The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking research university in Brussels, Belgium. It has three campuses: the Solbosch campus, the Plaine campus and the Erasmus campus. The Université libre de Bruxelles was formed in 1969 by the splitting of the Free University of Brussels, which was founded in 1834 by the lawyer and liberal politician Pierre …The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking research university in Brussels, Belgium. It has three campuses: the Solbosch campus, the Plaine campus and the Erasmus campus. The Université libre de Bruxelles was formed in 1969 by the splitting of the Free University of Brussels, which was founded in 1834 by the lawyer and liberal politician Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen. The founder aimed to establish a university independent from state and church, where academic freedom would be prevalent. This is today still reflected in the university's motto Scientia vincere tenebras, or "Conquering darkness by science".