July 6, 2026

Invesis and Belfius join forces to deliver 38 new schools in Flanders

On 1 July 2026 Scholen op Maat (SOM), the partnership between Invesis and Belfius, signed a contract with the Flemish Community for the construction of 38 new schools. SOM will deliver the second lot of the ambitious school infrastructure D(design)B(build)F(finance)M(maintenance) programme ‘Scholen van Vlaanderen’. SOM will be responsible for the development, financing, construction and long-term maintenance of 38 new Flemish schools, creating capacity for more than 20,000 pupils and representing an investment of circa EUR 500 million. Through this partnership, both parties demonstrate their commitment to investing in projects with meaningful societal value.

Investing in the future

With their appointment for Lot 2 of DBFM programme ‘Scholen van Vlaanderen’, Invesis and Belfius affirm their ambition: to deliver sustainable school infrastructure for future generations.

David Swarbrick, Chief Investment Director – Invesis:

“We are honoured that SOM has been selected for this ambitious programme. Together with the Flemish Government, AGION, the school boards and all partners involved, we want to contribute to the delivery of sustainable and future-proof school buildings that are ready for the challenges ahead. High-quality educational infrastructure is an investment in pupils, teachers and society as a whole.” Dominique van der Span, Business Development Director Belgium – Invesis adds: “We are proud to further build our growing portfolio of sustainable educational infrastructure in Flanders through this programme. This appointment confirms our commitment to establishing and maintaining a stable long-term relationship together with schools and partners.”

Mario De Vry, Executive Director Wholesale & Public Banking, member of the Management Board – Belfius:

“Schools are a cornerstone of our society. They are places where knowledge grows and talents flourish, where the future of our children and our communities takes shape. At Belfius, we believe that creating sustainable, innovative and safe learning environments is not merely an assignment, but a societal mission that fits perfectly within our ‘Planet & Society’ strategy. This award of Lot 2 confirms our expertise in financing and supporting high-quality social real estate. It enables us to help build the future of Flemish education.”

Scholen op Maat: Invesis and Belfius combine their expertise

Within the SOM consortium, Invesis is responsible for the overall coordination at programme level, including the thirty-year maintenance period, through to the termination of the DBFM contract (Design, Build, Finance & Maintain) for the final school project. In addition, Invesis, together with School Invest, invests directly in the individual school building projects and, in collaboration with Belfius, provides robust and sustainable financing structures.

Belfius is already providing pre-financing and acts as delegated contracting authority for the 38 schools. Belfius supports the individual schools from the design phase through to commissioning, safeguarding quality, planning and budget throughout the process.

DBFM programme ‘Scholen van Vlaanderen’

‘Scholen van Vlaanderen’ is a large-scale school construction programme of the Flemish government consisting of 3 lots. Through public-private partnership, the program focuses on the renewal and expansion of educational infrastructure in Flanders.

The programme uses the DBFM formula, in which the private partner is responsible for the development, design, financing, construction, and long-term maintenance of the schools.
With the appointment of the SOM consortium of Invesis and Belfius for Lot 2, the Flemish government is taking another important step in its ambition to provide students and teachers with access to high-quality, future-oriented learning environments that strengthen the quality of education in Flanders

Lot 2: 38 schools, 176,000 m², 20,000 pupils

Lot 2 comprises 38 school projects spread across Flanders and 176,000 m² of additional school infrastructure, representing an investment of circa EUR 500 million. It contributes to further strengthening educational capacity and the quality of the learning environment for more than 20,000 pupils.

SOM relieves the school boards throughout the entire process. The SOM consortium:

  • supports school boards in translating their ambitions into a tailor-made school;
  • develops these ambitions further into feasible projects;
  • organises the financing;
  • and is responsible for guiding the design, construction and long-term management of the infrastructure.

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