Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Scholengroep Vesalius is closing 4 nursing campuses (Deinze, Ronse, Sint-Niklaas, Bruges) due to a drop in students (1,116 to 380 in 2 years). General manager Kristof Van Look aims to improve quality by focusing on Aalst, Ghent, Kortrijk, and Ostend.
Belgian Scholengroep Vesalius, which offers a basic nursing course, is closing 4 of its 8
campuses. This decision comes after a significant drop in student enrollment, leaving the program financially unsustainable. Officials mentioned that the campuses in Deinze, Ronse, Sint-Niklaas, and Bruges will close at the end of the academic year.
The remaining campuses in Aalst, Ghent, Kortrijk, and Ostend will continue to offer the program. They mentioned the challenges facing higher education, particularly in the delivery of vocational courses. Despite the closures, students in the region will still have access to nursing education.
“This decision was made out of necessity,”
Says Kristof Van Look, general manager of GO! Stroom school group.
“The number of students has dropped from 1,116 students to 380 students in 2 years. That is a huge drop, so it is therefore impossible to continue offering this education qualitatively at 8 locations.”
Why is Scholengroep Vesalius closing 4 campuses in Belgium?
The decision to close 4 campuses wasn’t just about fewer students. The school group, GO! Stroom also had to consider funds and the condition of the buildings. They mentioned that keeping all 8 locations open was too expensive, and some of the buildings weren’t in good shape.
The school group also looked at where students live and their partnerships with hospitals. They decided to close the campuses that were least effective and cost-efficient. They mentioned that this means that the remaining campuses will be able to offer the same quality of nursing education with the resources they have.
“The costs that we pay to organize education at a certain location are too high. This includes rent, cleaning costs, energy and so on,”
Says Van Look.
The Education Inspectorate has criticized the program’s quality, saying it doesn’t meet standards. This has raised concerns about how well students are learning. An employee, who didn’t want to be named, told the problems come from years of poor management. There have been many leadership changes, which have led to inconsistent rules and a lack of a clear plan for the future.
The school group’s general manager, Kristof Van Look, agrees that the program hasn’t been successful in the past and that they need to make big changes to fix it. This suggests they are aware of the need to improve the program and rebuild trust with students and the public.
“We want to organize the training more qualitatively through a renewed training program in 4 city centres.”
Kristof Van Look
Starting September 1st, 2025, the program will only be offered in 4 cities: Aalst, Ghent, Kortrijk, and Ostend. The school group believes this will lead to better management, upgraded facilities, and stronger connections with local hospitals.
According to the general manager, Kristof Van Look, they want to “restart” the program and offer a better education. He also stresses the importance of training nurses and hopes to expand the program in the future. By focusing on these 4 locations, the school group hopes to attract more students.
“We are aware of the social importance of the training. We want to make the training grow again in this way and perhaps expand it further,”
Says Van Lock.
