First European president is K.U.Leuven alumnus

On 19 November, Herman Van Rompuy, a K.U.Leuven alumnus, was appointed the first permanent President of the European Council. He will take office on 1 January, and will chair the council until 31 May 2012. Van Rompuy had previously served as Prime Minister of Belgium from 30 December 2008 until 25 November 2009. On behalf of the university, Rector Mark Waer congratulated Van Rompuy upon his appointment.

Herman Van Rompuy attended K.U.Leuven from 1965 until 1971. During that time, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Law and a Master’s degree in Economics, as well as being awarded the degree of Bachelor of Philosophy.

Last May, Campuskrant interviewed Van Rompuy, and he reflected back on his student years at K.U.Leuven: “Mark Eyskens taught me ‘General Introduction to Economics’. He was brilliant; everybody hung on his lips. My father (Victor Van Rompuy - red.) was also a professor of economics at K.U.Leuven. The day that his life’s dream became a reality was the very same day I started the economics programme. I studied economics in a very classical, literary way. I wrote my thesis under the supervision of Eyskens and Karel Tavernier, who was later the managing director of K.U.Leuven. My thesis presented the position that all the greatest economists throughout history have predicted the end of the economy.”