# State University of Leuven

> former university in Leuven (Louvain), Belgium (1817–1835)

**Wikidata**: [Q2014020](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2014020)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_University_of_Leuven)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/state-university-of-leuven

## Summary
The State University of Leuven was a state-run university in Leuven (Louvain), Belgium, that operated from 6 October 1817 until 15 August 1835. It was founded by William I of the Netherlands and later replaced by the Catholic University of Leuven.

## Key Facts
- The State University of Leuven was founded (inception) on 6 October 1817.  
- The university was dissolved on 15 August 1835.  
- It was founded by William I of the Netherlands.  
- Country: Belgium.  
- Located in Leuven (Louvain); geographic coordinates: 50.877861111111 N, 4.7006388888889 E.  
- Instance of: university; classified as a former university.  
- It was replaced by the Catholic University of Leuven.  
- It is recorded as replacing the Académie de Bruxelles and is connected in records with the Old University of Leuven.  
- Archives for the State University of Leuven are held at the State Archives in Leuven (http://www.archiefbank.be/dlnk/AE_7988).  
- Identifiers and metadata include ODIS ID OR_5348 and Freebase ID /m/0b6f9tv.

## FAQs
### Q: What was the State University of Leuven?
A: The State University of Leuven was a state-run higher education institution in Leuven, Belgium, that existed from 1817 to 1835.

### Q: When did the university operate?
A: The university was established on 6 October 1817 and was dissolved on 15 August 1835.

### Q: Who founded the State University of Leuven?
A: The university was founded by William I of the Netherlands.

### Q: What institution succeeded the State University of Leuven?
A: The State University of Leuven was replaced by the Catholic University of Leuven.

### Q: Where are the university's historical records held?
A: The archives are held at the State Archives in Leuven (see http://www.archiefbank.be/dlnk/AE_7988).

## Why It Matters
The State University of Leuven represents a defined historical phase in the institutional succession of higher education in Leuven. Founded by William I of the Netherlands in 1817, it occupied the role of a state university in the city of Leuven until its dissolution in 1835, after which the Catholic University of Leuven took its place. Because it sits chronologically between older and later Leuven institutions, the State University is a distinct entity that helps explain shifts in governance and organization of higher education in the region during the early 19th century. Its records are preserved at the State Archives in Leuven, providing primary documentation for researchers studying the period's academic, administrative, and political contexts. The clear identifiers and metadata assigned to the institution (ODIS ID, Freebase ID, coordinates, and archival references) make it traceable in historical and bibliographic databases.

## Notable For
- Being a short-lived state-run university in Leuven from 1817 to 1835.  
- Being founded by William I of the Netherlands.  
- Serving as the institutional entity that was replaced by the Catholic University of Leuven.  
- Having its archival holdings maintained at the State Archives in Leuven.  
- Being explicitly distinct from several other Leuven institutions (Old University of Leuven, Catholic University of Leuven, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, UCLouvain, University of Leuven).

## Body

### Overview
- The State University of Leuven was an officially recognized university located in Leuven (Louvain), Belgium.  
- It operated for a defined period from 1817 to 1835.  
- It is recorded as an instance of a university and categorized as a former university.

### Dates and founding
- Inception (founding) date: 6 October 1817.  
- Founder: William I of the Netherlands.  
- Dissolved/abolished date: 15 August 1835.

### Location and archives
- City: Leuven (Louvain), Belgium.  
- Coordinates: latitude 50.877861111111, longitude 4.7006388888889.  
- Archives: State Archives in Leuven; archival reference listed at http://www.archiefbank.be/dlnk/AE_7988.

### Institutional relationships
- The State University is recorded as replacing the Académie de Bruxelles and is linked in documentation with the Old University of Leuven.  
- It was replaced by the Catholic University of Leuven.  
- It is explicitly listed as different from the Old University of Leuven, the Catholic University of Leuven, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, UCLouvain, and University of Leuven.

### Identifiers and metadata
- ODIS ID: OR_5348.  
- Freebase ID: /m/0b6f9tv.  
- Wikipedia title: State University of Leuven.  
- Commons category: State University of Leuven.  
- Wikipedia language entries exist in: de, en, fr, it, la, lb, nl, uk.  
- Sitelink count: 8.  
- Topic's main category: Category:State University of Leuven.  
- Category for alumni: Category:State University of Leuven alumni (1817-1835).

### Classification
- Instance of: university; classified specifically as a former university.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.archiefbank.be/dlnk/AE_7988)
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013