Eindrapportering van dit Denkersprogramma

Eindrapportering Denkersprogramma
F2KS
Flanders’ Future as a Knowledge Society
“Is Vlaanderen inderdaad op weg naar een nieuwsgierige,
enthousiaste en innovatiegedreven kennismaatschappij?”
Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten
Paleis der Academiën – Hertogsstraat 1 – 1000 Brussel – België
info@kvab.be – www.kvab.be
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Eindrapportering Denkersprogramma
Flanders’ Future as a Knowledge Society – F2KS
Inhoud
1
Activiteitenverslag ...................................................................................................................... 4
1.1
Situering ................................................................................................................................ 4
1.2
Activiteiten ........................................................................................................................... 5
1.2.1 Denker ................................................................................................................................. 5
1.2.2 Stuurgroep .......................................................................................................................... 6
1.2.3 Stakeholders ....................................................................................................................... 6
1.2.4 Roadmap .......................................................................................................................... 10
2
Resultaten en impact ............................................................................................................... 12
2.1
Conferentie F2KS ............................................................................................................... 12
2.2
Slottoespraak en bevindingen JM Gago ....................................................................... 14
2.3
Nieuwe ideeën .................................................................................................................. 25
2.4
Communicatie en media ................................................................................................ 25
2.5
Opvolgacties ..................................................................................................................... 26
2.5.1 Rapport met aanbevelingen ......................................................................................... 26
2.5.2 Standpunt ......................................................................................................................... 27
2.6
Exit-gesprek ........................................................................................................................ 27
3
Dankwoord ................................................................................................................................ 28
4
Bijlagen ....................................................................................................................................... 29
3
4.1
Academieberichten nr. 58 ............................................................................................... 29
4.2
Conferentiebrochure F2KS – 28 november 2014 ........................................................... 29
1
Activiteitenverslag
1.1 Situering
De Klasse van de Natuurwetenschappen (KNW) heeft begin 2013 tijdens drie
opeenvolgende vergaderingen besprekingen gewijd aan het bepalen van een mogelijk
thema voor haar Denkersprogramma dat in januari 2014 van start moest gaan. Een thema
dat belangrijk en urgent moest zijn én dat een voldoende breed draagvlak had binnen de
Academie. Een thema dat niet alleen Vlaanderen maar ook vele andere Europese landen
én de Verenigde Staten van Amerika aanbelangt: het gebrek aan belangstelling voor
wetenschap en technologie in wat wij graag onze “kennismaatschappij” noemen, het
gebrek aan jonge mensen die willen gaan voor STEM-studies en hierin afstuderen (in België
bij de laagste percentages van Europa), het dramatische deficit aan jonge mensen die
opteren voor een STEM-loopbaan. En dit ondanks al de inspanningen van de overheid en
alle acteurs in het veld. Indien Vlaanderen tegen 2020 één van de meest dynamische,
innovatieve en W&T nieuwsgierige regio’s in Europa wil worden zullen er belangrijke
mentaliteitsveranderingen moeten optreden.
Het Denkersprogramma van de Klasse van de Natuurwetenschappen (DP KNW 2014) zou
zich daarom buigen over de vraag:
“IS VLAANDEREN INDERDAAD OP WEG NAAR EEN NIEUWSGIERIGE, ENTHOUSIASTE EN
INNOVATIEGEDREVEN KENNISMAATSCHAPPIJ?”
Het was niet de bedoeling om korte termijn antwoorden aan te bieden voor dit ingewikkeld
vraagstuk, noch om het belangrijke werk, dat reeds door vele instanties in Vlaanderen
geleverd werd, te dupliceren.
Integendeel!
De KNW was ervan overtuigd dat een internationaal erkende autoriteit omringd door
stakeholders uit verschillende sectoren van de Vlaamse samenleving - niet alleen
natuurwetenschappers en ingenieurs, leraars en ouders maar ook sociologen, psychologen,
economisten, bedrijfsleiders, journalisten, … - de katalysator kon zijn van een denkproces
waardoor bovenvermelde problematiek vanuit een andere perspectief benaderd wordt. In
de hoop dat dit zou leiden tot het verwerven van nieuwe inzichten en het voorstellen van
originele nieuwe strategieën.
De KNW hoopte dat dit denkproces niet alleen nuttig zou zijn voor onze eigen overheid én
de Vlaamse samenleving én economie in de breedste zin van het woord, maar ook op
grotere schaal voor de Europese Commissie en vele andere Europese landen.
Het voorgestelde thema was volgens ons “een belangrijke maatschappelijke uitdaging
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waarop Vlaanderen een impact kan hebben” zoals vooropgesteld in het Convenant.
De VRWI heeft de laatste jaren veel origineel werk gepubliceerd over deze problematiek.
Het indrukwekkende verslag “Kiezen voor STEM” dat in mei 2013 ook in het Engels
verschenen is, vormde een uitstekend uitgangspunt voor onze bedenkingen.
1.2 Activiteiten
1.2.1 Denker
Een gezaghebbende en soms overgevraagde Denker werd geïdentificeerd: Professor José
Mariano Gago, voormalig Portugees Minister voor Wetenschap en Technologie,
Informatiemaatschappij en Hoger Onderwijs. De uitnodigingsbrief werd hem opgestuurd op
12 april 2013.
Prof. Gago is Elektrotechnisch Ingenieur en Fysicus van opleiding, voorzitter van het LIP
(gesticht in 1986 voor onderzoek in elementaire deeltjes fysica, is een laboratorium met veel
prestige in Portugal en in het CERN) en lid van talrijke HL adviesraden bij de Europese
Commissie. Hij is de auteur van het impactvolle rapport ‘Europe needs more researchers’,
gepubliceerd in 2004. Hij is sinds meer dan 20 jaar een expert van de door ons
vooropgestelde problematiek. Prof. Gago heeft merkwaardige verwezenlijkingen op zijn
actief. Zo is hij erin geslaagd om in Portugal een culturele revolutie teweeg te brengen voor
wat betreft de publieke perceptie van W&T en de gevolgen ervan. Hij is de initiatiefnemer
van het succesvolle ‘Scientia Viva’ programma. Op 10 jaar tijd, en dank zij Gago's
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initiatieven, is het aantal STEM afgestudeerden in Portugal verdubbeld.
Op 23 mei 2013 aanvaardt hij onze uitnodiging om op 7 juni naar de Academie te komen
voor kennismakende gesprekken, echter zonder engagement voor verdere samenwerking.
Deze eerste ontmoeting met de kern van wat later de stuurgroep van het
Denkersprogramma zou worden is heel goed verlopen. Op 26 juni ontvangen we een brief
van Professor Gago met zijn analyse van de opdracht en zijn operationele voorwaarden
(duur, modaliteiten, inhoudelijke en administratieve steun). Na overleg met de Voorzitter en
de Algemeen Beheerder van de KVAB wordt op 1 september een voorstel van
Denkersprogramma uitgewerkt, dat op 22 september 2013 door Professor Gago aanvaard
wordt.
1.2.2 Stuurgroep
De wetenschappelijke leiding van het programma berustte bij de Stuurgroep voorgezeten
door Prof. Irina Veretennicoff (VUB), (IV), gewoon lid van de Academie en bestuurder (in
2012 en in 2013) van de Klasse van de Natuurwetenschappen. Leden uit de Klasse van de
Natuurwetenschappen, aangevuld met leden uit de Klasse van de Technische
Wetenschappen en een expert uit het bedrijfsleven, leverde input op zowel vanuit de
industrie als vanuit de cel wetenschapscommunicatie.
De Stuurgroep van dit Denkersprogramma bestaat uit:
o Irina Veretennicoff (bestuurder 2012-2013 Klasse NW, VUB, Fotonica)
o Conny Aerts (Klasse NW, KU Leuven, Astronomie)
o Yvan Bruynseraede (Klasse NW, KU Leuven, Fysica)
o Jean de Cannière (Director UFB)
o Charles Hirsch (Klasse NW, VUB én Numeca)
o Christiane Malcorps (Klasse TW, Solvay NV)
o Niceas Schamp (Klasse NW, UGent, Chemie)
o Alexandre Sevrin (Klasse NW, VUB, Fysica)
o Dirk Van Dyck (Klasse NW, UA, Fysica)
o Paul Van Houtte (bestuurder 2014-2015 Klasse NW, KU Leuven, Materiaalkunde)
o Joos Vandewalle (Klasse TW, KU Leuven, Ingenieurswetenschappen)
o Christoffel Waelkens (Klasse NW, KU Leuven, Astronomie)
1.2.3 Stakeholders
Hieronder vindt u de gedetailleerde lijst van alle ontmoetingen die de Denker, Prof.
Veretennicoff en/of de Stuurgroep hebben gehad in Vlaanderen met de belangrijkste
stakeholders.
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07/06/2013 First long working session with representatives of the Steering Committee
@UF and @KVAB
Were present: José Mariano Gago and Freddy Dumortier, Charles Hirsch, Dirk Van
Dyck, Paul Van Houtte, Irina Veretennicoff, Christoffel Waelkens. The meeting lasted
from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm!
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27/06/2013 First views on and conditions for a possible working program. JM Gago
(JMG and IV by mail and over the phone)
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04/09/2013 First meeting with Danielle Raspoet and Elie Raetinckx @VRWI (IV alone),
on the Thinkers Programme of the KVAB and on the STEM report of the VRWI.
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22/09/2013 JM Gago accepts to become a thinker/catalyser on the topic “Is
Flanders indeed on its way towards a curiosity driven innovative knowledge
society?”
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04/10/2013 First meeting with Joos Vandewalle, member of the Class of Technical
Sciences and of the Steering Committee of this program @UF. Followed by a working
session to prepare the next steps.
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24/10/2013 Long and fruitful discussion between JM Gago and the full steering
committee. Agreement on the draft presentation of the DP Gago program,
rationale, choice of the Thinker and JMG’lines of force for future action.
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14/11/2013 Meeting with the Steering Committee and first discussion on the
roadmap for 2014.
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14/11/2013 Meeting with Minister Ingrid Lieten and co-workers Bart Motmans
(advisor for science and innovation) and Jan Adriaenssens (Adjunct –kabinetschef)
@Kabinet Ingrid Lieten, viceminister-president van de Vlaamse Regering en Vlaams
minister van Innovatie, Overheidsinvesteringen, Media en Armoedebestrijding.
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15/11/2013 Meeting with Danielle Raspoet and Elie Raetinckx @VRWI.
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08/01/2014 Worksession on JM Gago’s roadmap 2014 and how to efficiently involve
the Steering Committee.
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09/01/2014 First meeting with the full board of Directors (de Bestuurscommissie,) of
the KVAB, presentation of Prof Gago and his roadmap. On the request of the
members of the board the programme was given a shorter title and an acronym:
F2KS. Flanders’ Future as a Knowledge Society.
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22/01/2014 First meeting with Koen Debackere (promotor of the Center for the R&D
monitoring of the Flemish Government (ECOOM), Professor in Economics at the KUL)
@KVAB
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23/01/2014 First meeting with Jorgen D’Hondt (president of the Jonge Academie,
Prof @VUB Physics) and Jo De Cuyper (director of the RVO Society) @UF. Afternoon:
working session.
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30/01/2014 Meeting with Reinhilde Veugeleers (co-promoter ECOOM, Prof @KUL and
member of the board of the ERC) @UF.
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30/01/2014 Meeting with Elisabeth Monard and Hans Willems, directeur Steun aan
Onderzoekers/ Director Research Affairs @FWO – Vlaanderen.
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30/01/2014 Meeting with Derrick Gosselin @UF (IV only).
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31/01/2014 Meeting with Pascal Smet and Guy Aelterman (Kabinetschef) @Kabinet
van minister Pascal Smet, Vlaams minister van Onderwijs, Jeugd, Gelijke Kansen en
Brussel.
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12/02/2014 Meeting with the members of the KNW for lunch @UF followed by “The
shape of the future of science”, a communication by JM Gago followed by a long
discussion @the monthly meeting of the Class of Natural Sciences, KVAB.
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13/02/2014 Meeting with Derrick Gosselin @UF on more value for Flanders’ Future
and exchange of documents.
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25/03/2014 Meeting with Henri Eisendrath and Gaston Moens @UF (only with IV) on
the STEM problematics as seen by two actors/observers from the secondary schools
science education programs over many years.
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28/03/2014 Meeting with members of the STEM platform @KVAB.
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30/04/2014 Working session with Irina Veretennicoff @KVAB (evaluating the last few
months and preparing the next phase of the program).
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14/05/2014 Meeting with Vicerector Georges Gielen (KUL) in the presence of Joos
Vandewalle, member of the Steering Committee @KUL.
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14/05/2014 Meeting with Ilse Smet KUL-CIT and Tom van Gerven (TH Limburg, Innov
Lab) on their 'Games' project under construction.
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14/05/2014 Meeting at the RVO Society, IMEC. Broadly advertised seminar by JM
Gago followed by a long discussion with the audience on the occasion of the
annual meeting of the WIN, the Wetenschap en Innovatie Netwerk. The theme of JM
Gago’s communication was related to his 2004 report from the EC “Europe needs
