Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium
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- see also the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, a separate institution
There are two Royal Academies for Science and the Arts in Belgium, corresponding to the two main languages of the country, Dutch (Flanders) and French (Wallonia).
L'Académie Royale des Sciences, des Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, is the older, being first so named in 1845. The Flemish Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten, was founded in 1938, by Julius Hoste Jr.. Both societies today fall under an umbrella organisation, The Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium (RASAB), which handles the international affairs of the two regional branches of the Academy.
History
The early history of the Royal Academies for Science and the Arts of Belgium, dates back to 16 December 1772, when empress Maria Theresa of Austria founded an Academy, under the name Académie Impériale et Royale of the Sciences et belles Lettres de Bruxelles. The Academy was at that time, not only a scientific institute, but above all also a symbol of the imperial authority in the Austrian Netherlands. The building of the Academy itself was built between 1823 and 1828 in neoclassicist style, according the plans of architect Charles Van der Straeten, succeeded by Tilman-François Suys.
When Belgium became independent in 1830, it took until 1841, when the Académie Royale de Médecine de Belgique was founded. Four years later, in 1845, the original academy was renamed to Académie Royale des Sciences, de Lettres et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique. The Flemish Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten was founded in 1938.
See also
- Belgian Academy Council of Applied Sciences (BACAS)
- Francqui Foundation
- National Fund for Scientific Research
- Academia Belgica
- Academia Europaea
