What Brussels Studies Institute does

The Brussels Studies Institute (BSI) is an academic research coordination network for the Brussels-Capital Region, founded in December 2010 through a framework convention between ULB, VUB, and Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles, and expanded in 2020 to include UCLouvain and KU Leuven. BSI's stated function is to serve as a contact and coordination network for multi-institutional and multidisciplinary research on Brussels, linking 57 research centres across 8 higher education institutions and mobilising 350+ active researchers (with 516 listed in its researcher database). Its product surface comprises an open-access electronic journal (Brussels Studies), a virtual library of approximately 3,600 research items (BRIO), a database tracking 12 central Brussels themes (BRIO Matrix), expert-reviewed synthesis notes (Notes de Synthèse BSI), reference books (BSI Series), accessible summaries (Reader's Digest), a bilingual FR/NL MOOC (BrOOC), and a spin-off non-academic training entity (Brussels Academy).

BSI serves four principal user groups: academic researchers seeking cross-institutional collaboration, regional policy makers and public institutions needing evidence-based input, students and educators (secondary and tertiary, including international exchange students), and the general public/civil society seeking reliable information about Brussels. All resources are provided free of charge in open access. BSI itself operates as a small core team of approximately six staff based in Ixelles/Brussels; its affiliated researchers are distributed across partner universities rather than employed directly.

The business model is not commercial. BSI is funded through institutional subsidies from the Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Innoviris (under three-year management contracts renewed in 2016 and 2019), and contributions from the five partner universities. Additional project funding flows from more than 30 public and private sources. Brussels Academy generates marginal commercial revenue from paid on-demand training alongside its free public courses, but the core BSI platform does not charge users. Distribution is entirely through self-serve digital channels (the bsi.brussels website, open access journals via OAPEN, and YouTube/LinkedIn/Facebook/Twitter), with no third-party commercial resellers.

Name

Brussels Studies Institute

Legal name

Brussels Studies Institute

Website

https://bsi.brussels

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Brussels Studies Institute (BSI) is a publicly-funded academic coordination network linking 57 research centres across five Belgian universities to produce, coordinate, and disseminate open-access multidisciplinary research on the Brussels-Capital Region for researchers, policymakers, students, and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Administration & Grants Management Support (Pre/Post-Award, Compliance) (EDAEALAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conference Proceedings & Research Reports Publishing (EDAGAFAL)

Keywords

• Academic research coordination
• Urban studies research
• Open access publications
• Interdisciplinary research network
• Policy research platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Bruxelles

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Institutional funding: BSI is funded through institutional subsidies from the Region of Brussels-Capital, Innoviris, and partner universities (ULB, VUB, Université Saint-Louis, UCLouvain, KUL Leuven). No commercial revenue model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BSI is an inter-university academic research coordination network and platform dedicated to multidisciplinary research on the Brussels-Capital Region. It connects 57 research centres and 350+ researchers across 5 Belgian universities (ULB, VUB, USL-B, UCLouvain, KU Leuven), delivering open-access scientific publications, peer-reviewed synthesis notes, a virtual library of approximately 3,600 research items (BRIO Matrix), the bilingual BrOOC online course, and free public events through its Brussels Academy spin-off.

