It is a result of a merger of MBA programmes of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and of the Instituut Professor Vlerick voor Management of Ghent University, in 1999 (which, however, have both started offering MBA programmes again since).

[3] In 1953, professor, politician, and entrepreneur André Vlerick founded the Centre for Productivity Studies and Research at State University of Ghent, which in 1983 became an autonomous school called the Instituut Professor Vlerick voor Management.

[5] In parallel, the UGent and KU Leuven continue to offer graduate courses in management and business administration, including MBA programmes, in their faculties of Management and Business administration.

[5] Vlerick presents itself as being the oldest business school in Europe[5][6] though in 2018, it is legally speaking the most recent one founded in Belgium.

[7] Vlerick has three campuses in Belgium: Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (Brussels), Ghent, and Leuven.