more scientists” and Gago’s personal views and life-experience on his pathways to
undisputable success.
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26/06/2014 Meeting with Inez Dua, member of staff, to define the first concrete steps
towards the final Conference and adapt the roadmap. A first announcement has
been broadly distributed (over two thousand emails) in Flanders on July 10 th 2014.
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06/09/2014 Meeting with the board of the VeLeWe (Vereniging van de Leraars
Wetenschappen), KABIN, Brussels.
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11/09/2014 First meeting devoted to the contents of F2KS Conference as proposed
by JMG. (JMG + IV)
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12/09/2014 Meeting with the Steering Committee. It is decided to restrict the
duration of the F2KS conference to only November 28th and to focus on three
themes within the context of Flanders as a Knowledge Society: STEM education,
society and Knowledge based economy.
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10/10/2014 Meeting of JMG with IV and staff members Inez Dua and Bert Seghers
devoted to the many organizational aspects (from 10am to 6pm).
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10/10/2014 Dinner by invitation from the Director of Technopolis (JMG and Eric
Jacquemyn).
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22/10/2014 Work session (11am to 3pm) of IV, also on behalf of JMG, with Bernadette
Hendrickx and Jacky Hellemans (VeLeWe) @KVAB and UF.
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24/10/2014 Meeting with JM Gago at the Second SCIENTIX Conference
(http://www.scientix.eu/web/guest). Keynote: Prof. Mariano Gago, invited by Marc
Durando, Executive Director, European Schoolnet, and Àgueda Gras-Velázquez,
Scientix Project Manager; title: “How should ministries of education take up the STEM
challenge?” In front of more than 350 science teachers from all over Europe. Also
attended by Christiane Malcorps, Bert Seghers, Irina Veretennicoff (KVAB, SC)
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25/10/2014 Scientix Conference 2014, plenary sessions 1,2: attended by IV.
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07/11/2014 Meeting with a delegation of the Vlaamse Vereniging voor Studenten
(VVS) @KVAB (JMGago, IV and Bert Seghers)
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14/11/2014 Meeting with Jo de Cuyper (with IV @KVAB)
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19/11/2014 Meeting IV with Katrien De Schrijver, Stafmedewerker STEM-platform,
Martine Taeymans, Directeur Marketing & Communicatie van de Thomas More
Hogeschool, en André Van Hauwermeiren, studiedienst VDAB @ meeting of STEM
Platform, Antoon van Osslaan 1, 1120 Brussel. On the organization of panel 1 on STEM
education at the F2KS conference.
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21/11/2014 Meeting with Kurt Meeus, General Director, Scholengroep MiddenBrabant @ het Kasteeltje, basisschool Overijse.
Professor Gago heeft daarnaast ook heel wat ontmoetingen gehad in het buitenland in het
kader van dit Denkersprogramma (DP), met inbegrip van enkele lezingen die hij er heeft
gegeven. Zij liggen buiten het formele (ook financiële!) kader van het DP maar zijn
inhoudelijk zeer nuttig geweest om het internationale aspect van de slotconferentie te
onderlijnen. Bovendien dragen zij bij tot de internationale uitstraling en zichtbaarheid die de
KVAB wil bereiken met het F2KS programma.
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Meeting with Prof. Svein Sjoberg, Professor Emeritus of Science Education at
University of Oslo, (in Portugal, May 17, 2014)
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Meeting with Prof. Paul Caro, Directeur de Recherche Honoraire CNRS, member
French Academy, former Scientific Director of the Palais des Sciences – La Vilette (in
Paris, March 27, 2014)
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Meeting with Andrew Wyckoff, Director Science, Technology, Industry Directorate,
OECD (in Paris, May 23, 2014)
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Meeting with Joaquim Oliveira, Head of the OECD Regional. Development Policy
Division (in Paris, June 4, 2014)
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“Our future as a knowledge society?”
Invited talk at the 2nd Convegno ROARS, Higher Education and Research Policies in
Europe: Challenges for Italy, CNR, Rome, Italy, February 12, 2014.
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“The social constituencies for scientific development and the problem of the values
of science and democracy in the developing world”
Invited talk at Brown University, Providence, US, April 9, 2014.
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“Science policy and the values of science in difficult times” Invited talk at the
Academia Europea Annual Conference, Barcelona, July 17, 2014.
1.2.4 Roadmap
Op verzoek van de Denker, en met de hulp van de leden van de Stuurgroep en andere
leden van de Klasse van de Natuurwetenschappen (KNW) en de Klasse van de Technische
Wetenschappen (KTW), zijn de werkzaamheden gestart op basis van de elementen van de
‘roadmap’ die begin januari 2014 door Professor Gago uitgewerkt werden en die voor het
grootste deel gerealiseerd zijn.
Het was de wens van de Denker om de problematiek aan te pakken als een écht research
project, waarvoor het verzamelen van opinies en data van primordiaal belang zijn. De
eerste maanden van dit DP zijn dus voornamelijk hieraan gewijd.
Hieronder vindt u een samenvatting van de belangrijkste punten met vermelding van de
staat van verwezenlijking.
1. Een korte titel en passend acroniem vinden voor het thema van het Gago DP
Titel: “Flanders’ Future as a Knowledge Society”. Acroniem “F2KS”.
2. Een Vlaanderen F2KS rubriek opstarten op de KVAB website.
http://www.kvab.be/denkersprogramma/projecten-vlaanderen-kennismaatschappij.aspx
3. Zo vlug mogelijk de leden van de Vlaamse Regering ontmoeten die bevoegd zijn voor
innovatie, onderwijs, STEM opleidingen en training, en het verder ontwikkelen van een
“Kennismaatschappij” in Vlaanderen.
Prof. Gago en coördinator Prof. Veretennicoff zijn met belangstelling ontvangen door de
Ministers Ingrid Lieten, Pascal Smet en hun kabinetsmedewerkers. Het zijn duidelijk meer dan
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protocollaire gesprekken geweest. Het DP heeft bovendien kunnen rekenen op belangrijke
inhoudelijke steun. Omwille van hun drukke agenda’s zijn onze pogingen om de Ministers
Hilde Crevits en Philippe Muyters persoonlijk te ontmoeten niet geslaagd. Minister Muyters
was wel actief vertegenwoordigd op de slotconferentie door zijn adjunct kabinetschef,
Bruno Lambrecht.
4. Zo vlug mogelijk toonaangevende stakeholders en deskundigen identificeren en
ontmoeten.
De Denker en/of de coördinator hebben meer dan dertig werkvergaderingen "face-toface" gehad met belangrijke Vlaamse spelers in het F2KS landschap. De leden van de
stuurgroep hebben ook via hun kanalen gezorgd voor de bekendmaking van dit DP. Zie
ook het overzicht onder 1.6 Stakeholders.
5. Het opstarten van een documentatiecentrum/digitale bibliotheek met een goed
gestructureerde publicatielijst over en rond het thema van dit DP. Ook vergelijkende data,
indicatoren en publicaties werden beschikbaar gemaakt om Vlaanderen te situeren in het
EU landschap.
Dankzij de bijdrage van de VRWI, de leden van de stuurgroep, andere geïnteresserde leden
van de KVAB en de vele internationale contacten van Professor Gago, hebben we een
grote collectie publicaties verzameld die sinds 18 november 2014 te raadplegen zijn op:
http://www.kvab.be/denkersprogramma/f2ks/documentations.htm.
6. Een internationale slotconferentie organiseren rond het F2KS thema en breed adverteren.
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2
Resultaten en impact
2.1 Conferentie F2KS
Het formaat van deze conferentie werd bepaald door de Denker zelf. Hij heeft ook vijf
internationale deskundigen uitgenodigd om de F2KS problematiek te analyseren vanuit een
internationaal perspectief. Eén maand voor de conferentie hebben we tot onze spijt
vernomen dat twee deskundigen, om gezondheidsredenen, niet konden aanwezig zijn. Dit
heeft ons echter de mogelijkheid geboden om nog meer gewicht te geven aan de
bijdragen van Vlaamse deskundigen als "keynote" speakers. Dit liet toe een duidelijk inzicht
te krijgen van wat er op het werkveld leeft rond formeel en informeel STEM onderwijs, en het
ontwikkelen van de kennismaatschappij en de innovatiegedreven kenniseconomie.
Professor Gago heeft, op het einde van de Conferentie, zijn slotbedenkingen en
aanbevelingen gegeven in een zeer gesmaakte toespraak. De transcriptie van zijn
toespraak vindt u terug in punt 2.2.
J.M. Gago, I. Veretennicoff en S. Sjoberg
Behalve de vijfendertig experten die het woord hebben genomen zijn ook talrijke
interventies geweest vanuit de zaal. Het aantal inschrijvingen (inbegrepen diegenen die
zich de dag zelf hebben aangemeld) was ongeveer 200.
Deze slotconferentie werd gehouden in het Paleis der Academiën op vrijdag 28 november
van 9:00 tot 18h30, gevolgd door een receptie. De toegang was gratis maar inschrijvingen
waren verplicht.
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De Conferentiebrochure en de beschikbare papers/presentaties kan u downloaden op:
http://www.kvab.be/denkersprogramma/conference-vlaanderenkennismaatschappij.aspx.
J. Oliveira, C. Malcorps en J.M. Gago
M.C. Van de Velde, C. Hirsch, L. Bondue en W. Dehaene
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2.2 Slottoespraak en bevindingen JM Gago
A knowledge-based society under catalysis: a personal summary, and some naive
proposals for action
Jose Mariano Gago, Thinker in Residence of the KVAB
Slides can be downloaded at http://www.kvab.be/denkersprogramma/files/4.4_Gago.pdf.
I'll try to be as brief as possible, and that's not simple. I was asked to speak about the whole
subject and your work that I have tried to catalyze during one year. I was also asked to
draw some conclusions out of this conference.
First of all, I want to thank you, and to praise your initiative. You probably don't know, but
initiatives by an organized scientific community, like the Academy or other scientific
societies, are normally invisible in Europe and very scarce. There are very few initiatives that
go beyond their immediate objectives. Of course there are initiatives for research spending,
laws or organization of universities, but societal questions raised by professional scientists,
which are of course needed to successfully bring in other members of society, are not very
common in any European country. I have been following this for several decades and I can
tell you that the initiatives by the organized scientific community are not very common.
Individual initiatives are of course plenty. And because of that, I was proud to help. Because
you were enthusiast, and committed to a difficult task in which you were not sure you could
succeed. And no one could be sure to succeed, because it requires an enormous
involvement, not only by those related to the science based professions and economy, but
also to the rest of society.
1. Some history
I tried to organize my mind, so I will try to go swiftly through this organization. It has been
recalled during this conference, and I have checked it with Luc Soete, that the coining of
the word Knowledge Economy was by Dominique Foray in 1994. In fact, it was immediately
injected into the political machinery of OECD in 1995. It was at the same time the era of
information technology deployment, so information society came first, because that was
the American translation of what in that time in Europe were still called "highways of
information".
But at the same time, the science system got the economic input it was in need of. It was
the first time -- I remember, in the nineties -- that organized groups of economists and the
OECD amplified the idea that indeed the science system was an essential part of the
economy and of its progress. You recall that in the beginning of the '90s, John Ziman had
written "Prometheus Bound. Science in a dynamic steady state"(Cambridge University Press,
1994). In fact, the increase of the public budget for science since the Second World War
and the enormous accumulation of human and physical capital for science in the United
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States had started to produce a true revolution in the private sector, mainly in the United
States and later in Europe. The message of this recognition from the economical world at
the highest level had an enormous impact on policymaking at that time.
In the year 2000, there have been major political breakthroughs. These did not come as a
surprise, because they were in the line of this discussion over the nineties, strengthened by
the amplification of information technology and the need in Europe to respond to the
massive investment in IT in the United States. You must remember that, at that time, there
were major debates in many European countries and communication companies to discuss
whether the Internet should be left to the market or if the government should do something
about it, namely in schools. The opinions were divided. Some said: Internet will be something
like telephone lines -- you shouldn't do it.
While in fact, more than ten years earlier, the National Science Foundation had dedicated
money from the research budget of the US to pay for the connection of schools all over the
United States to the Internet!
The major breakthrough was the European Council in 2000. This idea, that Europe should
become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world,
capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social
cohesion, that was 14 years ago!
For the first time, one sees the start of the transition to a knowledge-based economy and society by better policies to favor the information society. You may recall that Luc Soete
was one of the distinguished economists who were essential players in the preparation of
this unanimous decision by policy leaders. At the time, the discussion was between France
and the UK, on the European social model on one hand and on the investments in
innovation and IT on the other. The combination of those conflicts was positively resolved by
the idea of investing in education AND research and expanding the idea of investing in IT
by investing in something more profound than technology, in something where people
would get profit from: a different type of education would emerge, that IT would help to
provide.
This is the political status and the history of the question we are tackling today.
2. Some preliminary thoughts

