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Alumni

The Fulbright Commission in Brussels is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the thousands of alumni who have participated in Fulbright exchanges to and from Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union over the past seventy-five years.

Around the world, Fulbright alumni have gone on to achieve distinction in government, science, the arts, business, philanthropy, and education. Among the ranks of Fulbright alumni are 62 Nobel Prize recipients, 78 MacArthur Foundation Fellows, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 41 current or former heads of state or government.

In Belgium alone, alumni of the Fulbright Program include politicians, diplomats, university rectors, CEOs, and award-winning artists and musicians. While the list below is by no means exhaustive, some of our prominent alumni can be found below.

Notable alumni

Alexander De Croo

  • 2000s, 2002-03
  • Northwestern University

Belgian politician; Prime Minister of Belgium (2020 – present)

Alexia Bertrand

  • 2000s, 2004-05
  • Harvard University

State Secretary for Budget of Belgium

Austan Goolsbee

  • 2000s, 2006-07
  • London School of Economics

American economist

Benjamin Dalle

  • 2000s, 2005-06
  • NYU

Belgian politician

Berengere Deprez

  • 2000s, 2006-07
  • Harvard University

Belgian novelist

Bernard Coulie

  • 1980s, 1987-88
  • Dumbarton Oaks

Former Rector of UC Louvain

Charles Beauduin

  • 1980s, 1985-86
  • Harvard University

CEO and owner of Michel Van de Wiele NV

Dirk Achten

  • 1990s, 1994-95
  • Harvard University

Belgian politician

Ernest Samuels

  • 1950s, 1958-59
  • University of Liege

Pulitzer Prize Winner (1965)

Fientje Moerman

  • 1980s, 1981-82
  • Harvard University

Belgian politician

François-Xavier de Donnea

  • 1960s, 1964-65
  • UC Berkeley

Belgian politician, including: Former mayor of the City of Brussels and Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region

Françoise Thoma

  • 1990s, 1995-96
  • Harvard University

President and Chief Executive Officer of Banque et Caisse d’Epargne de l’Etat

Georges, Count Jacobs de Hagen

  • 1960s, 1962-63
  • UC Berkeley

Businessman, including: Chairman, Board of Directors of Delhaize Group and Chairman, Board of Directors of UCB Group

Gregoire Dallemagne

  • 1990s, 1998-99
  • University of Chicago

CEO, EDF Luminus

Herbert Glejser

  • 1970s, 1973-74
  • Harvard University

Belgian economist

Herman De Croo

  • 1960s, 1961-62
  • University of Chicago

Belgian politician, including: Member of the Flemish Parliament and the Open VLD

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve

  • 2000s, 2005-06
  • Harvard University

Belgian economist

Jean Hamilius

  • 1950-51, 1950s
  • Cornell University

Luxembourgish politician, including: Minister for Agriculture, Public Works (1974-79) and Member of the European Parliament (1979-81)

Jean-Pierre Hanin

  • 1990s, 1992-93
  • Georgetown University

CEO of Cofinimmo

Josy Barthel

  • 1950s, 1953-54
  • Harvard University

Luxembourgish Olympic athlete

Katherine Anne Porter

  • 1950s, 1954-55
  • University of Liege

Pulitzer Prize Winner (1966)

Koen Lenaerts

  • 1970s, 1977-78
  • Harvard Law School

President of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Koenraad, Baron Debackere

  • 1990s, 1991-92
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Professor, Managing Director at KU Leuven (former)

Liebrecht Vanbeckevoort

  • 2000s, 2006-07
  • New England Conservatory

Belgian concert pianist, including: Finalist, 2007 Queen Elisabeth Competition

Luc Frieden

  • 1980s, 1987-88
  • Harvard University

Luxembourgish politician; Prime Minister of Luxembourg (2023 – present)

Melchior Wathelet

  • 1970s, 1975-76
  • Harvard University

Belgian politician

Paul De Grauwe

  • 1970-71, 1970s
  • Johns Hopkins University

Belgian economist and John Paulson Professor in European Political Economy at the London School of Economics and Political Science

Paul Nihoul

  • 1980s, 1988-89
  • Harvard University

Judge on the ECJ General Court

Peter Vandermeersch

  • 1990s, 1997-98
  • Harvard University

Journalist; CEO of Mediahuis Ireland

Petra De Sutter

  • 1990s, 1991-92
  • Reproductive Genetics Institute

Gynaecologist and Politician; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and the Postal Services of Belgium (2020 – present)

Pierre Wunsch

  • 1990-91, 1990s
  • Princeton University

Governor of the National Bank of Belgium

Pol Descamps

  • 1950s, 1958-59
  • Harvard University

Senior Strategic Advisor, Howest

Samuel Cogolati

  • 2010s, 2013-14
  • Harvard University

Belgian politician