Thomas More Kempen

What Thomas More Kempen does

Thomas More Kempen is a Flemish university of applied sciences (hogeschool) headquartered in Belgium, operating seven campuses across the Kempen region — Antwerpen, Geel, Lier, Mechelen, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Turnhout, and Vorselaar — alongside additional learning centers. The institution delivers a multi-tiered educational portfolio spanning three-year professional Bachelor (Professionele Bachelor) degrees, two-year practice-oriented Graduaat programs, one-year Bachelor-na-Bachelor deepening tracks, Postgraduaat specializations (minimum 20 credits), short-form Microcredentials, and Navormingen (continuing education, webinars, and inspiration sessions). It enrolls a community of nearly 22,000 students, staff, and researchers, organized across eight interest areas (business/organization/tourism, life sciences/chemistry, health/welfare, media/communication, education, design/construction, sport, technology/ICT).

The institution generates revenue through three primary streams: government-regulated tuition fees across degree and microcredential programs, public subsidies allocated under the Flemish higher-education funding framework, and fee-based professional development offerings (notably 'Vormingen op maat' custom corporate training and VDAB-aligned knelpuntberoepen courses). Applied research is delivered through seven dedicated expertise centers covering sustainable entrepreneurship and digital innovation, energy, healthcare and well-being (including the LiCalab proeftuin and Mobilab & Care), education and learning, sustainable biomass and chemistry, design and technology, and budget/financial wellbeing. The institution serves three core customer segments: prospective higher-education students (primary), secondary schools (for transition and guidance partnerships), and regional companies and organizations (for internships, workplace learning, talent recruitment, and contract research).

Distribution is hybrid: physical campus delivery across the seven locations, complemented by distance learning, regional learning centers, and work-study ('werken en studeren') programs. Student recruitment is executed through a multi-channel funnel including info evenings, open days, open lessons, parent-focused info sessions, Instagram content, and a digital layer comprising the 'Tommi' AI chatbot and a personalized brochure configurator. No proprietary technology stack, patents, or commercial API/surface are disclosed; the supporting digital infrastructure consists of the Studentenportaal, the Tommi chatbot, and standard marketing web properties. The institution operates as a non-profit under the Flemish higher-education system, with no disclosed parent company, M&A activity, or external funding rounds.

Name

Thomas More Kempen

Legal name

Thomas More

Website

https://khk.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Thomas More Kempen is a Flemish hogeschool (university of applied sciences) operating seven campuses in the Kempen region of Belgium, delivering bachelor, graduaat, post-graduate, and microcredential programs to nearly 22,000 students and researchers, with revenue from regulated tuition, public subsidies, and corporate professional training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mechelen

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 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 Fees: Government-regulated tuition fees charged to students for enrollment in bachelor, graduate, post-graduate, and microcredential programs. Fees vary by program type and student status.
2. Government Funding: Publicly funded higher education institution receiving government subsidies for educational operations and research activities.
3. Professional Development / Continuing Education: Revenue from lifelong learning programs including 'Vormingen op maat' (customized training for professionals), postgraduates, and microcredentials.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Thomas More Kempen is a Flemish university of applied sciences (hogeschool) that delivers practice-oriented higher education across degree programs (3-year professional Bachelor, 2-year Graduaat, 1-year Bachelor-na-bachelor, Postgraduaat specializations, Microcredentials, and Navormingen continuing education). It also operates seven applied research expertise centers and offers customized professional training and corporate collaboration services.

