Unlike most other European countries, Luxembourg didn't have its own university system for many years. With the foundation of the University of Luxembourg in 2003, however, Luxembourg now offers a proper university education.
The University of Luxembourg offers Bachelors, Masters Degrees,Doctorates and other special courses. The new university now combines the former University Centre ( Centre Universitaire), a technology institute ( Institut Supérieur de Technologie – IST), an international institute ( Institut Universitaire International) and two teacher training institutes (the Institut Supérieur d’Etudes et de Recherches Pédagogiques – ISEEP and the Institut de Formation pour Educateurs et Moniteurs – IFEM).
These institutions offer a variety of courses, from first and second year university level programmes to a four-year technical diploma in industrial engineering. The two teacher training institutes specialise in training teachers for the Luxembourg state school system, and their programmes are open only to Luxembourg citizens. There are postgraduate programmes in law, economics and European studies, open to the international community, and a postgraduate course in European law. The Centre Universitaire also offers a variety of programmes and seminars in the humanities, law and economics throughout the year.
Each of the various programmes has its own requirements (for example, you must have a postgraduate law degree for admission to the programme in European law), and all higher education requires a secondary school completion certificate equivalent to those awarded in Luxembourg schools.
Most higher education programmes require a perfect command of both French and German, although some of the shorter programmes and seminars are run in English. For further information about higher education in Luxembourg, contact the Département de l’Enseignement supérieur, Ministère de la Culture, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, 20 Montée de la Pétrusse, 2273 Luxembourg (Tel. 0478-6633) or go to the website of the University of Luxembourg (www.uni.lu ).
This article is an extract from Living and Working in Holland, Belgium & Luxembourg.