BRUSSELS IS OUR CAMPUS WE ARE EUTOPIANS
BRUSSELS 27.06.22 - 01.07.22
VAN HARTE WELKOM BENVENUTI HERZLICH WILKOMMEN WELCOME BIENVENUE BIENVENIDA BEM-VINDO VÄLKOMMEN BINE ATI VENIT BENVINGUT DOBRODOŠLI SCAN ME for the EUTOPIA week programme.
COLOFON Publisher Jan Danckaert, rector a.i. Coordinator Willem-Jan van Ekert Editing Lisa Bradshaw, Linda A. Thompson, Sally Tipper, Willem-Jan van Ekert Realisation Lize De Potter, Ann Van Driessche, Sarah Geneviève Janssens Photography Thierry Geenen, Bram Tack, Hung Tran, Saskia Vanderstichele, ID/Sander de Wilde Design Cousto Production Albe de Coker. Gedrukt binnen een ecologisch productieproces. Information eutopia@vub.be
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A WARM
WELCOME VUB rector ad interim professor Dr Jan Danckaert is a EUTOPIA Strategic Board Member. For him, the alliance of ten European universities means constantly refreshing how he thinks. “We were very proud that VUB was among the first 17 projects in Europe, with the original EUTOPIA alliance. For VUB, it was strategically crucial that we were there at the start, because it’s clear that the European Commission has very ambitious plans for the reform of the European Higher Education Area, as well as the European Research Area. Belonging to that select group of European universities is a bit like playing in the Champions League. The Commission is reorienting its funding streams, so when other calls are launched alongside the European Universities Initiative, there’s a strategic advantage if you belong to one of these alliances. The ten universities of the EUTOPIA alliance have three qualities in common: student-centred, inclusive and place-making, which means the institution interacts with the region or city where it is located.” What does EUTOPIA mean for you personally? “Caroline Pauwels, Luk Van Langenhove and I were believers from the very beginning. For me, EUTOPIA is a constant refreshing of my way of thinking. It takes me out of my comfort zone, and by coming into contact with other universities that are organised in a different way, you learn to put common goals first. That’s enriching. We were one of the architects of the concept of connected learning communities, in which we connect professors and of course units from the different universities.” What are the biggest challenges for EUTOPIA? “The concept of connected learning communities is widened to include connected communities where education, research and place-making come together. Shaping them is quite a challenge. A second challenge we face is that in the beginning the networks were rather top-down: rectors and university boards drew up the strategy. Now we have to go a step further, we have to go further down the organisation. As many staff and students as possible should be able to interact directly with EUTOPIA, for example through a course unit in one of those learning communities. That way they get more experience without having to go abroad.” How connected are you to Brussels? “I live a few hundred metres from the Atomium. I don’t just feel like a Brussels native, I also have a multilingual family; my wife is Spanish. So I feel the European identity in my personal life too. I find the multilingualism, the multiculturalism, the most beautiful characteristics of Brussels. There’s also the layered character of the city. When you get to know Brussels better, you make new discoveries time and again.”
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BRUSSELS A DIVERSE CITY WITH ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES WHAT? QUOI? WABLIEF? When moving about in Brussels, you hear a lot of different languages. That’s no coincidence, because the city is a melting pot of cultures. With 35% of the population of foreign origin, you can expect a rich cultural environment. Brussels is home to the EU institutions and several affiliates, NATO HQ, diplomatic representation offices, headquarters for many international companies, NGOs, trade associations, one of the world’s largest press corps, as well as a whole host of international and European schools.
THE LARGEST STUDENT CITY IN BELGIUM Brussels is a friendly and vibrant home to 110,000 students, 29% of whom are international. Located in the capital of Europe, VUB attracts students from all corners of the world thanks to its excellent and varied English-taught academic offer and reasonable tuition fees.
RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE AND ART SCENE The baroque facades of the Grand Place are impressive. Brussels has an enormous amount of cultural heritage. But it’s also an ever-growing centre for contemporary art, attracting artists from all over the world. The wide variety of museums, theatres, art galleries, concert halls and festivals ensure a vibrant and cosmopolitan way of life. The ‘fear of missing out’ in Brussels is a real concern.
It goes without saying that Brussels offers unique career opportunities. As the home to more than 2,000 international organisations and companies, it offers a wide range of internship possibilities and future career options. Flagship areas include ICT and communication, life tech, finance and law consulting, communications and media agencies, and creative industries.
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Photo by Najib Samatar on Unsplash
BUILD A NETWORK AND A CAREER
Why EUTOPIA? EUTOPIA goes beyond the narrow and traditional project-based approach of most EU funding and instead requires institutional-wide thinking and delivery. We should be ambitious and aim for nothing less than a unified, single-campus approach to how we deliver education, research and shared services.
“THE ALLIANCE IS ALSO ABOUT OPEN SCIENCE AND ABOUT CITIZEN SCIENCE AND ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP.” Carmen Mazijn is a EUTOPIA-TRAIN Student Representative and a PhD researcher at VUB, working on an interdisciplinary project on artificial intelligence in which she studies the technical and social implications of AI algorithms that make decisions about people. “We investigate whether or not they’re fair, how to define fairness and how to intervene when things go wrong.”
“During EUTOPIA week, I hope to meet potential partners during the visit to the AI Experience Center.”
