Karel de Grote University College

What Karel de Grote University College does

Karel de Grote University College (legal entity: Katholieke Hogeschool Antwerpen vzw) is a Flemish publicly funded hogeschool headquartered at Brusselstraat 45, Antwerp, operating nine campuses across the Antwerp metropolitan area and serving approximately 13,000 students with between 1,001 and 5,000 employees. Founded in 1995, it offers 39 professional and academic bachelor programs, graduate degrees, bachelor-after-bachelor (Banaba) tracks, postgraduates, micro-credentials, and short professional development courses, organized across six thematic domains: Business & Management, Technology & IT, Health Sciences, Education & Pedagogy, Social Sciences, and the Arts (via the Sint Lucas Antwerpen School of Arts). Differentiated practice-based infrastructure includes a high-fidelity Skillslab for nursing simulation using VR and mannequins, a Fablab digital fabrication facility, and six applied research centers running 322 active projects across 20 research domains.

The institution monetizes through a hybrid model anchored by regulated Flemish Community subsidy and student tuition, layered with fee-based continuing education (KdG Academy), customized corporate training (Bijscholing op Maat), and ancillary services (e.g., external library memberships at EUR 10/year). Pricing for self-paid programs is modest — Banaba full-time EUR 1,157, Advanced Master EUR 3,096.10 for 60 credits, two-day navormingen at EUR 150 per session — reflecting the public-funding model in which government per-credit subsidies carry the bulk of operating economics. Distribution is multi-channel: on-campus across nine sites, distance/online, employer-paid workplace learning via partnerships such as Project 600 and the VDAB teacher-retraining scheme, and international exchange programs with English-taught masters.

Customer-facing segments include prospective school-leaver students, working professionals pursuing continuing education, healthcare and education sector practitioners, career changers entering teaching via the Educatief Graduaat, and businesses commissioning applied research or customized training. The institution is governed as a non-profit association (vzw) with no parent company, no private equity or venture backing, and no disclosed M&A pipeline; it operates under the regulatory framework of the Flemish Community with an alumni network exceeding 50,000 graduates that supports regional placement and ongoing lifelong-learning revenue.

Name

Karel de Grote University College

Legal name

Karel de Grote Hogeschool, Katholieke Hogeschool Antwerpen vzw

Website

https://kdg.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Karel de Grote University College is a Flemish publicly funded hogeschool in Antwerp, Belgium, operating nine campuses and serving roughly 13,000 students through 39 bachelor and graduate programs across business, technology, health, education, social sciences, and the arts, with a practice-based Skillslab and Fablab, six applied research centers, and a lifelong learning division (KdG Academy).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (61171), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Graduate Schools of Education (M.Ed., Ed.D., Ph.D.) (EDAHAFAB), Technical Universities with Architecture, Built Environment & Design Engineering (EDAHAEAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Applied sciences programs
• Professional bachelor degrees
• Continuing professional development
• Vocational teacher training

Headquarters

HQ city

Antwerpen

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrolment Fees: Revenue from tuition fees for bachelor, master, and continuing education programs. Fees vary by program type, with application fees for advanced masters (139.40 euros) and tuition for postgraduates/micro-credentials.
2. Continuing Education and Professional Development: Revenue from KdG Academy offerings including navormingen (professional development), studiedagen (study days), postgraduates, and micro-credentials for working professionals and recent graduates.
3. Library Membership Fees: External visitors pay 10 euros/year for library membership; alumni pay 5 euros/year. Students and staff of Associatie Antwerpen receive free membership.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Karel de Grote University College is a multi-campus Flemish higher education institution that delivers practice-oriented bachelor, associate degree (graduaat), postgraduate, and advanced master programmes across business, IT, health, education, social sciences, and the arts. Through its KdG Academy division it sells continuing-education, micro-credential, banaba, and custom corporate training to working professionals and organisations. It also operates specialised learning infrastructure (Skillslab, Fablab, multi-campus libraries, six applied research centres) that supports both instruction and industry collaboration.

