Fundamental and applied research is pursued with equal vigour in the university’s 22 research institutes. In the humanities, science and technology, and health sciences—the university’s three ‘sectors’—the institutes develop research policies that may be formulated around research clusters.

It is located in Louvain-la-Neuve, which was expressly built to house the university, and Brussels, Charleroi, Mons, Tournai and Namur. Since September 2018, the university has used the branding UCLouvain, replacing the acronym UCL, following a merger with Saint-Louis University, Brussels.