A European capital
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a founding member of the European Union, United Nations, NATO and Benelux, reflecting its political consensus in favor of economic and political integration. Today Luxembourg can boast of being not only an internationally important economic and financial hub, but also a European capital and home to numerous international institutions. In fact, Luxembourg City is, together with Brussels and Strasbourg, one of the three official capitals of the European Union and the seat of the European Court of Justice, the highest juridical instance in the EU. With an area of 2,586 square kilometres (999 sq mi), Luxembourg is one of the smallest sovereign states in Europe, and it has a total population of 563,000 inhabitants (01.01.2015).
Research at the University of Luxembourg
Luxembourg is an ideal location to conduct pioneering research and offer excellent academic training. The University of Luxembourg (UL) has been founded on 13 August 2003 and it is a research-oriented university, focusing on the creation of new knowledge. Systems Biomedicine is among its most prominent high-priority focus areas. In this context, the university has established a research centre, the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB). The LCSB focuses its research on the analysis of biological mechanisms with a special emphasis on neurodegenerative diseases, the initial focus being on Parkinson’s disease. The LCSB cooperates with the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) in Seattle, USA, with some doctoral candidates spending time researching at both universities, and sharing their knowledge. The other focus areas defined in the four-year plan of the University of Luxembourg are: Security, Reliability and Trust in Information Technology, International Finance, European and Business Law, Education and Learning in Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts. The Luxembourg School of Finance (LSF) is the Finance department of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance at the University of Luxembourg. It has the mission to evaluate, deal with and anticipate future financial crises.
Located at the heart of Europe
Luxembourg is strategically located in the heart of Europe, between Germany, Belgium and France. Linked to the rest of Europe by a wide road network, numerous air connections from its international airport and rail connections (e.g. TGV from Paris), Luxembourg is accessible from several locations in Europe. Its central location has historically made it of great strategic importance to numerous powers, dating back to its founding as a Roman fortress, its hosting of a vital Frankish castle during the Early Middle Ages, and its role as a bastion for the Spanish Road between the 16th and 17th centuries.
A multicultural and multilingual country
Luxembourg is a land of meeting and exchange, where more than one third of the local population holds a foreign passport. More then 150 different nationalities live in Luxembourg: Portuguese, French, Italians, Belgians, Germans, etc. The country’s linguistic system is based on the use of three languages: Luxembourgish, the national language, French and German (the administrative languages), with English widely spoken as well. Its geographic location places Luxembourg City less than half an hour away from France, Belgium and Germany. This amazing mixture of nationalities and cultures reflects in all aspects of Luxembourg society through the use of languages, in gastronomy, the arts, leisure, sports, etc.
Fascinating nature, historical heritage and sustainable developement
From the vine-growing slopes of the Moselle Valley to the rugged hilltops of the Ardennes, via the famous Land of the Red Rock still bearing the marks of a glorious industrial era, the rocky outcrops of Luxembourg’s “Little Switzerland” or the verdant Gutland at the heart of which nestles the city of Luxembourg: the country offers a multitude of sumptuous landscapes. Preserving its natural sites, harmoniously developing its urban centres, promoting the pure quality of everyday life: the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a staunch adherent to the principles of sustainable development. Well aware of the richness of its natural, cultural and human resources as well as its extraordinary diversity, its people always keep the needs and the well-being of future generations in mind. Luxembourg not only offers a multitude of lovingly preserved natural landscapes but it also bears constant witness to its rich history as well as its outstanding architectural, cultural and industrial heritage. A number of these sights have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage.
Economy and safety
Luxembourg is a highly developed country, with an advanced economy and one of the world’s highest GDP per capita. The Grand Duchy also holds a trump card when it comes to political stability and the safety of people. For years in row, Mercer’s annual quality of Living Survey places Luxembourg among the safest capital cities in the world.