Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its agricultural engineer/bioengineering diploma
In 2020, the faculty celebrates the 100th anniversary of the title of "Agricultural Engineer", which has since become "Bioengineer".
A brief look back in time...
Founded in the 10th century by Saint Guibert, the Benedictine abbey of Gembloux was at that time home to a monastic school and an abbey church.
With the rhythm of wars and fires, the original abbey underwent numerous modifications until its complete reconstruction between 1762 and 1785. The monastery was completely rebuilt by the architect Laurent-Benoît Dewez, who designed the new cloister buildings in neo-classical style. Only a few years later, in the wake of the French Revolution, the monks were expelled and the abbey was put up for sale.
This exceptional real estate heritage, surrounded by dozens of hectares of the best land in the country, was the perfect place to found the Agricultural Institute in July 1860. It was directed by Phocas Lejeune, laureate of the famous Grignon agricultural school, and officially opened on January 8, 1861.
Initially, the training provided at the Institute lasted three years and issued a "certificate of ability". Graduates of the Institute will be called "agricultural engineers".
On November 15, 1919, a law reorganizes the higher education in agriculture: the title becomes "agricultural engineer" and the duration of studies is increased to four years.
In 1920, the Agricultural Institute changed its name to "Institut agronomique de l'État".
In 1965, the Institute became the 'Faculté des sciences agronomiques de l'Etat' and then, in 1994, the 'Faculté universitaire des sciences agronomiques de Gembloux'.
In 2009, the University Faculty became part of the University of Liège and the agricultural engineers changed their titles to bio-engineers.
