For students, the primary gateway is , powered by Citrix. This is the most common "remote desktop" experience at KU Leuven. VDI allows you to use a wide range of academic software directly on your own laptop, tablet, or desktop as if it were installed locally, without the need for complex setups.

Bridging the Distance: Remote Computing at KU Leuven Modern academic life at

Remote Desktop KU Leuven is a secure remote access solution that allows users to connect to the university's network and access its resources from anywhere, at any time. The solution uses Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) technology to establish a secure connection between the user's device and the KU Leuven network. This allows users to work remotely, access university resources, and collaborate with colleagues as if they were on campus.

: When prompted for credentials, use the format LUNA\s-number or LUNA\u-number . 3. Specialized Research Environments (VSC & CS)

Files are also available via drives.kuleuven.be for general remote access. Departement Computerwetenschappen - Remote access

If you are finished with your work for the day, choose Sign Out or Log Off from the Windows start menu rather than just closing the window. Closing the window leaves your session running in the background, which consumes server memory and keeps licensed software open.

: You can access specialized software (e.g., Matlab, Eviews) and your personal H: drive storage directly through the virtual interface. 2. Connecting to a Specific Campus PC (RDP)

Students often need access to specialized lab software or shared drives. The process generally involves connecting to the VPN first.

The primary function of KU Leuven’s remote desktop infrastructure is to solve the problem of . University curricula often require expensive, resource-intensive software for statistical analysis (e.g., SPSS, Stata), engineering (e.g., MATLAB, SolidWorks), or design (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite). Expecting every student to install such software on their personal laptops, which may run different operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux) or have limited hardware capability, is impractical. The remote desktop solves this by hosting all licensed software on powerful central servers located within the university’s data centers. A student can log in from their dorm in Leuven, their family home in Genk, or a café in Brussels via a simple Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) client. To their operating system, the remote server appears as a local machine, granting them seamless access to tools that would otherwise be financially or technically out of reach.

Unsaved data on a remote server can be lost if your home internet drops out for an extended period or if the server undergoes automated nightly maintenance. Always save your active files directly to your network drives or university OneDrive accounts.

The Department of Computer Science provides a separate VDI environment for staff and, in some cases, students requiring access to specific Windows applications. This environment is accessed through a different portal.

For those who need a developer-oriented "remote desktop," particularly students and staff in the Department of Computer Science, KU Leuven provides robust command-line access via .