From Thinker to Catalyst
For the record, I would just like to address a word of recognition, on why I come here now,
trying to address you with this. I must thank professor Irina and the steering committee for
that. If I had the time, I would make you laugh with the exchange of e-mails starting in April
2013 and finishing with an act of folly when I said yes. But I said yes, changing the idea of
"Thinker" into the idea of a "Catalyst”. I won't bother you with values and what catalysis
means in Old Greek -- normally it means to destroy, etc. but one of the meanings is also "to
stay just one night" -- it's in Themistocles. It's a curious idea that the Academy accepted
swiftly the idea that I could just come for one night!
15

Charpak and the promotion of Science Education
I would like to show you -- because at this time of the day I must also entertain you!-- the
2004 novel ( Soyez savants, devenez prophètes with Roland Omnès, Éditions Odile Jacob )
that Georges Charpak, Nobel prize winner of Physics in 1992 , gave to me. I worked
together with him at CERN when he was developing his wire chambers that led to new
particle- and PET imaging techniques in hospitals. After his Nobel Prize, he developed this
movement called "La main à la pâte" for science education in schools in France. He was
inspired by Leon Max Lederman from the United States, another Nobel Prize winner in
Physics.
In 2004, he wrote in his dedication to me: "Ils sont fous, à Bruxelles". The last words were "Ils
mettent le chariot avant les boeufs."
He was not speaking about physics, but about the promotion of science and science
education. Exactly the topic we discuss today.

A question on the fundamentals of knowledge and technology.
There is another point of view that I will try not to avoid, although it might seem too
theoretical or too philosophical.
One of the intellectual founders of Europe, Denis De Rougemont, wrote "Information is not
knowledge" in 1981 (Denis de Rougemont, Information n’est pas savoir, Diogène, n° 116).
This remained as a warning for information technologists. The paper was extremely
influential in the idea that to learn and understand one should go beyond just getting
information. As we heard from Svein Sjöberg today, the technology for testing education
systems does not necessarily improve education.
In 1939, just before World War II, one of the most interesting papers appeared in this
respect– but no one realized it at the moment – “La Meditación de la técnica” by the
Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset.
In his December 1949 Bremen lecture, “Das Ge-Stell” , Heidegger said that:
"farming is now a motorized food industry, in essence the same as the fabrication of corpses
in gas chambers and extermination camps, the same as the blockade and starving of the
peasantry, the same as the fabrication of the hydrogen bomb."
This sentence has been discovered and discussed in the '50s and then people forgot all
about it, as usual. But it's back now: this quotation is from next week ‘s issue of the New York
Review of Books.
There is a lot of discussion now about it. It has to do with the deeply rooted idea that as
society is becoming technological all things that are technical, are more or less the same,
and inspired by the same “inhuman” principles.
In fact, many people have this as a gospel and in my opinion this should be attacked from
the very start when you are discussing knowledge-based societies. This is a ghost that has
been hanging above our heads all of the time. And it's coming back. Don't think that it's
something of the '49 -ties: it's coming back, over and over again. This intellectual debate
exists. Sorry to be so brief about it.
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
To study science is hard work
So you have asked yourselves: how to mobilize society in order to convince families, young
people, to study science?
To study science is hard work. Of course it's hard work. For those who like it, it can be fun. But
it's hard work. Hard work can be fun. Fine, but it can also be very depressing. It's hard, and
it's work – there is nothing to do about it. You can't learn anything decently, either science
(all sciences) or arts or philosophy, without hard work. And to send a different message to
the education sector is really fooling the young people.
There is a vast international and European accumulated expertise, mainly in the last twenty
years, related to this political evolution, many books have been published -- I've just chosen
some of them, all European (see slides). The question addressed above has been put over
and over again for the last twenty years in many countries and on the European level: we
are revisiting here something that has been intensively studied. Thousands of pages have
been written and recommendations have been transformed into law in many countries, into
investments programs, into training teachers, in structures. These are available in many,
many countries and should be taken in consideration.
3. Some observations
We have developed the acronym F2KS for Flanders' Future as a Knowledge Society.
I will use this acronym as the name of a program, as if it was an object.
I am now coming to the main part of the subject of this talk: about what I have learned with
you, these last months.
F2KS is a decoder of new signs of societal threats and opportunities
It is about developing a process. If you want to change, you need a process, because you
need to involve people and to recognize factors. As those who are experts in foresight
studies know, a foresight study starts by identifying the factors and the actors that shape the
future. So without the social actors, the people, the organizations etc., without the factors
that condition their action, you cannot look forward.
I have recognized signs of anxiety, signs of change and signs of perplexity.
Signs of anxiety:



The perception of a lack of motivation for studying science and technology.
The anticipation of a strong deficit of science teachers.
The perception of a lack of well trained professionals in certain technical area’s.
These are three signs of anxiety -- not thirty, but they are three major ones.
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Signs of change
But there are also signs of change. I have put all of them with a question mark, as it's up to
you to know whether they're real, or just the result of my perception

Apparently, there is a trend to try to address social mechanisms (some would call
them anachronisms) rooted in the school system and to rethink the question of the
social selectivity in education.
I have seen all statistics in education, but I have seen no statistics on what has been
all over the place a key political issue in many European countries:
is the school system contributing to social mobility, or not ?

Second, there is a trend to address the issue of the pupils and students’ study and
career orientation and information systems. To address this problem is to give
political orientations to these career orientation and information systems. They are
not technical, they are political. Are the secondary school pupils and postsecondary school students properly informed, coached and oriented?

And third, being aware of the need to change and looking for signs of disruption: is
the existing system going to remain as it is, or is it going to be disrupted? Will it be
disrupted because in some communities too many pupils/students are unsuccessful
or will the system be disrupted because students do not go into the professions that
are needed?
Signs of perplexity
These are my signs of perplexity.
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
How to face the impossibility -- because it is impossible -- of both reproducing social
rigidity and segregation and at the same time help infusing new innovative energies
in youth?

How to increasingly assert the right of political self-determination -- that's a key point
in a region like Flanders but also in other regions and nations in Europe, and Flanders
is historically a nation -- and at the same time move towards a more diverse and
open society? Because this is a challenge, to go for political self-determination and
not enter into isolation.

How to invest creatively and generously in transforming exclusion into inclusion?
The percentage of well-educated women in full-time jobs in science-based
professions is still very low in society -- and that's an enormous threat.
There are too many dropouts in education: young people leaving school or
universities without a diploma.

And there is a problem that you share with many other rich societies in Europe: the
third and second generation of immigrants. Will they be considered a problem or an
opportunity, and is society prepared to invest the money and resources needed to
transform this problem into an opportunity?
4. Identifying actions to be taken
F2KS should be a platform for concerted action to solve these problems.
For that, you need to identify the dimensions of these actions. I've tried to identify these
dimensions. If I look at them politically, they could be programs with budgets and leadership
and so on, and they should overlap. They must be overlapping, so as to stimulate
competition and co-operation among the political and social actors.

First is the question of promoting scientific and technical culture in society, so
bringing to the people more knowledge about science and technology.

Then is the question of general science education for everyone, and the role of
science and technology learning at that stage -- many of the discussions we had
today with the science teachers were on this specific problem.

Then is the problem of life long learning that we have not addressed here today, the
problems of vocational training, and of addressing social and economic perceived
qualification gaps.
These three areas need specific programs to be addressed. They cannot be addressed by
wording. In the UK, the question of the economically perceived qualification gap has been
and is being addressed by UK business, in collaboration with local educational authorities. In
many other countries, there are other solutions, but all have this is common: they are
systematic, they produce a kind of observatory, which involves the local education
authorities or councils with schools (municipalities, parents and so on) and employers on the
other hand. They do it systematically and locally.

Then, there is a problem of science communication and the media.
I'm sorry, but I have never seen this problem being addressed without a strong public policy
on this area. The number of science communicators, namely professional science journalists,
can be greatly improved by government. News agencies, desks for science can be asked
for by the authorities. The promotion of training journalists out of the scientific professions is
something that has been around in Europe for many years and in fact it attracts youth with
high level of scientific training in every country. It helps to change the profession of
journalists and to create professional desks of science and technology journalists in journals.
We know this from economy: many journalists covering economy have got this type of
training. So it could be extended to other areas.