“I don’t work at the European level yet myself, but EUTOPIA does offer possibilities, for example, by applying for funding to visit one of the partners to develop possible shared research projects. During EUTOPIA week, I hope to meet potential partners during the visit to the AI Experience Centre on VUB’s Etterbeek campus.” “I’m the PhD student representative on the management board of the EUTOPIA TRAIN project, which aims to transform research and innovation at European universities. The idea is that we can create added value instead of doing everything separately. We are an alliance of universities from all corners of the continent and together we want to improve the internal processes that support researchers in applying for grants. The alliance is also about open science, which is an important subject for the European Commission, and about citizen science and academic leadership. We’re going to work closely together on this, play out best practices and develop things at the alliance level.”
AMBITIONS “The ambitions should go very far. Studying and doing research at a university is not something you can just do at your desk. Simply interacting with people who have a different view of social problems will help with the development of you as a person and
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as a researcher, and also of research itself. We live in Europe, where so much is possible. I think it’s normal for us, as a European university, to strive to give all our staff and students the opportunity to discover the world and gain different insights. The ten universities have come together because they share a common vision of education and research. All ten have an open mind towards their regions in order to have an impact on society. Most of them are not the largest universities in their countries either, so local anchoring plays a relatively large role. For our network, it’s really about updating our own processes and seeing what can be improved. And what it means to be a university. Something like this is easier as the alliance of young, dynamic universities that we are now.”
JONATHAN MILLINS, EUTOPIA HR POLICY OFFICER, BORN IN SUSSEX, UK
KIM HARDIE, EUTOPIA INTERNATIONALISATION WORKING GROUP MEMBER, BORN IN ASSE, BELGIË Why EUTOPIA? For EUTOPIA I am a member of the current WP6 work package ‘Open to the world’ on internationalisation topics and projects. EUTOPIA could become an international research and learning hub that will hopefully entice students and staff to move around the ten European campuses but also further afield beyond Europe. Getting our students motivated to participate in the multitude of opportunities that EUTOPIA gives them, is the biggest challenge. Why Brussels? Brussels is home, an anchor, a place where as an international citizen I can feel at home with so many different nationalities and multicultural events and activities, while also having a tie-in to all that Brussels, Belgium and the locals have to offer.
TUUR ROELS, EUTOPIA KNOWLEGDE VALORISATION OFFICER, BORN IN GHENT, BELGIUM Why EUTOPIA? It’s a vision on the European University of the future, a European University that knows no borders and that puts the European citizen in the centre. The biggest challenge is putting theory into practice. We are all unique institutions bound by our own regional legal regulations. It’s not just agreeing to work together; it takes a whole different approach, way of thinking and way of work to make it happen. Why Brussels? Brussels is the city where I spent several amazing years as a student and it is the beating heart of Europe. My favourite neighbourhood is the Grand Place; I also like all the city’s beautiful, hidden parks.
IN LOVE “I started studying in Brussels ten years ago and immediately fell in love with the city. I love living and working here; there’s always something to do, to discover. There are so many people to meet, so I’m glad my university is in a city like Brussels. And so much is possible here. We have a good connection with the city and the municipalities through VUB’s weKONEKT.brussels project. Our partners also have the same view of their own cities, their own regions. That’s why all kinds of urban projects will be developed within EUTOPIA. Meanwhile, our cities are networking with each other.”
Why Brussels? Brussels means diversity and openness. Everyone is welcome in Brussels and can make a home for themselves here. I really love the commune of Jette, a small, mostly residential commune, often called a village in the city, on the edge of Brussels. Jette has lots of green spaces including a forest, plenty of excellent family-owned cafes and restaurants, and the second-largest Sunday market in Brussels.
Why EUTOPIA? I am doing a PhD at VUB and my current research is concerned with intercultural communication, sustainability and social impact. It focuses on the media representation of the global debates over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action – also known as the Iran nuclear deal – to examine the crucial role of news translation in mediating between languages and cultures in conflictual situations. Special attention is paid to the role of news translation in the (re)construction of new realities in society, which is often achieved through discursive (de) legitimation, and the inclusion and exclusion of social actors and actions. In addition, I am a EUTOPIA Teamwork 2022 participant.
MASOUMEH RAHIMI, EUTOPIA TEAMWORK 2022 PARTICIPANT, BORN IN TEHRAN, IRAN
Why Brussels? It’s a cosmopolitan city with diverse cultures and languages. I love the beautiful Art Nouveau buildings. Brussels is a living city full of creativity, energy and wonderful inhabitants. I feel at home here. My favourite neighbourhood is Auderghem. I mainly love the green scenery, the amenities, the shopping centres and restaurants, the easy access to public transportation, the proximity to VUB and the wonderful Woluwe Park.
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RAF DEVOS, EUTOPIA LEAD FOR HR, BORN IN OSTEND, BELGIUM
“EUTOPIA IS THE REALISATION OF A DREAM.” When the first European University projects were announced in 2017, Dr Rosette S’Jegers, EUTOPIA coordinator for Education and Students, was working for the Flemish Interuniversity Council. She soon made her contacts at VUB aware of the need to register for the EU call.
‘ Our cooperation with Brussels is now combining for the first time with the city’s European characteristics.”
“I thought VUB should take part in this opportunity to bring about a renewal of education on a European level. With VUB rector Caroline Pauwels, the vice-rectors and Luk Van Langenhove, we made initial contact with the institutions we wanted to work with in a new alliance. From my background as vice-rector for Education at VUB, I began to build, with Jan Danckaert, the educational model that we would develop in the alliance. This is how the European story started for me, and I became coordinator for all subactivities related to the development of the EUTOPIA educational model.”
DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS “All partners felt agreement on recognising activated learning: a learning process in which the traditional teacher-student role is blurred. Instead they build a course together, often with stakeholders from society who inspire the process by offering challenges that education must respond to. It formed the basis of the EUTOPIA approach. Its benefits increase when it can play out on a European scale. The student’s contribution is therefore more enriching than only at the local level. With our Connected Learning Communities, we want to enable teachers and students to collaborate across campus boundaries.”
WHAT EUTOPIA MEANS “It’s the realisation of a dream. Innovation in education is a much slower process than renewal and innovation in a research context. If we want to cooperate in
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education across institutions – which is something that’s been promoted since Bologna – we encounter difficulties because every educational process is highly regulated at the national level. We’re trying to work together without taking the institutional differences into account too much. We’re experiencing lots of positive results from this in our Connected Learning Communities. It’s the continuation of an educational renewal that we’ve been working on for more than 20 years. Thanks to Europe, we now have the chance to step off the beaten track and experiment with international cooperation. And that will have much more influence than the traditional student exchanges and programme exchanges.”
TIES WITH BRUSSELS “An urban environment is very important for the education model and for EUTOPIA universities because we are very quick to be inspired by societal challenges. Our task is: how are we going to use the knowledge of the universities and offer it to the stakeholders who need it? VUB has long had close ties with Brussels. It’s a special city, and special for Europe too. Our cooperation with Brussels is now combining for the first time with the city’s European characteristics. We’ve already reached the local actors in the Brussels public sector, culture and industry. Through EUTOPIA, we’re also going to actively involve European Brussels in our learning process. I’ve lived here since I was 18, when I came to study at VUB. I was immediately attracted by the attitude. I’ve not left Brussels since.”
Why EUTOPIA? For me, EUTOPIA is an opportunity to contribute to a better world from a European perspective, to conquer darkness with science. Every staff member and student should help spread EUTOPIA. Together with the HR directors and vice-rectors, I assist with the core tasks; we ensure that EUTOPIA works like a well-oiled machine for academics, professionals and students. Why Brussels? Brussels is my city and where I feel at home, even though I was born on the coast and I live in Antwerp. The pedestrian zone around the Stock Exchange building always makes me happy.
HIRA SOHAIL, EUTOPIA TEAMWORK 2022 PARTICIPANT, BORN IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN Why EUTOPIA? One of the biggest challenges EUTOPIA addresses is the increasing intolerance among societies, and how society is becoming polarised due to a variety of reasons. There are differences that divide; at the same time, there are so many shared experiences and goals that we could work toward together, and that is where we need to focus our energies. Why Brussels? From a rich history and heritage, to a vast array of cuisines that are easily available, there is always something worth exploring. My favourite place is the Parc du Cinquantenaire. Interesting activities frequently take place at this park, so I enjoy how lively and busy it is year-round. There are also great food spots in the area, making it a lovely destination to hang out with friends.
ROMAIN MEEUSEN, EUTOPIA INTERNATIONALIZATION WORKING GROUP MEMBER, BORN IN ROTSELAAR, BELGIUM Why EUTOPIA?
EUTOPIA is our important European Strategic Partnership; it’s our investment in the future of European higher education. The biggest challenge for the alliance is to find sufficient funding. I assist with making EUTOPIA a success at the management level. Why Brussels?
It is the capital of Europe, so obviously also the centre of EUTOPIA.
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A BIRD'S EYE VIEW EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT
“REACH OUT TO SOCIETY AND WEIGH IN ON POLICY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.” Luk Van Langenhove, EUTOPIA Academic Lead for VUB, was there at the start of this unique partnership between ten universities.
‘ Demonstrating what is possible. Our connected communities, which are EUTOPIA’s signature dish, will play an important role in this.”
“The ten EUTOPIA universities are all aware of the importance of localisation, or placemaking. The city is the engine of a region. With the creation of the EU, the focus of the member states’ innovation and science policies has largely shifted to the European supranational level, whereas previously it was exclusively at the national level. At the same time, we see a move towards sub-national regions with specialisations on regional themes. We want to combine both perspectives. From the outset, the universities involved in EUTOPIA decided to work together because of the new, major societal developments we were faced with. That’s what we need to answer to start with. We are now in the Anthropocene, the era in which the climate and the atmosphere are suffering the consequences of human activities. Universities should certainly be able to contribute more to finding solutions for this.”
INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT “A second challenge is our evolution towards an increasingly knowledge-based society and the digital disruptions that go with it. The whole idea of dealing with knowledge has changed dramatically. A third major challenge we face is that the leadership of the West is being questioned in various parts of the world, and the global order is changing. This has huge implications for the global, competitive market of higher education, and it’s important to position oneself well in order to attract students and scientists. It’s these kinds of challenges that we’re taking seriously with EUTOPIA. Universities
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must transform themselves to teach our students different skills to deal with these problems in the future and even be able to solve them. For staff and scientists, EUTOPIA hopes to create a very inspiring environment. We are therefore aiming for even more structural cooperation. We also want to have more non-academic impact and not just academic, like rankings or publications. As a university, we want to be able to reach out to society and weigh in on policy and the environment.”
REALISE THE DREAM “For me, EUTOPIA is a very important project. I’ve been a leading official on federal science policy for more than ten years and worked for the UN for 15 years. From these positions I’ve seen that, so far, little has come of the necessary transformation of the university. The European Commission’s initiative now gives us the opportunity to organise the university in a different way, combining excellence with inclusion and impact on society. EUTOPIA is a chance to build the university of the future. This isn’t just necessary socially. EUTOPIA is also important for pragmatic reasons, because the European Alliances allow us to do things that we could only dream of as individual universities. Now we can realise that dream. However, this means we have to convince everyone at VUB of its importance, and that’s only possible by demonstrating what is possible. Our ‘connected communities’, which are EUTOPIA’s signature dish, will play an important role in this.”
VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL VUB IN BRUSSELS · 5 campuses · 99 buildings · 325,000 m² built-up area · 23,000 m² labs and research space · 41,000 m² office space · 120,000 m² green areas ACADEMIC STAFF: 2,749 4,042 EMPLOYEES VUB 1,094 FEMALE
39.8% 47%
SUPPORT STAFF
Female
1,293
53% 1,655 MALE
Male
60.2%
UZ BRUSSEL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: 412,246 consultations
(excl. Emergency Dept.)
806 FEMALE
62.3%
3,134 EMPLOYEES UZ BRUSSEL Support 28%
Other 3% Medical 18%
Paramedics & Pharmacy 13%
GENDER IN GOVERNING ENTITIES University council: 33% women Board of directors: 60% women Academic council: 32% women Management Committee: 66% women
Nursing Staff 38%
487 MALE
37.7%
BRUSSELS IS OUR LIVING LAB. AS AN ENGAGED UNIVERSITY, WE WANT TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR METROPOLIS. OUR STUDENTS, LECTURERS AND RESEARCHERS USE THEIR EXPERTISE TO MAKE BRUSSELS STRONGER AND PROVIDE ANSWERS TO METROPOLITAN AND SOCIETAL CHALLENGES. 11
2013 2014
STUDENTS
VUB + EHB
EXCELLENT SCIENCE
(ERASMUSHOGESCHOOL BRUSSEL)
26,878 STUDENTS 20,451
students
174 STUDY PROGRAMMES
2015 2016
2016 2017
2017 2018
2018 2019
2019 2020
147 NATIONALITIES 4,668 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS EEA COUNTRIES: 2162
46.3%
NON-EEA COUNTRIES: 2506
53.7%
2020 2021
Bachelors Masters Advanced masters PhD Postgraduates Teacher training
8,477
Preparation courses
2,585
Other (credit students, Erasmus students ...)
2,248
52,4% international
Doctorates: 225
1,977 241
55.7%
316
44.3% 51,6% international 45,7% EEA
* Total of all study programmes is not = # students
54,3% non-EEA
SPAIN: 206 (4.4%)
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27.8%
Advanced
masters: 162
PhD: 1,037
52.4%
Other: 1,277
24.0%
*
CAMEROON: 87 (1.9%)
RESEARCH BUDGET €148,232,239
3
173 research groups
GERMANY: 207 (4.4%)
2,737 publications
TOP 5 EEA COUNTRIES *
In 2021, 2 spin-off companies were launched from the VUB: Abscint and weave.ly
TURKEY: 103 (2.2%)
4 2
3
IRAN: 174 (3.7%)
Complex problem solving
participating in FREE INQUIRY
Critical thinking
being ENGAGED for a better society
Creativity
becoming WORLD CITIZENS
People management
being PREPARED FOR THEIR CAREER
Emotional intelligence
180
inventions reported
41
19.07%
new patents filed
22
own research budget
59.32%
21.61 %
project financing by governments
EDUCATION
21ST CENTURY SKILLS ACCORDING TO WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
active patent families
1
TOP 5 NON-EEA COUNTRIES
@VUB IS ENTREPRENEURIAL & AMBITIOUS
PATENTS 2021
CHINA: 268 (5.7%)
INDIA: 137 (2.9%)
becoming CRITICAL THINKING INDIVIDUALS
SPIN-OFF COMPANIES 43 active spin-offs
EEA: European Economic Area
THE BIG 5
· with 1,985 partners · from 79 countries
TOTAL RESEARCH BUDGET 2021
5
18.8%
· 8 Starting grants · 1 Consolidator grant · 2 VIB-VUB Consolidator grants · 3 Advanced grants · 3 Proof of Concept grants
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ITALY: 284 (6.1%)
Masters: 1,624
ERC grants since the start of Horizon 2020
VUB worked on Horizon 2020 projects
FRANCE: 159 (3.4%) THE NETHERLANDS: 611 (13.1%)
2
12.2%
since launch of Horizon 2020 in 2014
47.6%
861
4
Bachelors: 1,033
52.4%
+10.99%
5,825
+22.8%
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN STUDY PROGRAMMES
MORE THAN 200 RESEARCH & INNOVATION PROJECTS RECEIVED 105,9 MILLION EUROPEAN FUNDING
Doctoral Students: 1,977
52 ENGLISH-TAUGHT, 122 DUTCH-TAUGHT ENROLMENTS IN STUDY PROGRAMMES
2014 2015
VUB is a strong European research & innovation player and is deeply connected with other institutions
ALUMNI 50 GENERATIONS 177 NATIONALITIES 72,743 ambitious professionals
“THINKING MUST NEVER SUBMIT ITSELF, NEITHER TO A DOGMA, NOR TO A PARTY, NOR TO A PASSION, NOR TO AN INTEREST, NOR TO A PRECONCEIVED IDEA, NOR TO ANYTHING WHATSOEVER, EXCEPT TO THE FACTS THEMSELVES, BECAUSE FOR IT TO SUBMIT TO ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BE THE END OF ITS EXISTENCE.”
