A brief history

The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the Catholic University of Leuven was formally founded in 1967. However, it has been born out of a much older institution, one of the oldest of its kind in Europe, or indeed the world. As in other European universities, the origins of the Faculty are closely linked with developments in the field of Philosophy.

In 1889 Mgr. D. Mercier founded the famous Higher Institute of Philosophy in Leuven, which had an important part to play in the international development of philosophy. Ten years before, the first psychological laboratory had been founded in Leipzig, by W. Wundt.

A. Thiéry, the first professor of psychology at the new Institute in Leuven, went to study at Wundt's Laboratory. In 1892 he founded his own psychological laboratory at the Higher Institute of Philosophy.

His most brilliant student was the young Albert Michotte van den Berck, who after completing his studies in philosophy, psychology and physiology, became an associate professor and worked at the Leuven laboratory. From the beginning he incorporated the broader perspective of the German Würzburger School, and worked alongside O. Külpe. A. Michotte was soon recognized as one of the most outstanding psychologists of his time and indeed one of the leading figures among the second generation of psychologists.

F. Collard, for his part, laid the foundations for a more vocationally-oriented course for secondary school teachers, not only at Leuven, but also in the other Belgian Universities. His efforts and those of other Belgian colleagues were rewarded when on 10 April 1890 a law was passed to regulate teacher training at universities. In this way the two cornerstones of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences were both laid before the end of the 19th Century.

Meanwhile, in Michotte's laboratory at the Higher Institute of Philosophy, a number of young scholars were working for their doctorates. These were later to become professors at various universities in Belgium and abroad. To name a few, they were F. Aveling (London), F. Roels (Utrecht), Galli (Milano) and F. Fransen (Ghent).

In 1912 A. Michotte was working on the principles of Gestalt Psychology; these developments took place parallel to but independent of the Frankfurt School. In that same year a Polish lady, J. Ioteyko, founded the "Faculté internationale de Pédologie" in Brussels. Curious coincidence perhaps, but 1912 was also the year when the well-known E. Claparède founded his "Ecole des Sciences de l'Education" in Geneva. All these activities were interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918). In 1919 the University of Brussels (Université Libre de Bruxelles) founded its Institute of Education; those who worked there included O. Decroly and J. Demoor.

In 1923 A. Michotte and the Rector Magnificus Mgr. A. Ladeuze took a new initiative: the foundation of an "Ecole de Pédagogie et de Psychologie appliquée à l'Education" (School of Educational Sciences and Applied Psychology in Education). This turned the Higher Institute of Philosophy into the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature. The core of this Institute, which was part of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, like its predecessor the Institute of Philosophy, was formed on the one hand by A. Michotte and his student A. Fauville, as far as the psychological disciplines were concerned, and on the other by young R. Buyse, a specialist in didactics and experimental education, and by the famous F. Collard, the founder of the teacher training course at Leuven, for the educational sciences subjects. Collard taught history of education and didactics of secondary education. It should be mentioned that R. Buyse had studied at the International Faculty in Brussels and had previously worked with O. Decroly. The course at the new Institute was completed by the addition of a course on philosophy of education, and a number of courses from the degrees in philosophy, medical sciences, physics and law. The course initially lasted two years for a "Licentiate" degree, followed by a third year for the Doctorate.

In 1930, the course was restructured into two cycles: a two-year "Candidature" and one further year for the "Licentiate". A further change took place in 1936, whereby the structure of the course became the same as the course in Philosophy and Literature: a two-year "Candidature" course and a two-year "Licentiate" course, optionally followed by a doctoral dissertation.

This structure was retained until 1940. It should be mentioned that until that time courses were largely taught in French, with occasional courses in Dutch. The first steps towards teaching and publishing in the Dutch language were taken in 1932, when A. Decoene, a Mercier student, presented a series of lectures on principles of education in Dutch.

Despite very limited resources, the scientific research carried out at the Institute during this period earned it a world-wide reputation. A. Michotte was one of the best-known researchers in his field, while R. Buyse played an international role in the new area of experimental education and didactics. A. Decoene later became a visiting professor at Laval University in Montreal (Canada). The Leuven school was particularly influential in Latin America, e.g., in Bogota (Columbia) where R. Buyse taught as visiting professor and in Lima (Peru) where he helped to found the School of Education. Some of the members of the academic staff of this school were trained in Leuven, namely Dr. M. Herrera Calderon and Dr. Mas Alcedo.

In Santiago de Chile, Dr. Hustado Cruchago and Dr. E. Godenir received their appointments; both were Leuven students. Even in China a School of Education was founded at this time at the University of Peking. M.E. Tshang Hwai had made his preparations for this in his doctoral dissertation at the School in Leuven, under the direction of R. Buyse. Several former students of Leuven became lecturers at the University of Montreal (Canada). Another student of A. Michotte, J. Donceel, was appointed as professor of general psychology at the Notre Dame University in New York.