And finally, the general political problem that any political party and any
government must ask itself is: will my voters support me?
For that, we have to strengthen and bring together the social, cultural and economic
constituencies for science and technology. Those groups in society which are -for different
reasons- disconnected from one another and can be led to favor a policy where priority is
given to different areas of science and technology.
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But bringing them together is something you cannot ask the people to do by themselves
and you can't ask the second law of thermodynamics to do it for you. It requires the input of
external energy, it requires to apply an “external field”. And that external field, in
democratic societies, is provided by governments -- at national, regional or sub-regional
level. One of the reasons why we elect authorities in a democratic society, is to bring-in
constituencies to promote causes and changes in society.
5. F2KS and the Academy could think about an independent proposal for coherent political
objectives.
This is the role of an organized independent group of scientists: to address the authorities
and to tell them what they think and what they propose. It's not to produce the
technicalities for their action. It's to produce the ideas that will then have to be negotiated
and translated into action by those who are in charge.
I have done the following exercise and this is the second moment of my speech that I will
need something to protect me from the things you are going to throw at me. But I'm
protected by the hour!
I've tried to write and to test a kind of political decalogue for the future of the knowledge
society in Flanders. I've tested it some weeks ago in the Scientix conference in Brussels and
I'm grateful for those who were there. I have checked with some of you some of the ideas
there.
Ten points, that should in my view be discussed by you, because they could be part of a
political program in a specific area, to all political parties and to any government.
1. First, the main purpose of general science and technology education, in compulsory
education, for everyone, is the scientific and technological culture of society at large. It's
not obvious, but there is no choice. If you do that, the training of teachers, the programs,
the material, etc. have to be conditioned by this objective. This is the political objective.
2. Second, science education is not only part of the responsibility of the ministry in charge of
education. It is part of any ministry in charge of research, of science and technology.
Science and technology policy must devote a budget, organization, human means for
science education and pay the political price if there is a failure. They will be proud to have,
say, x % new papers in Nature, Cell, etc., a due amount of innovations and patents, but
what is their record to science education? To assess this is part of the job of a minister in
charge of research
3. Third, you have to require investing in science (all sciences) and technology education,
formal and informal. Informal means science centers, and the media. You must invest in the
media and in schools, at all levels.
And of course the usual aspects: you must invest in research, you must invest in innovation
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policies.
4. Fourth, this is a difficult point, and it has been with us for many, many years. You have to
work on the fact that, in contrast with the expectations of those who live within the science
sector, the youth and even some of the most creative youth, is not keen on science and
technology.
This is a disease of rich societies.
It is the disease of not bringing enough challenging ideas about science, and the fact that
science is not presented as connected to human values. Only the human values of science
can motivate and permeate youth culture.
You will not permeate youth culture in a rich society only with job perspectives: we are not
in rural China, where studying mathematics day and night is the only way out of poverty.
No! We are in a rich society. In a vast number of families, youth will think: "why not choose
something easier? Life will not be bad at all…after all."
So that's not the point. It's how science can permeate youth culture, and be appropriated
by youth culture. It's not by telling the youth -- sorry -- that science is very important for
making a lot of money in companies. That, very frankly, will not change the mind of any one
of fourteen, fifteen. It's much more if you say that you are looking for extraterrestrial life.
What is, in fact, science about? It's about pursuing the truth: proof, not authority; it's about
knowledge, not ignorance; it's about technical training, not definitions -- we haven't learned
anything if in school we are taught definitions: we just learned a name, but that's not
science, sorry -- it's history that we need, where the name comes from, not sound bytes.
On the other hand, we must teach students that science does not allow neutrality. You may
have to choose in your life, if you go into a science- or technology based professions! You
choose peace or war. Many of my colleagues have worked to develop very nasty bombs -some of them developed bombs where the remains of the bomb inside the body could not
be detected by X-rays!
You must tell the students: if you go into science, you must know if you are in favor of that -and some are in favor of that -- or against it.
Science is a battle ground, it's not neutral. And if you know it's not neutral, it becomes
interesting. It can become part of the modern youth culture. You must choose between
generosity or greed, and choose between disclosing or hiding the truth.
Many sciences are key to attract the imagination both of the society-at-large and of the
students. Astronomy and elementary particle physics -I am a particle physicist myself – are well known examples.
And last but not least, the importance of science for society must be spelled out: you can't
have life-quality control -- the water you drink, the air you breathe -- without science.
21
Science provides society with a culture of evaluation and quality control, with risk
governance -- you would be submerged by epidemics without science -- and without the
tools for social communication and social cohesion -- because public policies, if they are
not tested by independent scientific methods, they will be rotten, as we all know.
5. The fifth commandment is straightforward: general science and technology education in
schools is key to lifelong learning, to social adaptability and to social and political
participation. It has to be handled with care and expertise.
6. My point in commandment six is related to the former:
please do not split and create barriers between what you call STEM education and all the
rest.
You are not doing a service to the science teachers, nor to the students. I've told you, some
hours ago, that some of the best science projects all over the world, have been obtained
by the combination and the involvement of teachers and researchers of different areas. It
includes languages, history and geography, etc. It can be lead by science and technology,
but it must involve the school-at-large. If it doesn't involve the school, it's a failure. It means
that the culture of the school has not been permeated by this drive for science and
technology.
7. The seventh commandment is a difficult one, because it's related to a threat, in many
European countries. We have seen it in the past and we are seeing it today in Germany,
France, the UK, and many other countries. The world has changed a lot recently and is
changing even more every day. Poverty and war are at the frontiers of Europe. Ten years
ago, the number of people crossing by night the Mediterranean by boat, was less than one
tenth of those who are crossing today, and this number is increasing and will increase,
because of war and refugees. The refusal of addressing poverty and war at the frontiers of
Europe -- of addressing, I'm not saying accepting or rejecting -- and addressing the
increasing inflow of refugees and (illegal) immigrants as an opportunity -- because you will
have them, anyhow -- are major threats for the development of highly advanced European
societies. With the declining birth rates in Europe and with many people coming in anyhow,
something has to be done. Europe does not exist politically. Some countries, some regions,
will do much better than others. The future of their economy and their social peace will be
the price to pay at the end of the day.
8. The question of the perceived lack of science and technology-based professionals in the
economy and in society must be taken seriously. It has been said loudly by many people,
coming mainly from companies. Of course they know their field; they can't speak about
society in general, but they can speak about their company. The issue must be taken
seriously by the whole scientific community. First, for a political reason: if there is a group,
which is part of the constituency for science, and that this group perceives a problem, then
this problem must become a problem of all of us. That is the only way to build a social
constituency for science.
22
9. The question of the lack of high level science teachers has been predicted many years
ago. There is a demonstration by John Ziman, who died some years ago: he said the
following. "It is a sad fact that in most countries very few students who have specialised in
science, technology or mathematics are recruited into teacher education. Paradoxically,
the more a society has a need for people with a science and technology background, the
less likely it is that such people will enter the teaching profession. Part of the reason is that
remuneration, working conditions, possibilities for in-service training, etc. make the teaching
profession less attractive than other areas of work for people who are in demand, in those
areas. Well qualified and motivated science and technology teachers are key when it
comes to stimulating future generations’ interest in science."
You see the political lessons. If symbolic, social and material remuneration, working
conditions and possibilities for in-service training are not improved, the situation will be
degrading. It has happened in other countries, and it will happen in Flanders if nothing is
done. It has been predicted years ago, it is not a novelty. And we know the solution! Many
countries have solved this problem.
Here I come to my ninth point.
Only the empowerment of science teachers and their social recognition by society, but
mainly the empowerment of teachers in schools, is a key for success of sustainable science
and technology policies.
I discussed this already earlier tonight: the machinery that exists for funding research project
work can be extended easily from the research budget, in addition to the education
budget, for project work by science teachers themselves, teams of teachers and teams of
students. But there is just one caveat about it. It must be additional funding: you can't just
move money from one place to the other. And the scale must be big enough. The
temptation is to transform all that into a pedagogical experiment, into innovation in
education. But I'm sorry, if you do that, you will not reach the scale necessary to have an
impact on society, to bring the empowerment of the science teachers to the attention of
parents and kids.
I've made a calculation based upon my own experience and your population in school. I
would say that annual calls for proposals should aim at reaching, in less than three years
time, at least 50 % of all schools, at least 1000 F2KS science teachers -- I would call them F2KS
science teachers -- and at least 100 researchers. And that is a very modest number. I hope
that the generosity of researchers in giving free time for the schools in their neighborhood as
part of their social responsibility would very much increase this number. Numbers lower than
this would not have an impact in society.
10. My 10th commandment is probably the most ambitious and federative one. Devising
and funding large scale stable national and international initiatives and supporting
independent initiatives aiming at bringing together schools, research centres, sciencebased professionals as well as industry and science centres are key to opening the gates of
an inclusive , curiosity and innovation driven knowledge society.
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6. The end
The end must be peaceful and it must come from history. It has to do with our common
background: Portugal and Flanders have been very close during the sixteenth century. Both
have been doomed by intolerance. In fact the richest families in Leuven and Antwerpen,
who were not only a source of wealth, but also of humanist culture, escaped to Amsterdam.
The rise of religious intolerance in Europe, the rise of inquisition and religion wars, transformed
two of the richest regions into normal dependent regions. The rise and fall of tolerance,
humanism and prosperity in Flanders and Portugal in the 16th century should be a lesson for
us -- and it is a lesson that I try to remember. We are now in a stage where the rise of Europe
as a knowledge society -- there is no doubt about it: during the last 20 years, not only
Flanders, but the whole European Union, has experienced an extraordinary progress
towards the knowledge society. The number of students, the number of educated
researchers, the investments in public and private research, the results and appropriation of
research in products and services in society has been tremendous in the European Union in
