About University Foundation Centre
A personalised pathway into university, built in Belgium.
University Foundation Centre brings together international academic standards, personalised support, and a premium study environment to help students progress confidently into higher education.
Our identity
Transforming potential into achievement
UFC exists to support students who need a clearer route into university through personalised pathways, rigorous academic preparation, and values-based mentorship.
Inspire achievement
Provide structure and guidance
Equip students with transferable skills and enduring values
What makes UFC distinctive
UFC is positioned as a partner of NCUK and delivers a structured route designed to bridge the gap between secondary education and undergraduate study.
The centre is based at Château d'Argenteuil in Waterloo, just south of Brussels, offering a distinctive educational environment in Belgium.
The wider vision is not only academic progression, but the development of confidence, leadership, independence, and long-term professional readiness.
Leadership
Meet the leadership team
Experienced professionals dedicated to guiding students towards university progression and long-term success.
Joyce Connell-Cousins
Director for University Admissions
Joyce is an educational consultant and entrepreneur with a previous career in UK Government. She holds an BA (Hons) and MA (Oxon) from Oxford University in History and an MSc from Birkbeck University (London) in Public Policy and Management with a comparative dissertation on global education systems.
With over 20 years’ experience, she has created tailored programmes to help UK and international students secure places at leading universities across UK, US, Canada and Hong Kong. She leads a Scholars Programme based on her Oxbridge Mentoring syllabus for schools in UK, Africa, Middle East and China and for beneficiaries of UK social mobility programmes.
She is also co-founding trustee of Insight Outreach, a charity dedicated to widening access to world-class universities and helping students reach their full potential.
Stan Idelsen
Director for Strategy and Business
Stan graduated with an MSc in Nuclear Engineering from Liège University, and in parallel to his career has taught and supported both IB and A Level students in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, and Business Studies, as well as Students in many Engineering topics. He is providing university preparation and admissions support for prestigious Engineering Faculties. He brings together decades of engineering, B2B business consultancy, and 11 years managing his own GreenTech.
He has taught and supported students in Maths, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Business Studies, university preparation, and admissions support.
His approach is practical, solution-oriented, and grounded in real-world examples, with a strong track record of supporting students with a wide range of learning profiles.
Yasmin Hollis
Director of Operations & Academic Programmes
With over 20 years of tutoring experience and extensive work across international and local systems in Australia, Indonesia, and Europe, Yasmin brings deep experience in personalised education.
Her doctoral work focuses on how teachers responsively differentiate their strategies to meet the diverse needs of international students.
She is committed to helping students feel understood, supported, and challenged, while building pathways that respect individuality, aspiration, and long-term growth.
Why families trust UFC
Built on clarity, progression, and support
International accreditation
Clear progression route
Personalised support
Premium campus environment
Global university destinations
Campus and contact
Château d'Argenteuil
UFC is situated among the woodland and meadows of the Argenteuil estate in Waterloo, just south of Brussels, offering a premium campus environment for focused study and international progression.
Ready to learn more about UFC?
Explore the programme, discover the pathways, and take the next step towards a more secure route into higher education.
See the programme in detail