggested that butyric acid, possibly from a stink bomb, may have caused the incident. The exact source was never confirmed.
