The then recently opened high-speed rail link from Ashford, near Canterbury, to Brussels, made such trans-border educational cooperation technically feasible.
The partnership was extended to include Professor Eric Remacle, then director of the Institute for European Studies (IES) of the Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), and the idea for a trilateral inter-institutional program in International Relations was born.
The original concept was for a master's program to be offered in Brussels, in English, taught by members of staff from all three institutions, with the degree conferred under the seals of all three universities.
Dr Jarrod Wiener was seconded from Kent in 1998 to found the program, now called the "Brussels School of International Studies", and there was participation in teaching from all three universities.
In 2000, market demand dictated that Kent's flagship MA in International Conflict Analysis be launched in Brussels, and Dr Christopher Daase was appointed as its first program director.
The School now hosts eight permanent members of academic staff across a range of subjects - conflict, development, migration, political strategy, diplomacy, foreign affairs and international law.