Eeklo (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Severine Vermeire from Eeklo, the 1st female rector of KU Leuven, studied at College ten Doorn, became a doctor and professor, and now leads university research and education.
As VRT News reported, yesterday, May 20, 2025, Severine Vermeire from Eeklo, in the province of East Flanders, Belgium, was named the first female rector of the Catholic University of Leuven. She attended classes at College ten Doorn in Eeklo. Severine Vermeire now lives near Leuven in Haasrode.
Being the first woman to serve as rector of KU Leuven is a remarkable achievement, said officials, considering her professionalism, teaching, research, and leadership. It is amazing to see her journey from a good student to one of the leading academic figures in Belgium. There is no doubt that she has been committed and worked hard.
“She was sweet and smart, a primus without much pretension.”
Petra Van Belleghem, classmate of Severine Vermeire
How did Eeklo’s Severine Vermeire become KU Leuven’s first female rector?
Petra Van Belleghem, a teacher at College ten Doorn, has an extremely close personal relationship with Severine Vermeire, the new rector of KU Leuven, as they were classmates for 5 years. Petra reminisces about times spent together, stating,
“We were in the same class from the 2nd to the 6th year, and I have fond memories of her.”
She remembers Severine as a reserved, very intelligent, and gentle student who consistently excelled in her studies. She mentioned that despite her academic success, Severine remained modest and preferred to avoid the spotlight, never appearing pretentious.
Besides Severine Vermeire, Rector Rik Van de Walle from Ghent University also went to school in Eeklo. Geert Faes, who speaks for the college, said that Van de Walle went to the all-boys College of Eeklo. Girls went to a different school called Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ten Doorn.
About 25 years ago, the 2 schools joined to become the mixed-gender College ten Doorn that we know today. Tony Vermeire, the head of College ten Doorn, is very proud of what former students like Severine Vermeire and Rector Van de Walle have done.
He wants the school to work more closely with universities and hopes to have former students like Severine come back. He mentioned that the aim is to find ways for schools and universities to work together better in the future, helping students from when they first start school all the way through college.
Severine Vermeire, the first female rector of KU Leuven, is from Eeklo, Belgium. Her father was a hairdresser, and her mother was an accountant. She was the oldest of 3 kids. She was a top student at College ten Doorn, getting a Latin-Greek degree in 1988. She also went to Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ten Doorn.
She studied medicine at KU Leuven and became a doctor in 1995. She was very interested in research and got her PhD in 2001. She started teaching at the Faculty of Medicine in 2005 and became a full professor in 2020. She also led research as the Research Coordinator for the Biomedical Sciences group, helping with important scientific studies.