budget Flemish government for fundamental research
RANKINGS VUB ranks 59 in the Reuters Top 100 of Europe’s Most Innovative Universities
50 of 115 in
Henri Poincaré (1854-1912)
200 of 1002 in VUB is in the top 20% best universities worldwide
201-300 of 1,000 in 251-300 of 1,526 in VUB is in the top 18%
CONNECTING ACADEMIA & SOCIETY
SPROUTTOBEBRUSSELS
FELLOWS IMPROVE QUALITY OF RESEARCH & EDUCATION EMPLOYABILITY OF OUR GRADUATES CAPACITY FOR INNOVATION & COMPETITIVENESS
143 FELLOWS
They’re called Brussels sprouts in English and choux de Bruxelles in French. The Polish say brukselka, while the Turks refer to Brüksel lahanas. But why the ‘Brussels’ anyway? The story begins in the district of Saint-Gilles. It was in this area that farmers grew crops that fed the people of Brussels. In the winter, this was almost always cabbage. But as the city’s population grew, it needed more food, so farmers had to look for ways to get more out of less and less available ground. They eventually cultivated small cabbages attached to skyward-growing stalks. These were the first Brussels sprouts, and they turned out to be very healthy, with three times more vitamin C than the average orange.
INNOVATION
66 77
THROUGH ACTIVITIES (INTER)NATIONAL STUDENT INTERNSHIPS NETWORKING
152 HONORARY FELLOWS
GUEST LECTURES
58
CULTURAL ENRICHMENT
94
COMPANY VISITS MASTER THESIS GUIDANCE
LEGENDARY MUSICIANS
SUPPORT OF RESEARCH
Forget the legendary waffles, chocolate and beer. Brussels has many famous musicians such as Jacques Brel, Toots Thielemans, Arno, Stromae and Angèle, who were or still are on the biggest stages in the world.
INFLUENCERS’ ROLE
OUR VALUES • • • • •
Warm Open Eager to learn Connected Inclusive
DOCTOR HONORIS CAUSA • • • •
Rigoberta Menchú, winner of the Nobel Peace prize Yuval Noah Harari, historian Jean-Baptiste ‘Toots’ Thielemans, musician Anne Thérèse De Keersmaeker, Choreographer and dancer
•
Thierry Boon-Falleur - Antoni Ribas - Pierre Kompany - William Kentridge - Ann Bruyan - Dirk Braeckman - Stephan Vanfleteren Svetlana Alexievich - Simon Gronowski - Koenraad Tinel - Gerard ‘GAL’ Alsteen -Robbert Dijkgraaf - Elena Milashina - Sihem Bensedrine … and many more...
GRAND PLACE
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) originated from the French speaking Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), that was founded in 1834 by a Brussels’ lawyer with Flemish roots, Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen. It was his intention to create a university independent of church and state at which academic freedom would roam. Although ULB would already teach in Dutch at the law faculty as early as 1935, it wouldn’t be until 1963 before practically all the faculties would teach in Dutch.
All ULB faculties offer courses in Dutch
° Belgium
1830
° Brussels University Alliance (VUB-ULB)
1963
1834
° ULB, University in Brussels, French spoken
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VUB is the only Flemish university that has the principles of ‘Free Inquiry’ written into its articles of association. These principles are based on the writings of French mathematician and natural philosopher Henri Poincaré (1854-1912). Today, it is still our basic philosophy.
EUTOPIA WEEK BXL
2011
1970
NL
° VUB independent, with full programmes in Dutch
2019 Start European University EUTOPIA
SproutToBeBrussels (Photo by Franzi Meyer on Unsplash)
HOW IT ALL STARTED
MANNEKEN PIS Unique mathematics costume for Brussels icon designed by VUB mathematicians. Belgium’s most famous statue was on March 14th dressed as 'Manneken Pisthagoras', in honour of Pi Day, celebrated each year on 14 March or 3.14. His costume is the creation of postdoctoral researchers Dr Ann Kiefer and Dr Leo Margolis of the VUB mathematics department: “With ‘Manneken Pisthagoras’ we hope to put mathematics on the map at home and abroad.”
For the second year in a row, we and our sister university ULB were invited by the City of Brussels to hold our graduation ceremonies on the Grand Place. And there was a good reason for it. This group of students was the first to do their master’s entirely during the pandemic, unable to attend any lessons in person. It’s a special achievement that deserves the necessary recognition and a stylish send-off. It wasn’t goodbye but see you later, because their connection with Brussels, VUB and their fellow students will last forever!
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Photo by Aurelien Romain on Unsplash
BRUSSELS IN NUMBERS
3
main universities, 7 university hospitals and 24 healthcare centres
sustainable city in Europe in terms of environmental policy
N°1
183
nationalities, 108 different languages spoken, 3 official languages
N°1 478 media represented, including 99 television stations and 191 newspapers and magazines
N°1
country in Europe in terms of clinical trials per capita and N°2 worldwide Strong innovator: N°10 city worldwide with capacity for innovation
destination for congresses and meetings in Europe & 2nd in the world (around 600/year) Around 210 venues for events with 10 to 10,000 persons, 1,237,400 m² convention centre space
N°1 city for headquarters of international associations
Why EUTOPIA? It is a utopia, an e-utopia and a EU-topia – an imagined space, a digital space and a European space to interconnect and shape the future. I am a member of the EUTOPIA Young Leaders Academy. We are currently organising a symposium on impact in research that aims to highlight several dimensions of impact and to formulate concrete ideas as to how EUTOPIA can be meaningful when it comes to creating or enhancing impact.
