ABSTRACT
In 1835, the recently created nation of Belgium numbered four universities. Two were state supported, the others were based on ideological premises, but none were Dutch-speaking. At the end of the nineteenth century, the lower socio-economic status of the Flemish people introduced a new phase within the Flemish Movement. Withdrawing from the traditional emphasis on literature, higher education in the mother tongue became a major claim, as it was considered pivotal to the emancipation of the Flemish people. Quite soon, this claim was naturally applied to Ghent University, the only state university actually situated in Flanders. The traditional opening of the academic year belongs among the strongest traditions of university life. At Ghent University, this ritual, established in 1817, was a decorous affair, a grand occasion in which students, professors, and the city elite took part. The building where this ritual took place was the Aula, a magnificent monument erected in 1826, which followed neoclassical architectural styles.