Product overview

Karel de Grote Hogeschool (KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts) is a multi-campus higher education institution in Antwerp, Belgium, operating under the Catholic university college charter. The institution offers a comprehensive portfolio of degree programmes across bachelor's (professionele and academische bachelors), associate degrees (graduaten), bachelor-after-bachelor (banaba), postgraduate (postgraduaat), and micro-credential formats. The core degree offerings span 39 bachelor and associate programmes organised into six major domains: Business & Management (including Bedrijfsmanagement, HRM, Organisatie en Management, Rechtspraktijk), Technology & IT (Toegepaste Informatica, Chemie, Autotechnologie, Biomedische Laboratoriumtechnologie, Multimedia en Creatieve Technologie, Medische Beeldvorming en Radiotherapie), Health Sciences (Verpleegkunde, Vroedkunde), Education & Pedagogy (Lerarenopleidingen Kleuter/Lager/Secundair, Orthopedagogie, Pedagogie van het Jonge Kind), and Social Sciences (Sociaal Werk). The institution also operates Sint Lucas Antwerpen as its School of Arts, and KdG Academy as its lifelong learning division providing professional development through postgraduates, refresher courses, and custom corporate training. Applied research is conducted through six research centres covering healthcare, education, social inclusion, public impact, pedagogy, and sustainable industry. The institution also provides student services including a multi-campus library with specialist collections, a high-tech nursing skillslab, a Fablab maker facility, and an alumni network of over 50,000 graduates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bacheloropleidingen (Bachelor Degree Programmes) Professional and academic bachelor degree programmes across disciplines including business, IT, health, education, and social sciences, offered full-time, part-time, or as flexible work-student trajectories.
• KdG Academy (Lifelong Learning)

Quantifiable outcome

• 2901 graduates in 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sint Lucas AntwerpencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2026Sint Lucas Antwerpen is part of KdG and hosts the School of Arts, offering the Advanced Master of Research in Art and Design. It provides art and design education including graphic design, sculpture, architecture, photography, and contemporary art programs.
• StopalzheimerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch center Zorg in Connectie's project DOMUS-DEM was selected as one of six laureates for psychosocial dementia research in Stopalzheimer's annual research call.
• University of AntwerpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Associatie Antwerpen. Students can access libraries across all Associatie institutions including University of Antwerp, AP Hogeschool, and Hogere Zeevaartschool.
• AP HogeschoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of Associatie Antwerpen allowing shared library access and potential collaborative programs.
• Various Secondary SchoolsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnerships with secondary schools for student recruitment, work placement opportunities, and collaborative education projects.
• VDAB (Flemish Public Employment Service)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerVDAB supports job seekers wanting to become teachers in shortage subjects by refunding tuition fees and maintaining unemployment benefits during studies.
• Healthcare Organizations (Project 600)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare sector employees can study nursing with salary preservation through Project 600, with support for both private and public sector workers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AP Hogeschool: Antwerp-based Flemish hogeschool and direct Associatie Antwerpen partner. Operates in the same city and region as KdG with overlapping applied-sciences bachelor programs in business, health, education, and technology, competing for the same Antwerp student pool.
• Thomas More Hogeschool: Large Flemish university of applied sciences with comparable portfolio of professional bachelors, teacher training, and applied research. Direct competitor for Flemish students and continuing-education professionals.
• UCLL (University Colleges Leuven-Limburg): Flemish hogeschool formed from the merger of KHLeuven and XIOS, with similar scale and program breadth across education, health, business, and technology. Comparable in applied-research activity and teacher-training focus.
• Artevelde University of Applied Sciences: Ghent-based Flemish university college offering professional bachelors and postgraduates with strong applied-research centers. Directly comparable in size, mission, and portfolio breadth to KdG.
• VIVES Hogeschool: Flemish university college with campuses in West Flanders, offering comparable professional bachelor and continuing-education programs across healthcare, education, business, and technology.
• HOGENT: Ghent-based hogeschool with broad applied-sciences portfolio and active research centers. Directly comparable in scale, mission, and applied-research emphasis to KdG.
• Odisee Hogeschool: Flemish university college with multi-campus model (Brussels and Flemish periphery) and similar program mix in health, education, social work, and business — a direct structural peer.
• Howest University of Applied Sciences: West Flanders hogeschool known for technology-, media-, and creative-technology-focused programs. Comparable applied-sciences positioning with emphasis on practice-based learning similar to KdG's Fablab and Skillslab facilities.
• Erasmushogeschool Brussel: Brussels-based Flemish university college with comparable professional bachelor and postgraduate portfolio, including healthcare, education, and business programs. Competes with KdG for Brussels- and Flemish-region students.
• PXL Hogeschool: Hasselt-based Flemish university college with a similar applied-sciences profile, including teacher training, healthcare programs, and technology tracks. Comparable in scale and continuing-education activity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kareldegrotehogeschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karel-de-grote-hogeschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/verpleegkunde.kdg
• Xx.com/kdghogeschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Karel de Grote University College