the last years. And that has been appropriated by almost all political parties and all
governments; at least they all do something or pay lip service to the idea that they are in
favor and they do what they can for a knowledge society.
That, I call the rise of Europe as a knowledge society. But now we face an uncertain future.
War has surrounded Europe and poverty is tending to come into Europe since the last ten
years. Division has doomed the hopes of the years 2000 within Europe. Any of us, in each
society, must do our best, to overcome this difficult situation.
As in a conference almost one year ago, I wish to recall the famous humanist Damião de
Góis, Portugese by birth, married to a Flemish family who fought for the defense of Leuven
against the French troops. He was arrested and rationed by the king of Portugal. He was a
friend of Erasmus. At the end of his life, after being back in Portugal as the historian royal he
was imprisoned by the inquisition and probably assassinated.
Some years ago it was found that his many competences in the highest level included
music. In fact a few sheets of music written by his hand, were found. It's a few seconds. The
music you are going to listen is without words, but the words intended for this music are
known and come from a passage of the Bible.
They should be read in retrospect of these dark times, the times that came after an
extraordinary expansion, the first globalisation of the world.
This is the passage in Latin, translated as :
“Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness,
God will be my light”.
Five centuries later, I invite you to listen to his music.
Ne laeteris, inimica mea
Super me quia cecidi
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Consurgam cum sedero
In tenebris Dominus lux mea est
Thank you.
Transcripted by Bert Seghers, edited by Irina Veretennicoff
2.3 Nieuwe ideeën
De belangrijkste boodschap die voortgekomen is uit het Denkersprogramma F2KS is de
bevestiging dat een innoverende lerende economie steunt op goed gevormde én
enthousiaste (jonge) mensen en een goed ingelichte samenleving. De vele face-to-face
gesprekken waren hierin zeer leerrijk. De toestand van het lerarencorps is echter
problematisch, ondersteuning ontbreekt veelal en een sterke hervorming is noodzakelijk. De
aandacht van de media voor de wetenschap en technologie is eveneens inadequaat. Dit
is een gemiste kans voor beleidsverantwoordelijken op alle niveaus.
Niettemin is er in Vlaanderen wel degelijk veel in beweging. Bewijs hiervan zijn onder meer
de vele rapporten die het afgelopen jaar zijn verschenen (zie digitale bibliotheek F2KS),
Technopolis maar vooral ook de recent opgerichte STEM Academies.
Het is de overtuiging van JM Gago dat wetenschap dé manier is om de sociale kloof aan te
pakken, daar waar taal en sociaal milieu vaak voor barrières zorgen. Zo zijn er in de
wetenschappen veel taalonafhankelijke kanalen van communicatie die kunnen
aangewend worden om mensen te stimuleren de sociale lift te nemen. De taal van de
wetenschap is immers universeel.
2.4 Communicatie en media
De activiteiten van het Denkersprogramma werden aangekondigd op de website van de
KVAB en in de Academieberichten. Er is een interview verschenen van Prof. Gago en Prof.
Veretennicoff in de Academieberichten nr. 58, 2014, p. 2-5 (in bijlage).
De aankondiging en de uitnodigingen voor de slotconferentie werden vanuit de Academie
op drie verschillende data (begin juli, eind oktober en midden november 2014) per email
opgestuurd naar meer dan 2000 geadresseerden.
Op de websites van VUB, KU Leuven, Technopolis, VLEVA (Vlaams Europees
Verbindingsagentschap), EPOS vzw, en in de nieuwsbrief van ie-net vzw werd de
slotconferentie aangekondigd.
Een persmededeling werd uitgestuurd en de "marketing" dienst van De Standaard werd per
email gecontacteerd. Alleen Flanders Today reageerde op onze uitnodiging met een
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uitgebreid artikel: http://www.flanderstoday.eu/education/rekindling-flanders-love-scienceand-technology.
Een belangrijk document is de Conferentiebrochure (in bijlage) naar aanleiding van het
afsluitend Congres op 28 november 2014. Deze brochure, alsook de papers/presentaties zijn
terug te vinden op de website van de KVAB.
Naar aanleiding van de Conferentie werden tweets gepost via Twitter onder #F2KS.
Het Denkersprogramma van de KVAB is overigens aanwezig op LinkedIn.
Enkele belangrijke links:
- Documentatiecentrum:
http://www.kvab.be/denkersprogramma/f2ks/documentations.htm
- Conferentiebrochure:
http://www.kvab.be/denkersprogramma/projecten-vlaanderen-kennismaatschappij.aspx
- Conference papers/presentaties/transcriptie:
http://www.kvab.be/denkersprogramma/conference-vlaanderenkennismaatschappij.aspx
2.5 Opvolgacties
2.5.1 Rapport met aanbevelingen
Prof. Gago heeft tijdens zijn slottoespraak op de conferentie van F2KS zijn aanbevelingen
geformuleerd in de vorm van 10 geboden:
1. General science and technology education main purpose is the scientific and
technological culture of society at large.
2. Science Education must be part of S&T policy.
3. The appropriation of Science and Technology by society requires investing in science and
technology education, formal and informal, at all levels, as well as in scientific and
technological research and other public policies.
4. Only the human values of science and their role in civilisation can deeply interest society
and effectively permeate youth culture.
5. General Science and Technology Education in schools is key to lifelong learning, to social
adaptability and to social and political participation.
26
6. Science and technology education shall be shaped as an inclusive process of practical
socialisation to science and technology, together with and contributing to all other areas
(from the arts to the sports) with no barriers.
7. General science and technology education, project work, systematic experimental and
technical practice, shall be widely used as tools for improving social cohesion and for
reducing social selectivity in education.
8. Addressing systematically the perceived lack of S&T based professionals in the economy
and in society is key to building up trust and a sense of common social responsibility.
9. Only the empowerment of science teachers and their social recognition by society may
allow for the success of sustainable S&T policies. Science and Education policies shall aim at
bringing Scientists and Science Teachers together.
10. Devising and funding large scale stable national and international initiatives and
supporting independent initiatives aiming at bringing together schools, research centres,
science-based professionals as well as industry and science centres.
De volledige presentatie is terug te vinden op de website van de KVAB. De transcriptie van
zijn toespraak vindt u terug in punt 2.2.
2.5.2 Standpunt
De stuurgroep zal, met het oog op het verder uitbouwen van het gecreëerde momentum
rond het denkersprogramma, en de vernieuwende inhoudelijke aspecten van F2KS een
Standpunt van de Academie publiceren in 2015.
In samenspraak met de belangrijkste stakeholders van het DP F2KS is het de bedoeling over
te gaan tot het opsommen van enkele praktische acties, in het bijzonder toegespitst op het
lager en middelbaar onderwijs. Op basis van de resultaten van deze workshop zal een
standpunt voorbereid worden. Het doel hiervan zal zijn een kader te creëren om het
enthousiasme en de motivatie bij leraren en leerlingen te stimuleren.
2.6 Exit-gesprek
Voor de evaluatie van het programma door de Denker wordt verwezen naar het eerste
deel van de slottoespraak van JM Gago. De stuurgroep heeft de organisatie en de
outcome van het programma, inlcusief mogelijke opvolgacties, uitvoerig besproken in haar
vergadering van 26 januari 2015.
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3
Dankwoord
Professor Gago en de F2KS stuurgroep wensen alle stakeholders en sprekers op de
slotconferentie te bedanken voor hun belangstelling voor het F2KS programma, en hun
beschikbaarheid om efficiënt bij te dragen tot dit programma.
Onze bijzondere dank aan Professor Dirk Boogmans en Danielle Raspoet, respectievelijk
Voorzitter en Algemeen Secretaris van VRWI, evenals aan Elie Ratinckx (VRWI) die ons vanaf
het begin met raad en daad hebben bijgestaan. Wij wensen hen ook te feliciteren met de
kwaliteit van hun adviezen en aanbevelingen. Ook hebben we de kwaliteit en het nut van
de wekelijkse VRWI nieuwsberichten bijzonder op prijs gesteld. Zij laten toe om polshoogte
te houden van het wereldwijd reilen en zeilen van de Science en Technology Policies.
Onze dank en gelukwensen gaan ook naar alle leden van het STEM platform en in het
bijzonder naar de efficiënte ‘liaison officer’ Katrien De Schrijver en de Voorzitter Martine
Tempels. Hun bijdrage is indrukwekkend. Wij hopen dat hun succesvolle initiatieven
bestendigd worden in duurzame structuren.
Ook wensen wij de medewerkers van het Vlaams Ministerie van Onderwijs en Vorming en in
het bijzonder Rita Dunon te bedanken voor het leveren van gegevens en informatie.
Dank aan Professor Luc Sels en medewerkers van het Steunpunt Werk en Sociale Economie
(KU Leuven) voor het leveren van data omtrent knelpunten en kritische vacatures.
Tenslotte kunnen we niet genoeg de nadruk leggen op het werk geleverd door de hele staf
van de KVAB. Wij wensen hen allen te bedanken en te feliciteren. In het bijzonder danken
we de beleidsmedewerkers Inez Dua en Bert Seghers. Dank voor hun enthousiasme en
professionalisme, de kwaliteit van de samenwerking met de Denker en de stuurgroep en de
efficiëntie van hun contacten met de Vlaamse Administratie, de stakeholders en de
buitenwacht.
Ik hoop dat deze informatie een duidelijk overzicht geeft van de activiteiten van het
“Flanders’ Future as a Knowledge Society” Denkersprogramma.
Met dank voor de aandacht die u aan dit verslag zal geven, vriendelijke groeten,
Prof. Irina Veretennicoff
Coördinator Denkersprogramma F2KS
28
4
Bijlagen
4.1 Academieberichten nr. 58
4.2 Conferentiebrochure F2KS – 28 november 2014
29
30
UITGELICHT
DENKERSPROGRAMMA
KENNISMAATSCHAPPIJ
Marc Vanneste
Irina Veretennicoff: “Hopen dat bezieling
van José Gago op Vlaanderen overslaat”
“Is Vlaanderen inderdaad op weg naar een
nieuwsgierige, enthousiaste en innovatiegedreven
kennismaatschappij?” vormt het tweede luik van het
Denkersprogramma dat binnen de Academie in 2014
in de steigers werd gezet. Het wordt op 28 november
tijdens een slotconferentie afgerond. Wil Vlaanderen
zijn welvaart op peil houden, dan mag het de trein,
waarvan innovatieve wetenschaps- en technologiebeoefening de locomotief is, niet missen. De meegetrokken wagons hebben namen als engineering,
technologie en techniek en vormen de natuurlijke
toepassingsgebieden van fundamenteel wetenschappelijk onderzoek in wat men de STEM-disciplines noemt
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).
Ondanks alle initiatieven van de overheid en de
privésector halen totnogtoe te veel Vlamingen hun
neus op voor ‘exacte’ leerstof en technische competenties. Hoe komt dat? Hoe kan je ervoor zorgen dat
wetenschap en haar afgeleiden een plaats weten te
verwerven in het innerlijke van de mensen en dat
wetenschap en technologie prominenter aanwezig zijn
in het bedrijfsleven en in de kenniseconomie in Vlaanderen? Er is dringend een mentaliteitsverandering
nodig, maar hoe creëer je die overslag in de geesten?
Professor em. Irina Veretennicoff, fysica aan de VUB en
lid van de raad van bestuur van de KVAB, wil daar
samen met een vermaarde buitenlandse deskundige
en zo veel mogelijk leden van de KVAB over nadenken.
Veretennicoff slaagde erin om een autoriteit als José
Mariano Gago als ‘Denker’ aan boord te hijsen van het
Denkersprogramma rond de uitbouw van een kennismaatschappij in Vlaanderen. Momenteel laat prof.
Gago volop zijn licht schijnen over de situatie in Vlaanderen. Hij is daarvoor goed beslagen. Hij wist in de
Portugese samenleving een culturele aardverschuiving
ten voordele van STEM-onderwijs, -onderzoek en
-communicatie op gang te brengen. Zijn advies zou
voor Vlaanderen wel eens van tel kunnen zijn. Hoe ver
is zijn Vlaamse ‘introspectie’ opgeschoven? Wat zijn de
knelpunten? Hoe wordt het initiatief door de stakeholders
ontvangen? Een gesprek met professor Irina Veretennicoff, de gangmaakster van het denkersthema ‘Is
Vlaanderen inderdaad op weg naar een nieuwsgierige,
innovatiegedreven
kennismaatschappij?’/
‘Flanders Future as a knowledge society’ (F2KS) en met
professor José Mariano Gago, de ‘Thinker in
Residence’.
2
Hoe denkt professor Gago zijn ‘Vlaamse’ opdracht aan
te pakken? En hoe kan de Academie hem daarbij
helpen?
Hoe is de Academie bij professor José Mariano Gago
terechtgekomen? Waarom wordt hij als Denker
aangetrokken?
Irina Veretennicoff: “Toen de Klasse der Natuurwetenschappen in maart 2013 unaniem besliste om haar
eerste Denkersprogramma te wijden aan een thema
dat toch heel controversieel overkomt, wisten we dat
we moesten zoeken naar een ‘Denker’ van groot
formaat, iemand met een brede visie op deze problematiek, met ervaring, met prestige en vooral een
‘Denker’ die resultaten haalt. Reeds sinds het einde van
de jaren ’90 volgde ik de merkwaardige evolutie van
Portugal inzake wetenschap en technologie, onderwijs,
onderzoek en wetenschapspopularisering. Zowel via
zijn werk binnen de Raad van de EU als in zijn functie
van Minister voor Wetenschap en Technologie,
Informatiemaatschappij en Hoger Onderwijs had ik het
werk en de acties van prof. Gago leren kennen. Ik had
veel gelezen over zijn inspirerend ‘Ciência-Viva’programma in Portugal (www.cienciaviva.pt), zijn
bezielende werkkracht en zijn charismatische invloed
op de Portugese bevolking. Ook op Europees niveau
heeft hij – en nog altijd! – een heel grote invloed.”
