VUB launches unique interuniversity programme in Clinical Nutrition

22/01/2026

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) today launches the first interuniversity microcredential in Clinical Nutrition. This new and distinctive course is offered through VUB’s Faculty of Medicine and is organised in collaboration with the five Dutch-speaking universities in Belgium. It responds to the growing need for specialised knowledge in nutritional therapy within medical practice.

Malnutrition continues to be frequently underdiagnosed and insufficiently treated, particularly among hospitalised patients. Yet nutrition plays a vital role in prevention, treatment, and recovery. Despite this, clinical nutrition currently receives limited attention in traditional medical training, even as interest among doctors and other healthcare professionals is rapidly increasing, both in hospitals and in primary care settings.

With this microcredential, an officially recognised higher education qualification focusing on a clearly defined skill or area of expertise, VUB and its partner universities aim to support better integration of nutrition into medical care.

Prof Dr Elisabeth De Waele, VUB and Head of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics at UZ Brussels, said: “Malnutrition has a significant impact on patient recovery, complications, and quality of life, yet it still receives too little attention in clinical practice. Through this programme, we aim to support doctors and healthcare professionals in structurally integrating nutrition into medical care. This interuniversity collaboration brings together expertise across universities and disciplines, united by one common goal: better care for every patient.”

Elisabeth De Waele (copyright Lies Willaert)

The programme is aimed at doctors and other healthcare professionals, offering multidisciplinary, practice-oriented, and scientifically grounded training across a range of clinical settings. It is specifically designed to be compatible with a clinical role, using a blended learning approach that includes online lectures and hands-on workshops led by international guest speakers. Each partner university will also host in-person teaching days on campus.

With this initiative, VUB reaffirms its leading role in developing innovative and socially relevant medical education, with a clear focus on delivering high-quality patient care.