BIRGIT VAN PUYMBROECK, EUTOPIA YOUNG LEADER ACADEMY FELLOW, BORN IN WILRIJK, BELGIUM
Why EUTOPIA? As project officer for work package 4, I aim to facilitate the link between our universities and the region. At VUB, we’ve developed expertise on placemaking through various projects including Univercity, weKONEKT.brussels, Crosstalks, The World Needs You and others. Through EUTOPIA, we are able to share our experiences and learn from our European partners. EUTOPIA projects such as Knowledge Bazaar, as well as its dissemination and organisational support make it possible for placemaking to be seen as a transversal goal within the network. Why Brussels? Since moving here to study, I’ve slowly gotten to know the city. This does come with its challenges, but it mostly results in a beautiful, vibrant city. No place in Brussels feels more inviting than the Marolles area. Here, you find an abundance of local craftspeople, restaurants, vintage furniture and clothing stores, and art galleries. Located at the foot of the impressive Palais de Justice, this neighbourhood has managed to keep its charming atmosphere and medieval flair.
200
hotels with 20,000 bedrooms
18,000 cultural events every year
Why Brussels? It’s a multilingual and diverse city with a fascinating literary history! My colleague Ann Peeters and I discuss this in our podcast on Brussels, part of the Cities of EUTOPIA podcast series. I very much enjoy the many Art Nouveau buildings, from the houses in Ixelles to the Comics Museum in the city centre.
MICHAËL VAN DEN POEL, EUTOPIA CONNECTED LEARNING COMMUNITY LEGAL HISTORY STUDENT MEMBER 2022, BORN IN HERENTALS, BELGIUM
IAN KOMAC, EUTOPIA JUNIOR PROJECT OFFICER, BORN IN GENK, BELGIUM
Why EUTOPIA? When the opportunity to participate in the EUTOPIA Connected Learning Community ‘Legal History’ presented itself, I didn’t hesitate. I studied the impact of different language laws on the rights of Dutch speakers in Brussels. I focused on the contentious split of VUB and ULB against the background of rising language tensions. Fifty years on, there is not only increased cooperation between the two universities, but also with the city itself. For instance, there are the metaphorical bridges with the city in the form of weKONEKT.brussels and a physical one in the form of the construction of the Learning and Innovation Center, situated between the ULB and VUB campuses. Why Brussels? Broadening your views and connecting by building bridges – this is what I experience as a student at VUB, what EUTOPIA means to me, and what Brussels allows me to do.
Why EUTOPIA?
EUTOPIA can be a reference and safe haven for engaged and open-minded staff, researchers and students. The biggest challenge is to not leave anyone behind who wants to participate in EUTOPIA and to convince the stubborn ones who are not convinced yet. It takes a community to build EUTOPIA. It is a challenge to take on new tasks on top of an already heavy workload, but in the end every cloud has a rewarding silver lining. Why Brussels?
Source: visit.brussels
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For me it is an aspect of my daily life – a place to work, shop, stroll around and enjoy a good restaurant. A special neighbourhood is the area around Grand Place with its historic buildings, our famous Manneken Pis, beautiful galleries, overpriced biscuit and chocolate shops, dubious cheap eateries, and lots of tourists who travel great distances to explore what is a daily treat for us.
JACQUELINE COUDER, EUTOPIA INTERNATIONALIZATION WORKING GROUP MEMBER, BORN IN ETTERBEEK, BELGIUM17
Why EUTOPIA? EUTOPIA brings together diverse expertise and perspectives to facilitate collaboration and address pressing societal challenges. Through the Science & Innovation Fellowship, EUTOPIA provides a valuable training programme and access to research opportunities and colleagues, all of which foster personal and professional development. Why Brussels? Being part of EUTOPIA also means the chance to live in Brussels, a city I have quickly come to love for its impressive architecture, beautiful parks, international diversity and world-famous chocolate, waffles and fries. My favourite part of the city is the Châtelain neighbourhood in Ixelles, with its lively market, charming streets with shops and restaurants, and proximity to the Bois de la Cambre.
MADELINE POLMAER, EUTOPIA SCIENCE & INNOVATION FELLOW, BORN IN DENVER, COLORADO, USA
Why EUTOPIA? EUTOPIA is a great chance to get back out again and discover the participating universities' cities. It can become a bigger partnership with the addition of different universities. In the future, every faculty will have a class or course that EUTOPIAns can follow.
STEFANIE MULDER, GUIDE OF THE EUTOPIA WEEK WALKING TOUR ‘THE SECRET LIFE OF THE VUB STUDENT, BORN IN HALLE, BELGIUM
Why EUTOPIA?
It represents a large window to Europe and the potential for meaningful transformation. I see two big challenges for EUTOPIA at the moment – moving toward more coherence between vision and implementation, and between every partner’s individual priorities. We should also simplify the opportunities offered as part of EUTOPIA and adjust them to researchers', staff members' and students’ needs. Why Brussels?
It is surprisingly cosmopolitan for a small city; a great cultural place for curious minds and the best location to follow European affairs. De Jacht or La Chasse is my favourite neighbourhood because it is mixed and not trendy; with people from all over the world, large families and singles, young and old, poor and wealthy; and with a combination of old and new residential buildings, small shops, hidden parks, and much more.
TANIA VAN LOON, EUTOPIA RESEARCH WORKING GROUP MEMBER, BORN IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
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Photo by Adrián Santalla on Unsplash
Why Brussels? It is a vibrant capital that has a lot to offer. Each neighbourhood has its own unique flavour. In this multilingual and multicultural city, it is possible to hear up to five languages spoken in one train carriage during a 20-minute train ride. My favourite neighbourhood is the area around the Stock Exchange building and the Sainte Catherine square because of the atmosphere. It’s also where the Christmas market is held, which always brings up fond memories of time spent with family and friends. This area has nice restaurants and bars, all within walking distance from Central Station.
