European School, Brussels III

The European School, Brussels III is one of the thirteen European Schools and one of the four located in Brussels. Founded in 1999, it is located in the Brussels municipality of Ixelles (Elsene). The school combines nursery, primary and secondary education, with 3,097 students enrolled at the start of the 2018–2019 academic year, spread over seven language sections (English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Greek and Czech).[2] The school priotises the children of European Union (EU) staff for enrolment purposes, with others able to enrol provided there is capacity. Transport links to the school campus include Delta station and Hankar station which provides metro, bus and suburban rail services.

European School, Brussels III
Schola Europaea
Address
Map
Boulevard du Triomphe, 135

,
1050

Coordinates50°49′17″N 4°24′02″E / 50.8213°N 4.4005°E / 50.8213; 4.4005
Information
TypeEuropean School
Established1999
Operated byThe European Schools
DirectorMicheline Sciberras
GenderMixed
Age range4 to 18
Enrolment3,237[1] (2023-2024)
Student Union/AssociationThe Pupils' Committee
Sister Schools12 European Schools
DiplomaEuropean Baccalaureate
Websitewww.eeb3.eu

History

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The first European School in Brussels was founded in 1958 with the primary purpose of providing an education to the children of officials of the Brussels-based institutions of the European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community, which had been established that same year. Subsequent enlargement of the European Communities - and later European Union -, the consolidation of European institutions in Brussels, and increasing staff numbers to correspond to deepening levels of European integration all increased demand for places within the European School system in Brussels. This resulted in the addition of a second school in Brussels in 1974, before the European School, Brussels III was founded in 1999.[3]

Following the so-called "Big Bang" EU enlargement of 2004 and the consequent arrival of additional EU staff, a surplus of students attempting to enrol in the school led to the opening of the European School, Brussels IV in the Brussels suburb of Laeken. A fifth European School, on the site of the former NATO headquarters, was due to open in September 2019, and has since been delayed to September 2021.[4][5][6]

All European Schools have the same goal set by Jean Monnet, inscribed in Latin and buried in the foundation stones on their respective campuses. Translated into English, it reads:

"(…) Educated side by side, untroubled from infancy by divisive prejudices, acquainted with all that is great and good in the different cultures, it will be borne in upon them as they mature that they belong together. Without ceasing to look to their own lands with love and pride, they will become in mind Europeans, schooled and ready to complete and consolidate the work of their fathers before them, to bring into being a united and thriving Europe.”

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Board of Governors of the European Schools. "Données sur la rentrée scolaire 2023-2024 des Ecoles européennes" (PDF). Office of the Secretary-General of the European Schools. p. 2. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  2. ^ Board of Governors of the European Schools. "Facts and figures on the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year in the European Schools" (PDF). eursc.eu. Office of the Secretary-General of the European Schools. p. 7. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  3. ^ European Schools (2013). European Schools, 1953-2013 (PDF). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. doi:10.2842/11549. ISBN 978-92-9188-143-7.
  4. ^ Hope, Alan (29 July 2018). "Fifth European School to take over former site of NATO". The Brussels Times. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  5. ^ "New European School will open in Brussels in 2021". The Brussels Times. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Green light for new European School in Evere". The Bulletin. 2 February 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.