When the Catholic University of Belgium moved from Mechelen to Leuven in 1835, the unused buildings were used to host the newly founded École de Commerce et d'Industrie (School of Trade and Industry), which was inaugurated in 1838.
The department prepared candidates for the higher liberal arts certification that would qualify them to enroll for a university law degree.
In 1925, the university founded HEC Saint-Louis [fr] (Hautes études commerciales), Belgium's first independent business school, together with its Dutch-speaking counterpart, EHSAL (St. Aloysius College of Economics).
Also, the university established the world-renowned School of Philosophical and Religious Sciences, founded by Cardinal Mercier.
[6] In 1965, the Faculty of Economic, Social and Political Sciences (ESPO) was established and the university's name was later changed to the plural Facultés universitaires Saint-Louis.
In 2013, HUB was reorganized and today comprises the KU Leuven campus Brussel, and the vocational college Odisee.
Saint-Louis' main campus is located on the northern edge of the historic inner city, opposite the Botanical Garden of Brussels across the small ring road.
[14] New lecture theatres were built, including the institution's largest auditorium, a new library, a new multi-purpose room for 1300 people, and a residence with about 100 student apartments.
The buildings of the Marie-Haps campus are located on either side of rue d'Arlon and historically in the Hôtel Beernaert.
For example, it is the only Belgian university organising bilingual or trilingual bachelor's (with its sister university, KU Leuven campus Brussels); Erasmus programmes in social and human sciences; evening schedules; and the possibility of completing double bachelor's degrees in the majority of majors.
Chairs of the School of Philosophical and Religious Sciences are always public and have included Paul Ricœur, Michel Serres, Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe, Cornelius Castoriadis, Jean-Luc Nancy, Jacques Lacan, Tzvetan Todorov, Alain Touraine or Pierre Bourdieu.