Wat verklaart zijn succesverhaal in Portugal?
Irina Veretennicoff: “Zijn succes is te danken aan
politieke omstandigheden, die in Vlaanderen om
diverse redenen nooit aanwezig waren. Ten eerste was
hij als minister van W&T (Wetenschappen en Technologie) zelf een pur sang wetenschapper. Tegelijk had hij,
lang voordat hij zijn ambt bekleedde, een visie ontwikkeld over zijn verantwoordelijkheden en doelstellingen.
Vervolgens kon hij twee lange ambtstermijnen van
telkens 7 jaar rondmaken (weliswaar met een onderbreking van 3 jaar), wat hem toeliet zijn politiek op een
coherente manier uit te bouwen en te consolideren.
Daarbovenop kon hij rekenen op de volle steun van zijn
regering en tenslotte kende hij, dankzij zijn bevoegdheden in de ministerraden van de Europese Unie, perfect
de situatie van W&T en het hoger onderwijs in de rest
van Europa en daarbuiten, in het bijzonder in landen
als Frankrijk en Groot-Brittannië, en hij kende ook de
toestand in de Verenigde Staten. Het was dus niet
moeilijk om mijn Confraters en Consorores van de KNW
ervan te overtuigen dat professor Gago dé geknipte
Denker was voor ons programma.”
Irina Veretennicoff: “Dat moet u hem zelf vragen! Eén
zaak is zeker: José Mariano Gago gaat niet over één
nacht ijs. Eerst wil hij de situatie in Vlaanderen
diepgaand doorgronden, vooraleer conclusies te
trekken. Hij wil dus ruim de tijd nemen om de situatie te
begrijpen. Zijn speurtocht deelt hij op in drie luiken. Eerst
wil hij hoogte krijgen van de Vlaamse samenleving.
Hoe is haar houding ten opzichte van wetenschappen
en technologie? Zijn de STEM-opleidingen wel
optimaal? In een tweede fase wil hij te weten komen
wat er hier voor verbetering vatbaar is en of een
hervorming nodig is. Het derde luik ten slotte, heeft te
maken met economie en het bedrijfsleven. Waarom
staat het Vlaamse bedrijfsleven niet voldoende open
voor innovatie? Welke zijn eventueel de hindernissen
die hier moeten worden weggewerkt?”
Waar en wanneer zullen al deze bevindingen publiek
gemaakt worden?
Irina Veretennicoff: “Dat zijn allemaal vragen die aan
bod zullen komen tijdens de afsluitende conferentie
die plaats heeft op 28 november 2014 in de KVAB.
Buitenlandse en Vlaamse stakeholders zullen hun
standpunt toelichten en met hun gehoor in discussie
gaan. Daarna zal professor
Gago zijn definitief rapport
met aanbevelingen neerleggen. Professor Gago wenst
onder andere de ministers
Muyters (Werk, Economie,
Innovatie en Sport) en Crevits
(Onderwijs), de VRWI (Vlaamse
Raad voor Wetenschap en
Innovatie) en zoveel mogelijk
vertegenwoordigers van onze
universiteiten, van leraars en
studenten, wetenschapsjournalisten, vertegenwoordigers
wetenschapscommunicatie,
van het Vlaams patronaat en
van de vakbonden te betrekken in dit slotsymposium,
samen met alle geïnteresseerden binnen en buiten de
Academie.”
Wat heeft er u tot nog toe het meest getroffen in de
aanpak van professor Gago?
Irina Veretennicoff: “In de eerste plaats zijn bezieling.
Hoe een man met zijn gezag en allure niet te beroerd is
om midden in het werkveld te gaan staan. Dit was ook
al te zien tijdens het Ciência Viva programma in
Portugal, waarvan hij tijdens zijn ambtstermijn als
Minister van wetenschap en technologie de initiatiefnemer en gangmaker was. De aanpak was drieledig: 1.
De rol van de leraars wetenschap versterken; 2. Een
cultuur van nabijheid creëren tussen geleerden en
niet-wetenschappers, anders gezegd wetenschap en
samenleving bij elkaar brengen; 3. Een netwerk tot
stand brengen van belevingscentra voor wetenschap.
Centraal in het Ciência Viva stelsel staat het groot
‘Pavilhao do Conhecimento’ (Paviljoen der Kennis) in
Lissabon, dat in vele – maar niet in alle aspecten – lijkt
op onze Technopolis. Een twintigtal kleinere structuren
van het Paviljoen der Kennis zijn verspreid in provinciesteden over heel Portugal. Zij bieden lab-ruimte en
ondersteuning aan de leerkrachten die het wensen.
Tijdens de vakanties organiseren ze thematische activiteiten zoals geowandelingen voor de hele familie. Het
initiatief van Ciência Viva werd vanaf zijn oprichtingsfase ruim gedragen door de media. Professor Gago
was ook heel veel aanwezig op deze evenementen. Hij
was een zichtbare Minister, die bruggen bouwde
tussen W&T en de maatschappij. Om bijvoorbeeld
mensen in te wijden in de
niet
zo
eenvoudige
chemie van mayonaise
nam Gago tijdens een
demonstratie
zelf
de
garde ter hand terwijl hij
uitleg gaf aan het jongetje
dat ermee bezig was, in
aanwezigheid van zijn
ouders en natuurlijk een
groot publiek. De tv was er
ook. Vandaag is een
dagje uit met het hele
gezin naar een activiteit
van een Ciência-Viva-belevingscentrum zelfs een
doodnormale, maar boeiende
vrijetijdsbesteding
geworden. Gago heeft
Portugal
in
beweging
gezet. Zoals Vlaanderen in
Actie dat ook beoogt.”
Irina Veretennicoff en José Mariano Gago
3
UITGELICHT
Heeft de populariteit van de Ciência-Viva-beweging
zich ook vertaald in meer inschrijvingen voor de STEMrichtingen en wat was daarvan de weerslag op de
economie?
“
Irina Veretennicoff: “Dat is een vraag die niet zo
gemakkelijk te beantwoorden is, omdat er zoveel
factoren meespelen. Maar toch, de cijfers spreken voor
zich. In 1995 vertegenwoordigde R&D (Research en
Development) 0,5 % van het Bruto Binnenlands Product
in Portugal. Dat was dus om zo te zeggen onbestaand.
Zestien jaar later, in 2011, was het aandeel meer dan
verdrievoudigd en maakte R&D 1,6 % van het BBP uit.
De R&D-intensity binnen bedrijven verdubbelde van 25
naar 50 %. Het aantal voltijdse equivalenten van hoog
opgeleide onderzoekers klom van 3 naar 9 op duizend
banen. De peer reviewed wetenschappelijke productie vermenigvuldigde met vijf. Dat is in vergelijking met
het Europees gemiddelde relatief weinig. Maar als men
de groeicurve apart bekijkt, is de evolutie spectaculair.”
Gago heeft Portugal in beweging gezet.
Zoals Vlaanderen in Actie dat ook beoogt.
”
Dear Professor Gago, since many years you are
involved in the creation and management of research
institutions, you have taken important research
initiatives, you participate in high level Think Tanks, you
advise Scientific Institutions from INSERM in France to
the ESA. What made you accept the invitation to
become the Thinker of the KVAB on Flanders’ Future as
a Knowledge Society?
José Mariano Gago: “This is a very interesting question,
thank you! To keep the answer short, I would just say
that I was first of all impressed by the sense of social
responsibility of the Academy in striving to address a
difficult societal problem its members perceived as
closely related to their own role in society as scientists
and academics.
I had the opportunity to discuss at length the objectives
of the initiative and to become convinced of the
commitment of its main supporters. Finally, I was deeply
impressed by the in depth discussions and exchanges I
had with Irina Veretennicoff, then Director of the Class
of Natural Sciences of KVAB, and colleagues from the
Steering Committee, and for their extraordinary
commitment and experience. I felt it was my responsibility to do my best to help, namely by bringing to the
4
attention of KVAB new political, international and
historical perspectives that might help opening up the
debate and suggest new lines of thought and new
forms of action.
However, I had to overcome my own reluctance to
admit that I might eventually play a positive role,
despite my reduced knowledge of Flanders’ society.
I am especially grateful for the opportunity to learn
more about modern Flanders, for many reasons:
Flanders’ tensions and conflicting aspirations are
somehow representative of other contemporary
regional or national development processes; Flanders’
roles in Belgium as well as in Europe and internationally
all seem to converge (as the Academy justly
perceived) on the difficult problem of future sustainability of modern knowledge-based societies.
Finally and retrospectively, I must also say that history
has certainly played its role: Portugal and Flanders
have been politically and economically in contact at
least since the XIV century, and in the XVI century
Portuguese merchants and humanists played an important role in Flanders and long lasting ties were then
established; at the same time, many families from
Flanders settled in the Azores islands and helped to
shape much of the unique sensibility and traditions in
some islands; and, more recently, many of my fellow
countrymen were buried in Flanders as the result of the
horror of the First World War.”
What was your strategy to approach this theme?
José Mariano Gago: “Over the last 20 years I have
devoted much of my time trying to help shaping
Europe’s future as a knowledge-based, inclusive and
open society. I have tried to contribute by organising
EU extensive studies and conferences on the future of
science education, on the culture of science in Europe,
on the information society, among others. I was deeply
involved in the political preparation and in the adoption and deployment of the EU strategy for a
knowledge-based economy and society adopted by
the European Council in March 2000 (in Lisbon, and
therefore usually referred to as the “Lisbon Strategy”).
And, of course, I have devoted many years of my life
trying to help shaping the future of my own country in
that direction. The Ciência Viva movement in Portugal
is probably one good example of a wide societal
engagement for science and technology in one
society.
As an external invited participant in the Flanders
debate, I define my role as a catalyser.
Changes in democratic societies are based upon a
multiplicity of convergent actions and ideas, rooted in
the minds and values of many social actors. Contributing to those processes, although very modestly, of
course, as a discrete catalyser who helps opening up
the debate internationally, and who strives to bring in
together stakeholders who should progressively
establish denser networks in society, is what I have tried
to do.”
To wrap up your findings and discuss them with the
stakeholders in Flanders a final Conference is organized
at the Academy on Friday, November 28th. Can you
please highlight its main topics?
José Mariano Gago: “The Conference Programme
outline is probably self-explanatory: The Future of
Flanders as a Knowledge-Based Society in Perspective
will address International perspectives:
Why is science education in schools key to the future of
sustainable knowledge-based societies? Why is Informal
Science education a key factor for the cohesion of
knowledge-based societies? How are knowledgebased economies and societies emerging and
evolving? How are regional and national policies
addressing the challenges of supporting knowledgebased economies?
And it will specifically address and stimulate discussion on
“Flanders as a knowledge-based society in perspective”,
namely on two key issues:
Flanders Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) deficit in perspective: are we lacking
STEM students and graduates, either in general, in
specific domains, or not at all? What should we do
about it?
Flanders economic development in perspective: how
can society sustain a performing knowledge-based
economy?
I am certain the Conference will challenge Flanders
political, economic and academic stakeholders, and I
hope it will contribute to bring them together to discuss
openly and in an informed way how to better shape
Flanders future as a knowledge-based society.”
Een ‘Higgsveld’ van belangstelling
voor wetenschap
Samen met Europees Commissaris Philippe Busquin
stond José Mariano Gago aan de wieg van de
European Research Area en de Lissabon 2000 Agenda
en was hij heel actief bij de opbouw van het Bolognaproces. Hij is zowel elektrotechnisch ingenieur als
doctor in de hoge-energie-fysica. Sinds 1976 is hij
verbonden aan het CERN in Genève. Vandaag staat
hij aan het hoofd van een groot en succesvol gedecentraliseerd onderzoekslabo, het LIP (www.lip.pt). Na
de Anjerrevolutie (1974) is hij onmiddellijk naar Portugal
teruggekeerd om les te geven aan zijn moederuniversiteit, het IST (Instituto Superior Técnico) in
Lissabon. Vanaf zijn jeugdjaren heeft hij politieke
verantwoordelijkheid op zich genomen en heeft hij
diep nagedacht over de rol van Wetenschap en
Techniek in de maatschappij . Hij werd – zonder een
partijkaart te hebben – minister voor Wetenschap,
Technologie en Informatiemaatschappij tussen 1995 en
2002 en minister W&T én Hoger Onderwijs tussen 2005
en 2011. Hij heeft een cruciale rol gespeeld bij de
opbouw van zijn land en slaagde erin om een mentaliteitsverandering tot stand te brengen bij zijn landgenoten, die 40 jaar fascisme en intellectuele onderdrukking
hadden gekend. Als fysicus zou men zijn Portugese
verwezenlijking metaforisch kunnen omschrijven als de
creatie van een soort ‘Higgsveld’ (Nobelprijs Fysica,
2013). Een veld dat alle sectoren van de maatschappij
doordringt met oprechte belangstelling voor en een
positieve houding ten opzichte van wetenschap en
technologie. Zoals het Higgs-Brout-Englertveld het
volledige heelal binnendringt en aan de deeltjes
massa geeft! Zijn uitgebreid CV kunt u nalezen op de
website van de KVAB (www.kvab.be).
Enkele leden van de stuurgroep, v.l.n.r. Joos Vandewalle, Paul
Van Houtte, Inez Dua, Irina Veretennicoff, Yvan Bruynseraede,
José Mariano Gago, Alexander Sevrin en Christiane Malcorps.
5
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
Flanders’ Future as a Knowledge
Society (F2KS) in perspective
November 28, 2014
Palace of the Academies
Albert II auditorium
Brussels - Belgium
“A knowledge society generates, processes,
shares and makes available to all members of
the society knowledge that may be used to
improve the human condition.”
(Definition provided by the UNESCO World Summit 2005)
Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Science and the Arts - Hertogsstraat 1 - B-1000 Brussels - www.kvab.be - info@kvab.be
Flanders’ Future as a Knowledge Society (F2KS) in perspective
November 28, 2014 - Palace of the Academies - Brussels
Program
08:30
Registration & coffee
09:00
Irina Veretennicoff - Coordinator of the F2KS Thinker in Residence Project, member of the KVAB
Setting the scene
09:15
International perspectives on science education
Chair: José Mariano Gago – KVAB F2KS Thinker in Residence
Svein Sjoberg – Professor emeritus in Science education, Oslo University
Creating a sustainable scientific culture among young people: the importance of interest, joy and
motivation, and the curses of testing and ranking. - Q & A
09:45
STEM education in Flanders - PART I
Chair: Irina Veretennicoff – Member of the KVAB, VUB
A provocative round table discussion followed by a debate with the audience
Flanders’ STEM deficit in perspective: Are we lacking STEM students and graduates, either in general, in
specific domains or not at all? What should we do about this? Is the STEM education adequate?
Kurt Meeus – ASO GO!
Joos Vandewalle – KVAB, KU Leuven
Discussant: José Mariano Gago
Bernadette Hendrickx – VeLeWe
Andreas Frans – VVS
Q&A
10:45
Coffee break
11:15
Facts and Figures about Flanders as a Knowledge Society
Chair: Dirk Van Dyck – Member of the KVAB, UAntwerpen
Koen Debackere – Professor innovation management and policy, KU Leuven
Q&A
11:45
STEM education in Flanders - PART II
Chair: Veronique Van Speybroeck – Member of the KVAB, UGent
A provocative round table discussion followed by a debate with the audience
Flanders’ approach to informal STEM education.
Kathleen Kuypers – Teacher ICT and CS
Erik Jacquemyn – Technopolis, STEM Academies
12:30
Lunch
Registration: kvab.fikket.be
2
Jo Decuyper – RVO Society, IMEC
Q&A
14:00
Address from the Flemish minister of Innovation
Chair: Ludo Gelders – President of the KVAB
Philippe Muyters – Flemish Minister for Work, Economics, Innovation and Sports
The need for science and innovation in Flanders: food for thought.
14:20
Evidence, doubts and thoughts about Flanders on its way to a knowledge society
Chair: Alexandre Sevrin – Member of the KVAB, VUB
Eric Corijn – Cultural philosopher and social scientist, Founder COSMOPOLIS, VUB
Are our universities ready for the knowledge society?
Conny Aerts – Vice–dean communication & Outreach, Faculty of Science, KU Leuven, KVAB
A natural scientist to bear witness - Q & A
15:05
International perspectives on knowledge-based societies and economies
Chair: José Mariano Gago – KVAB F2KS Thinker in Residence
Joaquim Oliveira Martins – Head, OECD Regional Development Policy Division, Paris
How are regional and national policies addressing the challenges of supporting knowledge-based
economies? - Q & A
15:35
Break
16:05
Flanders economic development in perspective
Chair: Christiane Malcorps – Member of the KVAB, Executive vice-president at Solvay S.A.
Luc Soete – Former director UNU–MERIT, Rector Magnificus Maastricht University
Flanders economic development in perspective: how can society sustain a performing
knowledge-based economy? - Q & A
A provocative round table discussion followed by a debate with the audience
Flanders towards a creative, innovation driven knowledge economy?
Koen Laenens – Essenscia
Marie Claire Van de Velde – UGent
Lena Bondue – NFTE
Charles Hirsch – KVAB, VUB, Numeca
Wim Dehaene – KU Leuven, MICAS
Q&A
17:15
Conclusions and recommendations
Jose Mariano Gago – KVAB F2KS Thinker in Residence
A knowledge-based society under catalysis: a personal summary, and some naïve proposals for action.
17:45
Official closing
Ludo Gelders – President of the KVAB
17:50
Reception and room for further informal discussions
33
Introduction
Is Flanders indeed on its way to a curiosity and innovation driven knowledge society? This is the question that
we intend to address today during this international
Conference entitled "Flanders Future as a knowledge
society (F2KS) in perspective".
It didn’t take very long to identify Professor José
Mariano Gago as probably the best possible candidate “ Thinker” for our project. I hope that his short CV,
to be found in this conference brochure will convince
you that we made the right choice.
Welcome to you, esteemed 25 experts and stakeholders who will throw their own light on the question.
Welcome to you, the 150 ladies and gentlemen from
many horizons who decided to attend the Conference
and hopefully contribute to a debate that will for sure
not be closed tonight!
Let us not anticipate here on what will be discussed
today. Let me just tell you that Flanders has made great
progress on its way to a Knowledge Society especially
in the last decade. Innumerous programs, actions and
instruments to stimulate research, education, and
innovation for business and industry have been
launched. But we have to admit that the return on
these investments is not as strong as expected. Can
one identify some of the origins of this problem? Can
solutions be proposed?
Most of you may know that our Academy has committed itself to organize nine "Thinkers in Residence"
programs in the period 2013-2017. These programs aim
at giving the Flemish Government but also our society
at large, an independent, high level, "academic"
opinion on a topic of concern today and a source of
even more concern for tomorrow.
The rules of the game are the following:
- the topic is determined by one or more of the four
classes of the Academy. In our case, it were the members of the class of Natural Sciences - that I had the
privilege to direct last year- who came up with the
Flanders’ Future as a Knowledge Society (F2KS) theme.
We were very fortunate that two eminent members of
the class of the Technical Sciences joined the steering
committee.
- the process is guided by a well-known international
expert in the field, a "Thinker" invited to spend about 45
days - fortunately not in a row! - at the Academy.
His/her responsibility is to feed the discussions, inspire
and interrogate its members and hopefully many other
stakeholders in Flanders. And vice-versa. By the end of
his/her stay the Thinker is expected to organize a
Conference … such as the one we are having today.
4
During this Conference our concept of a Knowledge
Society will we confronted with the Flemish realities,
starting from present day trends in education, society
and economy. We are fortunate to have three international experts with us, who will bring our questions in
perspective. Although most presentations will be given
in English, your interventions, questions and remarks in
Dutch or in French are more than welcome.
A twitter account has been opened to collect your first
reactions: #F2KS.
On behalf of Prof JM Gago and the steering committee
of this Thinkers in Residence program, I wish you a most
interesting and enjoyable day!
Irina Veretennicoff
Coordinator of the F2KS Thinker in Residence Project
Thinker in Residence
José Mariano Gago
– KVAB F2KS Thinker in
residence
Former Minister of Portugal, in charge of Science and
Technology, Information Society and Higher Education
(1995-2002 and 2005-2011).
Professor José Mariano Gago is an experimental high
energy physicist and a Professor at IST (Instituto Superior
Técnico, Lisbon). He graduated as an electrical
engineer by the Technical University of Lisbon and
obtained a PhD in Physics at École Polytechnique and
Université Pierre et Marie Curie, in Paris. He worked for
many years as a researcher at the European Organisation for Nuclear Physics (CERN), Geneva, and in
Portugal’s Laboratory for Particle Physics (LIP) that he
created and currently chairs.
He has also created and chairs a think-tank for forwardlooking studies, Instituto de Prospectiva, responsible for
the annual Arrabida meetings on prospective studies
(since 1991).
He launched the Ciência Viva movement to promote
S&T culture and S&T in society. He was responsible for
the reform of Higher Education and for the policies
leading to the fast development of Science and
Technology in Portugal. During the Portuguese EU
presidency (2000), he prepared, along with the
European Commission, the Lisbon Strategy for the
European Research Area and for the Information
Society in Europe. He also launched in 1998 the EurekaAsia Initiative in Macao. During the 2007 Portuguese EU
Presidency he promoted the adoption of a strategy for
the future of S&T in Europe and for the modernisation of
Universities in the EU. He was responsible, with M. Heitor,
for the launching of large scale collaborative programs
with US universities (MIT-Portugal, as well as with CMU,
UTA and Harvard Medical). Prof. Gago has also prepared, with UNESCO and CPLP, a new initiative and a new
UNESCO Centre for the advanced training of scientists
from developing countries, Ciência Global.
He chaired the Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE) and
campaigned for the creation of the European
Research Council. He also chaired the High Level
Group on Human Resources for Science and Technology in Europe and coordinated the European report
Europe Needs More Scientists (2004). Prof. Gago was
the first President of the International Risk Governance
Council (IRGC) in Geneva and is a member of IRGC
Board. He is a member of the Board of INSERM (France),
a policy advisor to the European Cancer Organisation
(ECCO), a member of the Board of Trustees of the
Cyprus Institute, and a member of the Governing Board
of Euroscience. He is special advisor to the European
Space Agency (ESA) Director-General. He is a member
of the Academia Europaea and was elected Honorary
Member of the European Physical Society.
Steering Committee F2KS
Conny
Aerts
Institute of Astronomy, KU Leuven
Yvan
Bruynseraede
Laboratory for Solid-State Physics and Magnetism, KU Leuven
Jean
De Cannière
Executive Director United Fund for Belgium
José Mariano
Gago
Former Minister of Portugal
Charles
Hirsch
President NUMECA International, VUB
Dirk
Inzé
Plant Systems Biology, UGent
Christiane
Malcorps
Executive Vice President Solvay SA/NV
Niceas
Schamp
Chemistry, UGent
Alexandre
Sevrin
Theoretical Physics, VUB
Dirk
Van Dyck
Physics, UAntwerpen
Paul
Van Houtte
Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, KU Leuven
Joos
Vandewalle
Electrical Engineering, KU Leuven
Irina
Veretennicoff
Photonics Science and Engineering, VUB
Christoffel
Waelkens
Institute of Astronomy, KU Leuven
5
Keynote lectures
In order of appearance
Svein Sjøberg – Professor emeritus in
Science Education, Oslo University
Svein Sjøberg is professor emeritus in
science education at Oslo University,
Norway. He has worked extensively with
international and comparative aspects
of science education through e.g.
UNESCO, OECD, ICSU and the EU, and
has won several prizes and awards for his
research and promotion of science literacy and public
understanding of science. He is member of the two
Norwegian academies: Norwegian Academy of
Science and Letters and Norwegian Technical Science
Academy.
Creating a sustainable scientific culture among young
people: The importance of interest, joy and motivation,
and the curses of testing and ranking.
School science is often perceived to be dull, boring,
closed and authoritarian, and when science is no
longer an obligatory part of the curriculum, many
students opt out of science. Students' attitudes to and
perceptions of science and technology (S&T) are
strong determinants for their choice of studies and
careers. Moreover, attitudes are more lasting than the
actual knowledge that has been learned, and may
determine how students relate to S&T as adults, as
voters and consumers.
International comparisons are important; we can learn
from others and get inspiration. But when international
comparisons take the form of country rankings according to universal, global (and hence decontextualized)
criteria, the results may be damaging and detrimental to
a sustainable interest in S&T. The global discourse on
education is increasingly being dominated by the
OECD-study PISA. The race to improve PISA-rankings has
become high priority in many countries. National
curricula, values and priorities are pushed aside. The
battle to improve test results may conflict with the task to
make science relevant, interesting and motivating for
the learners. The presentation will raise some of the
problems caused by PISA as a global measure of quality.
Koen Debackere – Professor innovation
management and policy, KU Leuven
Koenraad Debackere became professor
at KU Leuven in 1995 where he teaches
Technology and Innovation Management. He has won Best Research Paper
Awards from the American Academy of
Management and the Decision Sciences
Institute. His research has focused on the
area of technology and innovation
management and policy. He is also
actively engaged in technology transfer
activities as managing director of KU
Leuven Research & Development and
Chairman of the Gemma Frisius Fonds of the KU Leuven.
6
He is the co-founder and chairman of Leuven.Inc, the
innovation network of Leuven high-tech entrepreneurs.
He is a board member of IWT-Vlaanderen, the Flemish
government agency that supports science and
technology development in Flemish industry. Since
2005, he is the general manager of KU Leuven.
Facts and Figures about Flanders as a Knowledge
Society.
The focus of the presentation is on the indicator base to
map the knowledge and innovation intensity of the
Flemish region. Data and indicators on R&D expenditures, participation in higher education programs, participation in the European Research Area, publication and
patent output, and the innovation performance of
Flemish companies underpin the innovation performance of Flanders. Time series data show that the
Flemish region is oscillating between being an innovation leader and an innovation follower.