COMIC BRUSSELS A great many comic strips originated in Brussels. Hergé, the author of the first modern comic and creator of Tintin, was born in the district of Etterbeek. Brussels is also home to Le Lombard, publisher of Asterix, Alain Chevallier, Wowser, Léonard, Lucky Luke, Michel Vaillant, Achille Talon, Ric Hochet, Olivier Rameau and The Smurfs. Across central Brussels, a number of large-scale murals dedicated to comic strip heroes can be found on the sides of buildings. A map is available that provides a route to all the murals. And the Belgian Comic Strip Center, also known as the Comics Art Museum, is a cornerstone of Brussels culture. 19
SCIENCE AND BRUSSELS
THE QUEST FOR A MEANINGFUL EUTOPIA BRAND
THE SOLVAY CONFERENCES
Ann Van Driessche is the director of marketing, communication and engagement at VUB and EUTOPIA Communication and Dissemination Board member. She is convinced of the power of strong branding like no other. The question is: How strong is the EUTOPIA brand?
“That’s true. Of course this project required a lot of effort to get going. These kinds of new initiatives take time. Time to get to know each other, to understand each other and to build trust. Right now, EUTOPIA has mainly reached people who didn’t need to be convinced of the benefits of it. This ever-increasing group is enthusiastic about international
SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT? “The EUTOPIA Dissemination Office spreads the word about the different programmes, the realisations. We are launching communication channels and a brand strategy, and it’s easy to follow the state of the project for anyone who wants to. That is a beginning, but EUTOPIA is also a European project, which means a lot of administrative red tape. That can be seen as a burden and can hinder spontaneity.”
WHAT IS MISSING?
“A kind of psychological layer, one that makes people feel emotionally connected to the project. Basically, why should they embrace EUTOPIA? What does it have to offer, what does it mean for potential members? In order to provide a positive answer to these questions, we need a good story. The search for a EUTOPIA narrative has not yet been initiated. And we need to be careful that it is presented alongside the stories from the member universities, complementing them rather than replacing them. Because EUTOPIA needs to have its own special niche within our ten universities. It needs to become not just visible but have a reputation that will make members of the university communities want to be part of it. During the EUTOPIA Week in Brussels, we will begin this quest to create a meaningful brand.”
Arnau Dillen, EUTOPIA PhD co-tutelle student, born in Jette, Belgium Why EUTOPIA? Opportunity. While I was struggling to find funding for a PhD, EUTOPIA allowed me to not only do a PhD on the topic I wanted, but expanded the possibilities for my research through the implicit collaboration of the cotutelle programme (a jointly supervised PhD). As part of EUTOPIA, I am now doing a multidisciplinary PhD on brain-computer interfaces for real-life application. It is a collaboration between the movement science and AI lab at VUB and a cotutelle with the ETIS research group at CY Paris. Why Brussels? It’s a great city – not too big but large enough to have every amenity and many activities for all types of people. My favourite neighbourhood is the Dansaert, Sainte Catherine area. It’s always full of life, but not as crowded as other, more touristic areas. There are many cosy bars and good restaurants and some nice parks and other areas to chill outside. On a sunny day, it seems like everyone is outside. Reasons enough for this to be the area where I live.
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*The French philosopher Henri Poincaré, from whom VUB derives its motto that thinking should submit to nothing, except the facts themselves. VUB is an ‘urban engaged university’, strongly anchored in Brussels and Europe and working according to the principles of free research.
NOBEL PRIZE WINNER FRANÇOIS ENGLERT VUB’s honorary doctorate François Englert is a Belgian theoretical physicist and 2013 Nobel Prize laureate. Englert is professor emeritus at our sister university, the Université libre de Bruxelles. He was awarded the 2010 J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics, the Wolf Prize in Physics in 2004 and the High Energy and Particle Prize of the European Physical Society in 1997 for the mechanism which unifies short- and longrange interactions by generating massive gauge vector bosons. Englert has made contributions in statistical physics, quantum field theory, cosmology, string theory and supergravity. Englert was awarded the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics, together with Peter Higgs for the discovery of the Brout-EnglertHiggs mechanism.
ID / Sander de Wilde
AND YET NOT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT EUTOPIA IS
cooperation, understands the importance of the project and have selflessly committed themselves to it. But that’s not enough. EUTOPIA is still reaching too few people and has not managed to extend this sense of enthusiasm to a broader group.”
Solvay conference1911
“EUTOPIA is an ambitious project, with the goal to develop international communities in a number of areas. The way it is presented, then, must be equally ambitious,” says Ann Van Driessche. “Modesty aside, the EUTOPIA project is a success, and the cooperation among the ten partners has gone very smoothly.”
The International Solvay Institutes for Physics and Chemistry, located in Brussels, were founded by the Belgian industrialist Ernest Solvay in 1912, following the historic 1911 Conseil Solvay, considered to be a turning point in the world of physiscs. This conference was attended by among others Albert Einstein, Max Planck, Niels Bohr, Marie Curie and Henri Poincaré.* In 1923, Solvay set up the Solvay Business School, which today still forms part of the ULB and VUB.
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Why EUTOPIA? EUTOPIA stands for new beginnings and opportunities, I randomly stumbled upon it one day and have been intrigued by it since. I was accepted to the TEAMWORK Programme 2022. The biggest challenge for EUTOPIA is to effectively reach all students and communicate its vision and projects to them – none of my fellow students have ever mentioned EUTOPIA or seemed to know about it.