The Leuven School also attracted several students from various European countries who eventually became well-known professors and scholars, such as J. Zaragüeta (Spain), E. Montalta (Switzerland), P. Fraisse (France), E. Planchard (Portugal), C. Klosak and A. Zaniewski (Poland), and I. Caruso (Russia and later Austria). Several future professors of the Institute including J. Nuttin Sr., R. Dellaert, V. D'Espallier and G. de Montpellier, also received their training here. Meanwhile the work done by A. Michotte in psychology and R. Buyse in experimental education had firmly established their international reputation.

From 1941 till 1943, the School underwent various changes. It was transformed into an Institute for Applied Psychology and Education, still associated with the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. At the same time, a special course was developed for students from other faculties, especially medical students. This shows how applied psychology began to emerge in various fields of activity such as vocational guidance, industry and psychiatry. Since that time there was both a French-speaking and a Dutch-speaking section.

J. Nuttin took on the task of organizing the new Dutch-speaking section of the Institute, especially the psychological discipline, like A. Michotte had done before him. V. D'Espallier assisted him in developing the educational sciences. The Institute closely followed new developments in both areas and took its place in the international world of research and theory development. Immediately after the Second World War (1940-1945) the newly organized Institute attracted many students from the Netherlands. J. Nuttin Sr., along with his colleagues, has continued A. Michotte's international tradition most excellently. This was a period in which a great expansion took place in the study of psychology. Differential psychology (or personality theory) were introduced and general and experimental psychology were further developed.

In 1961 this led to another change which clearly illustrates the developments which had taken place: the Institute changed its name to Institute of Psychology and Education. Two years later, the official name was changed again to Institute of Psychology and Educational Sciences, still within the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature. The change shows that educational sciences had begun to take on their own identity, reflecting the changes which were taking place within that field at the time.

At the same time, a surprisingly large influx of students and careful preparations for new staff made it possible to restructure the course. Two more or less equivalent groups emerged, with quite independent curricula, one for psychology and one for educational sciences. Most spectacular at that time was the way student numbers increased within the second group, as the demand in the labour market increased. The courses in the second cycle, the "licentiate" part of the curriculum, were reorganized into several different streams, but the diplomas retained the name "Licentiate" in Psychology or "Licentiate" in Educational Science.

In the psychology group, four streams emerged:

• A. Industrial and economic psychology (1961-62)
• B. School psychology and vocational guidance (1962-63)
• C. Clinical psychology (which eventually became a three year course, from 1965)
• D. Experimental and fundamental research (1962-63).

The curriculum in Educational Sciences also developed into four streams:

• A. Teacher training and educational management
• B. Psychopedagogics (individual guidance)
• C. Special or therapeutic education (orthopedagogics)
• D. Adult education and youth work (social pedagogics).

Recently, straems B and C were merged with each other. Processes of revision and change have also taken place here, and have resulted in further differentiation and mutual enrichment. Orthopedagogics became a three year course, and due to other new developments the first cycle was also revised. A well-balanced structure has emerged, making it possible to adjust to the labour market in a flexible way. Apart from the curricula mentioned above, new postgraduate courses were introduced in the form of seminars and courses of special lectures leading to special diplomas and certificates. One specific development at this level was the introduction of a postgraduate course in Social and Cultural Anthropology, leading to a special diploma and a special doctorate.

These significant changes within the Institute have of course been affected by wider developments within the university as a whole and in society at large. Following the trend towards federalization in Belgium, the single "Universitas Catholica Lovaniensis" divided into two autonomous universities during the turbulent years of 1966-1968. Some important reforms took place during this period. In 1967, due to these reforms and also partly due to the spectacular growth in student numbers, the Institute became an independent Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. The architect of the new structure, J. Nuttin Sr., was of course the first dean. Following further reforms throughout the university as a whole (the so-called departmentalization) the Faculty was able to transform its two groups into departments: a Department of Psychology and a Department of Educational Sciences.

Even during this post-war period, the Institute and subsequently the Faculty never lost its international reputation. A. Michotte became doctor honoris causa of Cambridge University. The Institute awarded honourary degrees to professors F. Bartlett (England), H. Murray (America), H. Thomae (Germany), J. Bruner (USA, then England), P. Freire (Latin-America, then Switzerland), C. Argyris (USA), W. Welling (Netherlands), R. Glaser (U.S.A.), B. Simon (U.K.), R. Zajonc (U.S.A.), E. Pöggeler (Germany), D. Broadbent (U.K.) and R. Snow (U.S.A.). Several branches of both psychology and educational sciences have been able to attract scholars from abroad, as is shown in the introduction to the research units.

Physical expansion and finding permanent premises has continued to be a problem. For the psychology department, the problem of premises was solved in 1974-75, with the inauguration of a new building in the Tiensestraat. For Educational Sciences, the period of wandering came to an end in 1977-78 when a renovated building was opened in the nearby Vesaliusstraat. So there are currently two Departments within the Faculty, each having their own Institute: the Institute of Psychology or Michotte Institute (Tiensestraat 102) and the Institute of Educational Sciences or Vives Institute, named after the famous Spanish-Dutch humanist and educator J.L. Vives, formerly a professor at the Old Leuven University. Both institutes are situated on the city campus, close to the famous Higher Institute of Philosophy, where it all began at the end of the nineteenth century.