The Kingdom of Belgium is a federal state comprising three communities (Flemish, French and German) and three regions (Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels Capital Region). The three communities have acquired independence in a number of important areas, one of which is education. As a consequence, the educational system in Flanders is organised along different lines to that of Wallonia.

Belgium’s international character is illustrated by the fact that one in ten of the country’s residents is a foreign national. Belgium hosts the headquarters of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).