Ghent University (UGent) was founded in 1817 by King William I of Orange. In the past 200 years, Ghent University has employed many eminent scientists such as Nobel Prize winners and prominent persons such as Robert Cailliau (co-inventor of the Internet), Peter Piot (United Nations). Today, UGent is amongst the World’s top 100 Universities (Shanghai ARWU). As a major Belgian university, UGent count over 41,000 students and 9,000 employees. 11 faculties are composed of 117 departments which offer more than 230 high-quality courses in their scientific disciplines, each inspired by innovative research. UGent distinguishes itself as a socially committed and pluralistic university with a broad international perspective. The Marine Biology Group have been involved in the ecological and systematic research of marine ecosystems from 1970 onwards.