Product overview

Thomas More Kempen is a higher education institution offering a multi-level educational portfolio consisting of degree programs (Bachelor, Graduaat, Bachelor-na-bachelor, Postgraduaat), continuing education (Microcredentials, Navormingen), and research expertise centers. The institution operates across 7 campuses (Antwerpen, Geel, Lier, Mechelen, Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Turnhout, Vorselaar) and maintains 7 specialized research centers covering areas such as sustainable entrepreneurship, energy, design and technology, healthcare, and financial well-being. Student services include the Tommi chat assistant for guidance and a student portal for academic management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor (Professionele Bachelor) 3-year professional bachelor degree programs spanning Business/Organization/Tourism, Life Sciences/Chemistry, Health/Welfare, Media/Communication, Education, Design/Construction, Sport, and Technology/ICT. Aimed at secondary school graduates and career changers seeking a professionally oriented qualification.
• Graduaat 2-year practical-oriented programs providing hands-on professional education for students seeking an alternative to the longer bachelor track.
• Bachelor-na-bachelor 1-year broadening and deepening program for holders of a bachelor or master degree seeking additional specialization.
• Postgraduaat Specialization program of minimum 20 credits offered after a graduaat, bachelor, or master degree for professionals seeking focused expertise.
• Microcredential Short learning paths targeting specific knowledge and skills development for working professionals and lifelong learners.
• Navormingen Short or long-term continuing education, webinars, and inspiration sessions for professionals seeking to update or expand their skills.
• Expertisecentrum Budget en Financieel Welzijn Applied research and advisory expertise center focused on budget and financial wellbeing, offering collaboration services for organizations and policymakers.
• Expertisecentrum Duurzame Biomassa en Chemie Applied research expertise center focused on sustainable biomass and chemistry, providing research collaboration, custom research, labs, and advisory services.
• Expertisecentrum Duurzaam Ondernemen en Digitale Innovatie Applied research expertise center focused on sustainable entrepreneurship and digital innovation, offering research collaboration, advisory, and training for organizations.
• Expertisecentrum Energie

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 22,000 individuals in the Thomas More community (students, staff, researchers)

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Secondary SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with secondary schools for study guidance, transition support, and educational collaboration. Includes practical support and advice for teachers and school management, study choice guidance with experience-based offerings, and training programs for teachers.
• Companies and OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for internships and workplace learning (werkplekleren), talent recruitment, student project collaboration, becoming an institutional partner, research and advisory services, and professional training offerings.
• VDAB (Flemish Employment Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration providing training programs for in-demand occupations (knelpuntberoepen), helping address labor market skills gaps.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• KU Leuven: Belgium's largest and most prominent research university offering a full spectrum of bachelor, master, and doctoral programs; broader incumbent in the Flemish higher-education market whose academic positioning contrasts with Thomas More's practice-oriented hogeschool model.
• University of Antwerp: Major Flemish research university in the same Antwerp regional market as Thomas More; broader incumbent competing for the same secondary-school graduates but with research-university positioning rather than applied-science focus.

Direct peers

• Odisee University of Applied Sciences: Brussels/Flemish hogeschool offering professional bachelors across technology, health, business, and education; comparable multi-campus Flemish university of applied sciences with similar teacher-training and applied-research offerings.
• AP University of Applied Sciences: Antwerp-based Flemish university of applied sciences offering professional bachelor and graduaat programs across multiple campuses; closest direct peer given overlapping Antwerp regional catchment and similar hogeschool positioning.
• LUCA School of Arts: Flemish university of applied sciences focused on arts, design, and music across multiple campuses; directly comparable as a Flemish hogeschool delivering practice-oriented programs with overlapping applied-research and corporate-partnership models.
• VIVES University of Applied Sciences: West-Flanders university of applied sciences offering bachelor, graduaat, and post-graduate programs with multi-campus delivery; comparable Flemish hogeschool with similar applied-education positioning.
• Karel de Grote Hogeschool: Large Antwerp-based hogeschool offering professional bachelor programs across business, technology, health, and education; directly comparable as a multi-campus Flemish university of applied sciences competing in the same regional market.
• Howest University of Applied Sciences: West-Flanders hogeschool offering bachelor and graduaat programs across creative, technical, and health disciplines; comparable multi-campus Flemish university of applied sciences with similar applied-research and corporate-partnership emphasis.
• HOGENT: Ghent-based university of applied sciences delivering professional bachelors and graduaats with multiple campuses; directly comparable Flemish hogeschool with similar practice-oriented positioning and government funding model.
• UCLL University of Applied Sciences: Leuven-Limburg-based hogeschool formed from a merger, offering professional bachelor and post-bachelor programs; comparable as a multi-campus Flemish university of applied sciences competing for similar student segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/thomasmore_be

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 Thomas More Kempen