Number of international students rises again in 10th year of English-taught programmes at Thomas More
Starting with 5 programmes in 2016, the educational offers now encompasses three campuses a decade later
When Thomas More first launched English-taught programmes in the 2016–2017 academic year, it did so with just five programmes in Mechelen: four bachelor's degrees and one postgraduate course.
Ten years on, that offering has grown considerably, and students can now also study at Campus Geel and Campus De Nayer in Sint-Katelijne-Waver. Thomas More now offers 10 English-taught bachelor's programmes and 6 English-taught postgraduate programmes.
Since then, the number of incoming international students has grown every single year - this academic year alone, by almost 5%.
An international outlook
The university of applied sciences' international community has now grown to 2,000 students in total. Thomas More currently has students enrolled from no fewer than 147 countries.
The new Faydherbe residence for international students has just opened on Campus De Vest in Mechelen.
This strong international presence is also shaping the institution's policy, as international awareness grows across Thomas More and its services are adapted accordingly.
"International students bring the world to our campus. That's an asset for every student. They learn to collaborate across cultural boundaries, preparing themselves for a job market that is becoming ever more international," says President Stijn Coenen.
To meet growing demand, a new postgraduate programme, AI for Media, will launch in February 2027. September 2027 will bring two more Business postgraduate programmes, along with Thomas More's very first English-taught bachelor's-after-bachelor's programme: Applied Audiovisual Communication: Film and Virtual Production.
A warm welcome
The International Support Team welcomes incoming students —quite literally. Student “buddies” take several new fellow students under their wing, picking 'their' students up from the airport on arrival and helping them find their way around campus. That support continues throughout their studies at Thomas More, and even afterwards.
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"A warm welcome from our International Support Team really does make a difference. For our international students, this isn't just the start of a new degree — it's the start of a new life in another country. That's why it matters so much to us that, from day one, they feel that they are welcome here, they can turn to someone with questions, and they feel at home," says Annik Schellens, Manager of International Programmes.
New international students have now been welcomed during the Arrival Week. During Orientation Week, they receive practical information, join guided bike tours, and get a taste of Belgian festive culture at a Belgian Evening — fries included, of course.
Buddies supporting newcomers
Bence Horvath, from Hungary, is now in his third year of International Journalism at Thomas More. He lives on the Kruidtuin campus in Mechelen and feels very much at home there. "I love campus life and living and cooking together," he says. He and his fellow students regularly cook dishes from their home countries for one another — and, naturally, they throw plenty of parties too.
Before starting his degree at Thomas More, Bence was already working as a journalist for RTL Luxembourg. His International Journalism qualification from Thomas More is set to give his media career a further boost. A keen sports fan — football in particular — he supports KV Mechelen and dreams of working for the club one day. Bence has since gotten to know Belgium well, having taken the train to Dinant, Hasselt, Ostend and Ghent. As a working student, he also writes for the Brussels Times.
Bence has friends from across Europe, as well as from Belgium. He's good friends with Ariadne Uriña Nadal, a Spanish student in her second year of International Communication & Media, who is active with ESN (the international student association). Together with her colleagues, she organises activities for international students, including Movie Nights, day trips to cities and theme parks, and Game Nights.
Thomas More is also investing further in building a sense of community: student support service STUVO offers discounts on student activities that strengthen group spirit.
One of the students Bence mentors is Telma Hanzena from Latvia, who is following the same programme as him. She first heard about Thomas More at a Latvian education fair and chose to come to Belgium for the quality of its education and range of study options. Telma arrived in Belgium on 5 September, and her International Journalism programme starts next week. She admits it's "exciting and a little scary," but is deeply grateful for the support of her buddy and the university. Through Thomas More's housing database, she found student accommodation and now lives there alongside around 40 other international students. She's hoping to visit many more cities during her studies, both in Belgium and beyond, and is full of praise for how easy it is to get around by train from Mechelen. Next on her to-do list: learning Dutch and French.
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HEROES
All Thomas More students can go on exchange or placement in partner countries, collaborate with fellow international students on real-world projects, and take classes taught by guest lecturers from across Europe. Current projects include labour market participation, AI in the world of sport, and European entrepreneurship pathways. The common thread running through it all: resilience — the ability to adapt in a fast-changing world.
Because Thomas More places such strong emphasis on internationalisation, the university of applied sciences also leads the European university alliance HEROES, which brings together nine practice-oriented universities and universities of applied sciences. Sofie Mols, Director of Innovation and Internationalisation at Thomas More, is also President of HEROES.
"What inspires me every day is the belief that we're stronger together. Ten years of international programmes at Thomas More show just how important that cross-border collaboration is. With HEROES, we're now building further on that foundation: a European alliance in which our students — Flemish and international alike — strengthen their resilience. Europe faces major challenges, but the leaders who will tackle them are sitting in our classrooms today. It's up to us to give them the right skills to do so."
Sofie Mols