JENNAH JADE L BOUZOUINA, EUTOPIA TEAMWORK 2022 PARTICIPANT, BORN IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Why Brussels? Brussels is where I was born and raised, where I cried, laughed, gave up and rose back up. I love my dear city. It has a place of its own in my heart as I've been through so much, yet it still feels like home, and I'm pretty sure it always will. My favourite go-to spots would include central, downtown Brussels. It is a lovely area that is always filled with people and it has some really aesthetically pleasing spots if you know where to look.
We, EUTOPIANS, take the responsibility to assume a leading role in an era when the destiny of the planet is in the hands of human beings. We, EUTOPIANS, are to play an active leading role in the pursuit of sustainability as reflected in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. At Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), we are proud to call ourselves EUTOPIANS and to contribute to the SDG’s through science and education. #WeAreVUB #WeAreEUTOPIANS
Why EUTOPIA? Because of the space to ‘think big’. It is an inspiring project to envision a European future for higher education and to make it happen on the ground. It could become the excellent and relevant university of tomorrow. Personally, I try to strengthen the team in delivering upon its promise to build the inclusive university of the future. The biggest challenge are the centrifugal forces of such a big consortium composed of so many and such diverse partners. Having said that, this is also exactly EUTOPIA’s greatest strength and what keeps it an exciting learning environment and lab. Why Brussels? To know it is to love it. Not an easy patch, however. My favourite neighbourhood is the one where I live – Jette. It’s a down-to-earth, very lively, and diverse neighbourhood that has a great park with a Parisian vibe.
KAREN CELIS, EUTOPIA COLEAD FOR INCLUSION, BORN IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Why EUTOPIA? EUTOPIA could become an immense boon to the recruitment efforts of our ten institutions. As a student or researcher, why wouldn’t you want to enrol at or work for one of the EUTOPIA partner universities, knowing that your home university has nine campus sisters, spread across Europe? We want to prepare our students and staff to become global citizens and equip them with the skills needed to tackle today and tomorrow’s major societal challenges.
LIZE DE POTTER, EUTOPIA PROJECT MANAGER AT VUB, BORN IN BRUGES, BELGIUM
Why Brussels? I moved to Brussels during my final year of university and absolutely love it here. I’m fortunate enough to live close to the Atomium and the royal parks in Laeken, and the Jardins du Fleuriste is my favourite park. A calming, green lung for the city that offers a beautiful view of our capital’s skyline.
Why EUTOPIA?
LISTEN TO
SCIENTISTS WITH A CAUSE ON YOUR FAVOURITE PODCAST APP
Scientists With A Cause is a podcast of Vrije Universiteit Brussel in which you discover the contribution of our scientists to the Sustainable Development Goals. You will hear our scientists about their research, their vision, the solutions they strive for and about why this is important for your life and our future. ENJOY LISTENING ON YOUR FAVOURITE PODCAST CHANNEL!
Many of today’s global challenges, such as the climate crisis and energy provision, are challenges that can only be resolved through global cooperation. EUTOPIA can be another channel that brings people together and allows for international connectivity that will help unify the world on some of these problems. Learning in an interdisciplinary team only benefits the creation of valuable output.
www.vub.be/en/podcasts
Why Brussels?
Brussels, to me, is a place where everyone can voice their opinion freely and where everyone can be themselves. As the capital of the EU, it’s a place full of diversity! One of my favourite places is Kunstberg, or Mont des Arts, in the heart of Brussels, close to the Royal Palace and many museums. At the top of Kunstberg, you get a beautiful panoramic view of the city, with lovely, relaxing parks nearby.
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LOUISE DECLERCQ, EUTOPIA TEAMWORK 2022 PARTICIPANT, BORN IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
DE WERELD HEEFT JE NODIG THE WORLD NEEDS YOU
MY ALMOST PERFECT DREAM I am a Europhile, plain and simple. Europe promotes values that I absolutely think are crucial to defend. Despite the sometimes justified criticism on policy, I am a proponent of a strong European Union. Education is becoming an increasingly important foundation for EU relations. I was very excited by Macron’s suggestion that European universities start forming networks. It was like a dream to me, and it was fortunately adopted by the European Commission very quickly. My dream. It was a dream like that of Dr Martin Luther King when he said: “Let freedom ring”. Education can free us. Dr King talked about his dream of emancipation. Education provides us with the opportunity to become liberated, to become emancipated. You learn to think for yourself, to break free from dogma and from prejudice. EUTOPIA is an ambitious, exceptional and distinctive alliance. We are setting ourselves apart through our commitment to a project that is inclusive and to our planet, which we need to start treating better than we have done up to now. EUTOPIA also means more travel for students, lecturers and personnel: This opens up new frames of reference. And more frames of reference means more knowledge, more insight. We achieve emancipation when we respect academic freedom. “Let freedom ring” can only be realised through well-informed opinions and well-educated students. One of the strengths of EUTOPIA – and of VUB – is that students are equally involved. This is crucial, because it’s students who determine the future, who are facing the issues that must be tackled. Scientists put the climate crisis on the table, but it was youth who took it to the streets. Just as they have done with the question of diversity. Jean Monnet, one of the founding fathers of modern Europe, said: The institutions that we establish today are not the ones that will make the difference, but they will lay the foundations. One of these foundations is education. In 1834, ULB and VUB were founded in the spirit of equality, and yet women were completely excluded. In 2022, there are still people who are excluded. We must reach out a hand to these people. This is achievable, even if we must overcome failures. I never claimed that a dream is perfect.
On Wednesday May 25th , pro-rector of the VUB and former EUTOPIA Strategic Board member Caroline Pauwels treated the students to ice cream, Brussels waffles and pancakes. She wanted to give them a helping hand in the run-up to exam period, but the treat was also a way of thanking them for her years as head of the university.