Institute of Cultural Studies, Faculty of Arts, KU Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)

Address: Oude Markt 13
3000 Leuven
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E-mail: kris.vanheuckelom@kuleuven.be

Slavic Studies at KU Leuven was established in 1968 (following the university's division into Francophone and Flemish institutions). Initially, lectures in Russian language and literature were introduced. Between 1970 and 1974, the curriculum was expanded to include Old Church Slavonic, as well as Polish language and the history of Polish literature for the final two years of study. These classes were entrusted to the eminent Iranian studies scholar, Prof. Wojciech Skalmowski, an alumnus of the Jagiellonian University and a long-time collaborator of the Paris-based "Kultura."

A full degree program in Polish Studies was established in 1978 on the initiative of the university authorities at the time. Prof. Zofia Klimaj Goczołowa, an alumna of the Catholic University of Lublin, was invited to collaborate in preparing the full curriculum. In 1978, she was appointed lecturer of Polish language for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years of Slavic Studies, as well as Polish history.
Prof. Skalmowski continued to lecture on the Polish language and the history of Polish literature and culture for the 4th year. After his retirement in 1998, her scope of classes expanded to include the lectures previously conducted by Prof. Skalmowski. Following a subsequent reform of the Slavic Studies program, it further grew to include newly introduced subjects (a lecture on the descriptive grammar of the Polish language, analysis of Polish literary texts, and translation exercises). In this way, at the beginning of the 2000s, a Chair of Polish Language and Literature was de facto established at KU Leuven.
From 2006 to 2016—when the university authorities decided to close Slavic Studies in Leuven—the Chair of Polish Studies was held by Prof. Kris Van Heuckelom.
In the following years, part of the academic staff was transferred to the Brussels campus of KU Leuven, where Polonists began to be trained within the framework of applied linguistics.
In 2023, the Polish section was moved once again, this time to the KU Leuven campus in Antwerp.

Recording about Polish studies in Antwerp: KU Leuven - studia polonistyczne - Geopolonistyka bis.mp4

Until the closure of Slavic Studies in 2016, there were approximately 15 students in each of the four years of study. 20% were people of Slavic origin (and about 10% were people of Polish origin). The level of Polish language proficiency among students of Polish diaspora background varies depending on their family situation and the number of years spent in Poland (and in the Polish educational system).

See also:

Stammeleer An, Polonistyka na Uniwersytecie w Leuven, "Postscriptum" 1998 nr 26, s. 51-52;

Polonistyka na obczyźnie. Z prof. Zofią Klimaj-Goczołową i prof. Krisem van Heuckelomem z Katolickiego Uniwersytetu w Leuven w Belgii rozmawiają prof. Wojciech Kaczmarek i prof. Sławomir J. Żurek, „Ethos” 2008 nr 81, s. 180-198.