Product overview

Brussels Studies Institute (BSI) is an academic research platform and coordination network for Brussels studies, operating as a unified platform with interconnected products rather than a modular software product. The core offerings include: the open-access Brussels Studies scientific journal, Brussels Academy for non-academic training and events, the BrOOC (Brussels Open Online Course) for online learning about Brussels, BSI Series reference publications, Notes de Synthèse BSI synthesis reports, the BRIO Matrix virtual library database, and Reader's Digest summaries. These products work together to fulfill BSI's mission of enabling easy and reliable access to knowledge about the Brussels-Capital Region for researchers, practitioners, and the general public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brussels Studies (Journal) Open-access electronic scientific journal for research on Brussels, providing a dissemination channel for researchers and accessible articles for non-specialist audiences on important topics studied and debated in the research world.
• Brussels Academy Spin-off of BSI promoting non-academic training on Brussels, offering free courses and conferences outside campus (including in cultural centres such as Molenbeek) as well as paid on-demand training for the general public.
• BrOOC (Brussels Open Online Course) The first bilingual (French/Dutch) open-access online course (MOOC) about Brussels, designed for foreign students, secondary school graduates, foreign residents, and anyone wishing to discover the multiple realities of the Brussels-Capital Region.
• BSI Series Publications Reference books on Brussels published in partnership with Leuven University Press and Éditions de l'Université de Bruxelles, also available in open access via OAPEN library.
• Notes de Synthèse BSI Synthesis notes written by a collective of authors around a Brussels-related issue, with scientific review by academic and professional experts, providing accessible integrated knowledge on Brussels.
• BRIO Matrix Virtual library bringing together approximately 3,600 research items and a database providing the most recent information on 12 central themes for Brussels and the Rand, including figures, analyses, scientific publications, and thematic fact sheets.
• Reader's Digest Summaries Accessible summaries of Brussels research for a broader public audience, translating academic findings into reader-friendly formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 research projects completed or ongoing, funded by 30+ public and private sources
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• UCLouvaincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Joined BSI in 2020. UCLouvain contributes through Louvain4City network and various research centres.
• KU Leuven (KUL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Joined BSI in 2020. Contributes through LUSI (Leuven Urban Studies Institute) network focusing on Brussels urban studies.
• Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2010Founding partner of BSI. ULB hosts the BSI team and provides institutional support. ULB researchers participate extensively in BSI research groups.
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2010Founding partner of BSI. VUB contributes researchers and hosts the Brussels Centre for Urban Studies (BCUS) which collaborates closely with BSI.
• Université Saint-Louis – Bruxelles (USL-B)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2010Founding partner of BSI. USL-B hosts the IRIB (Institut de Recherches Interdisciplinaires sur Bruxelles) which is a key network partner.
• Brussels Studies journalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization: open access electronic journal for research on Brussels. Founded in 2006, it provides a specific dissemination channel for researchers and makes articles accessible to non-specialist audiences.
• Brussels AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization and spin-off from BSI, created in 2013 to promote non-academic training on Brussels. Organizes free courses and conferences outside campus, including in cultural centres.
• Ebxl (ULB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrussels urban studies network at ULB. BSI's privileged partner for intra-university networking on urban studies.
• BCUS - Brussels Centre for Urban Studies (VUB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban studies centre at VUB. BSI's privileged partner working on urban transformation processes in Brussels.
• IRIB (USL-B)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary Research Institute on Brussels at Université Saint-Louis. Key partner for interdisciplinary Brussels research.
• LUSI (KU Leuven)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeuven Urban Studies Institute network focusing on Brussels. Contributes researchers and expertise on urban studies.
• Louvain4City (UCLouvain)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCLouvain network for Brussels studies. Contributes researchers across various disciplines to BSI projects.
• BRIO - Brussels Informatie-, Documentatie- en Onderzoekscentrum (VUB)majorTechnology or IntegrationData and research centre contributing to BRIO matrix - a database providing current information on 12 central themes for Brussels and the Rand region.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• LSE Cities: London School of Economics research centre on cities, conducting interdisciplinary urban research and producing publications and programmes on urban governance. Directly comparable as an academic-led urban research platform producing accessible outputs for policy and practitioner audiences.
• Centre for Cities: UK-based urban policy and city research institute producing independent research on city economies and growth. Directly comparable to BSI in mission (independent urban-focused research informing policy) and operating model (small core team coordinating research outputs for public/policy audiences), though serving UK cities rather than Brussels.
• Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS): Brussels-based think tank producing policy research across EU policy areas, with strong academic and policy-maker engagement. Comparable as a Brussels-based research coordination platform, though with broader EU policy scope versus BSI's urban/Brussels focus.
• Urban Institute: US-based nonprofit research organization delivering evidence-based insights on cities, housing, and social policy. Comparable to BSI in coordinating large multidisciplinary research networks and publishing accessible research outputs for policy and public use, though at much larger scale and commercial scale.
• CIVICA – European University of Social Sciences: European alliance of universities in social sciences coordinating research, education, and knowledge across member institutions. Directly comparable in model — a multi-university consortium pooling resources to produce collaborative research and education outputs.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program: Washington-based research programme within Brookings Institution focused on cities and metropolitan policy. Comparable in producing evidence-based urban research for policy audiences, but operating as part of a much broader institution and US-focused.
• Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations: Belgian think tank based in Brussels producing independent research on international affairs, EU policy, and Belgian foreign policy. Comparable as a Brussels-based independent research platform with academic linkages, though broader in thematic scope.

Others

• OpenEdition: French-based infrastructure for open-access academic publishing in the humanities and social sciences. Comparable as the publishing platform that hosts BSI's Brussels Studies journal, with adjacent enabling role in BSI's dissemination strategy.
• OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth: OECD initiative convening city leaders to share research-backed policy on inclusive urban growth. Comparable as a network producing urban policy evidence and convening academic/practitioner stakeholders around city challenges.
• Innoviris (Brussels Institute for Research and Innovation): Brussels regional funding agency providing research and innovation grants across the Brussels-Capital Region. Comparable as a Brussels-based research ecosystem actor and BSI's primary funder via management contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/bsi_brussels
• Facebookfacebook.com/BrusselsStudiesInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brussels-studies-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Brussels Studies Institute