Philippe Muyters – Vlaams Minister van
Werk, Economie, Innovatie en Sport
The need for science and innovation in
Flanders: food for thought.
Philippe Muyters was born in Antwerp on
6 December 1961. After his economic
studies, he started his career as an
economic advisor. At the age of 32, he
became head of the SERV (Flanders’ Social and
Economic Counsil). From 2000 until 2009 he was the
Managing Director of VOKA (Flemish Chamber of
Commerce and Industry). In 2009 he joined the Flemish
Government, where he was responsible for Finance,
Budget, Work, Town and Country Planning and Sports.
After the elections of June, Philippe Muyters became
Flemish Minister for Work, Economics, Innovation and
Sports, a portfolio that might have been written for him.
Eric Corijn – Cultural philosopher and
social scientist, Founder COSMOPOLIS,
VUB
Eric Corijn, cultural philosopher and
social scientist, professor of urban studies
at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, founder of
Cosmopolis, Centre for Urban Research,
vice chair of the Brussels Studies Institute
and director of Brussels Academy, coordinator of 4Cities, an Erasmus Mundus Master in Urban
Studies with the universities of Brussels (VUB and ULB),
Vienna, Copenhagen and Madrid (Complutense and
Autonoma), author of more than 250 publications.
Are our universities ready for the knowledge society?
The hypothesis of a “knowledge society”, where
innovation and creativity are essential and immediate
tools for socialisation, questions the town gown relationship. Are universities adapted to this knowledge
society? Are the production conditions of academic
knowledge suited for contextual social challenges? This
contribution will advance some sceptic observations
on the “really existing academy” and suggest paths to
a better relation with knowledge society. It will define
the importance of innovation and creativity in relation
with the processes of globalisation, urbanization and
postindustrial transition. It will then contrast the origin,
structure and functioning of the universities related with
the nation state, with scientific disciplines and with
commodification of knowledge. It will finally draw some
arguments from the “slow science” movement to
improve the relationship between town and gown.
Conny Aerts – Vice–dean communication & Outreach, Faculty of Science, KU
Leuven, KVAB
Conny Aerts studied mathematics at
Antwerp University and astrophysics at
KU Leuven. She is currently Director of the
Institute of Astronomy and Vice-Dean
Communication & Outreach of the
Faculty of Science, KULeuven. She also
occupies the Chair in Asteroseismology at the
Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands.
Conny Aerts is an expert in stellar astrophysics and a
pioneer of the research field of asteroseismology. She
was awarded with an ERC Advanced Grant in 2008
and was the first woman to receive the Francqui Prize in
Exact Sciences in 2012. Conny Aerts holds numerous
international responsibilities worldwide, in particular at
space and research agencies such as ESA, ESO, and
ERC.
A natural scientist to bear witness.
Conny Aerts will stress the importance of motivation
and fun as basis to choose studies in the natural
sciences and mathematics. Her talk also contains a
plea to adopt research-oriented active learning in
lecturing and to avoid inappropriate stereotypical
representations of scientists in the press and media. The
importance of collaborative efforts between secondary schools and universities to attract more students to
STEM education will also be stressed, with specific
emphasis on the need for more female and allochtonous populations at universities.
Joaquim Oliveira Martins – Head, OECD
Regional Development Policy Division,
Paris
Joaquim Oliveira Martins is the Head of
the OECD Regional Development Policy
Division, where he supervises projects on
regional and urban development, multilevel
governance
issues,
regional
statistics and well-being. He was former
Head of the Structural Economic Statistics Division,
where he developed Trade & Globalisation studies,
Productivity measurement and Business statistics. He
was also Senior Economist at the OECD Economics
Department, where he managed projects on Health
Expenditures, the Economics of Education and Ageing
and Growth. As Head of Desk for Emerging markets, he
was in charge of the first Economic Surveys of Brazil,
Chile and several transition countries. Before the OECD,
he was Research Fellow at the Centre d’Etudes
Prospectives et d’Informations Internationales (CEPII,
Paris). He holds a PhD in Economics from the University
of Paris-I, Panthéon-Sorbonne, and is currently Associate Professor at the University of Paris-Dauphine.
How are regional and national policies addressing the
challenges of supporting knowledge-based economies?
The traditional macro and sectoral engines of growth
seem to be stalled in Europe. Although there is
evidence that economy-wide structural policies and
sound macroeconomic conditions are good for
regional productivity convergence, the particular
(power-law) distribution of the contribution of the
different types of regions to aggregate growth, implies
that uniform, economy-wide policies alone are unlikely
to achieve all efficiency gains. This granularity of the
sources of growth implies that economy-wide structural
policies supporting growth and innovation may need to
be completed by spatially-targeted policies. The latter
can also increase policy complementarity, and, in this
way, contribute to enhancing the return of individual
reforms across all levels of government. In this regard,
there is a “good governance premium” to be mobilised, for which regional policies can contribute.
Luc Soete – Former director UNU–MERIT,
Rector Magnificus Maastricht University
Luc Soete is Rector Magnificus of Maastricht University. Professor Soete is a
member of the Royal Dutch Academy of
Sciences (KNAW) and the Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy
(AWT). He is Chairman of the High Level
Group “Research, Innovation and
Science Policy Experts”(RISE) at the
European Commission.
Professor Soete obtained his PhD in economics at the
University of Sussex. He worked at the Department of
Economics of the University of Antwerp, the Institute of
Development Studies and the Science Policy Research
Unit both at the University of Sussex, and the Department of Economics at Stanford University. In 1986, he
was appointed Professor of International Economic
Relations at Maastricht University. In 2002, he was
awarded the Maastricht School of Management Honorary Fellow Award. In 2006 he obtained the Commander in the Order of the Crown, a national decoration of
Belgium. In 2010 he received a Doctor Honoris Causa
from the University of Ghent.
Flanders economic development in perspective: how
can society sustain a performing knowledge-based
economy?
7
Panel discussion
Better preparation and realistic views on his/her
capacities with a positioning test at the end of high
school can help the student to confirm or modify the
study program selection. This leads to a better success
rate in the first academic year and more STEM graduates.
Panel discussion on STEM education in Flanders - PART I
Flanders’ STEM deficit in perspective: Are we lacking
STEM students and graduates, either in general, in
specific domains or not at all? What should we do
about this? Is the STEM education adequate?
Members of the panel:
1. Kurt Meeus
General Director, Scholengroep Midden-Brabant,
GO! Onderwijs van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap
Headmaster of Koninklijk Atheneum Vilvoorde (ASO)
Teacher Physics and ICT at secondary level
Ingenieur
Andreas Frans
Panel discussion on STEM education in Flanders - PART II
Flanders’ approach to informal STEM education.
Van een complexe structuur met een eenvoudige en
duidelijk afgebakende taak voor een leerkracht naar
een eenvoudige structuur met een complexere taak
voor een team van leerkrachten? Zelfsturende teams
als “systeem” als basis voor actueel wetenschapsonderwijs?
2. Bernadette Hendrickx
Member of the Association of Science Teachers
(VeLeWe)
Teacher in physics Heilig-Hart&College, Halle
Representative of the science teachers in the ASO
Members of the panel:
Kurt Meeus
-
"Optimizing science education to make students like
studying"
In a knowledge society sciences are present in everyone's daily life. In a knowledge society there is a great
need for scientists. Therefore we have to invest in
science education to offer quality and motivate
young people to choose for science studies.
A central examination can make students work
regularly and continuously to really enjoy sciences
and to be well prepared for science education at the
university.
3. Joos Vandewalle
Joos Vandewalle obtained the electrical engineering
degree and doctorate in applied sciences from KU
Leuven in 1971 and 1976. Until October 2013 he was a
full professor at the Department Electrical Engineering
(ESAT), KU Leuven, and head of the SCD division at
ESAT, with more than 150 researchers. Since October
2013 he is a professor emeritus with assignments at KU
Leuven. He held visiting positions at University of
California, Berkeley and I3S CNRS Sophia Antipolis,
France. He taught courses in linear algebra, linear
and nonlinear system and circuit theory, signal
processing and neural networks. His research interests
are in mathematical system theory and its applications in circuit theory, control, signal processing, cryptography and neural networks. He is a Fellow of IEEE, IET,
and EURASIP and member of the Academia
Europaea and of the Belgian Academy of Sciences.
“Bridging the gap between high schools and
universities”
8
4. Andreas Frans
International officer, VVS - National Union of Flemish
Students
Student, Faculty of Medical and Biomedical Sciences,
KULeuven
Bernadette Hendrickx
1. Kathleen Kuypers
Kathleen Kuypers is passionate about teaching ICT
and CS. As a master in mathematics and computer
science at the university of Antwerp she worked as a
software engineer at Ordina Denkart and as a
network engineer at Digipolis and Azlan. She also
trained future IT teachers as a lecturer at Thomas
Moore higher Education institute. When the domain
“IT and networks” was launched in the technical
secondary education (TSO), she was eager to bring
her experience to a new generation of students. She
is determined to show them the way to become not
only consumers but also creators in the digital world.
Now she is a driving force translating this idea into
concrete actions. As a result, her school has become
a "STEM school of excellence". Her continuing
challenge is to convince young students that STEM is
not nerdy but a fascinating topic with a great future.
“Moving up from digital consumers to creators, how
to lead students the way.”
-
Kathleen Kuypers
Joos Vandewalle
As digital natives, today’s students take modern
technology for granted. They simply can’t imagine a
world without it… By showing them what technology
is driving the tools they use in daily life, we try to make
students curious about the possibilities of ICT. This is an
effective way to make students eager to design and
create their own applications instead of merely use
tools.
In secondary school we should train students to
become smart consumers as well as creators of digital
technology. To achieve this, the current subject
Informatics should be split up into two. An Applications subject in which students learn to use tools in a
smart way and a Computer science subject which
deals with creation of digital solutions. It is also very
important to inspire and impassion students, therefore
teachers should tease them by showing the omnipresence of technology in daily life. This omnipresence
proves that STEM is relevant to society and to the
future.
2. Jo De Cuyper
Jo Decuyper studied physics and obtained his PhD in
1993 on cognitive models of the physical world and
their relation to common sense reasoning at the
Artificial Intelligence lab of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
in 1993. He joined the Flemish administration for
science policy. Among other tasks he was responsible
for a program devoted to the public understanding
of science and technology. Since 2000 he is directing
the Roger Van Overstraeten Society VZW
(rvo-society), a not-for-profit organisation founded by
imec, the universities, industrial partners and a
number of close friends of Professor Van Overstraeten.
The RVO Society was established in 2000 in fond
memory of Prof. Dr. Ir. Roger Van Overstraeten (RVO),
the founder and first CEO of Imec. The RVO Society
has the ambition to be kind of a "logic gate" between
research and scientific and technical education so as
to convey, in an interesting and relevant way, awareness and practical skills to young people and the
public-at-large.
During this panel discussion, we want to present some
elements of thought that can serve as building blocks
of a more efficient STEM-based education system and
lead to a broader public support for STEM activities in
general. They might also pave Flanders' way towards
a knowledge society.
Jo De Cuyper
“On Technopolis® and STEM Academies”
Erik Jacquemyn
Panel discussion on Flanders economic development
Flanders towards a creative, innovation driven knowledge
economy?
Members of the panel:
1. Koen Laenens
Secretary General, Director Social Affairs, Essenscia
2. Charles Hirsch
Founder of Numeca International (Software for Computational
Fluid Dynamics (CFD) design and automation), VUB
Member of the KVAB, initiator of the KVAB publication: “Innovative entrepreneurship by spin-offs of knowledge centra”
Koen Laenens
Charles Hirsch
3. Erik Jacquemyn
Erik Jacquemyn is CEO of Technopolis®, the Flemish
Science Centre (Mechelen, Belgium). As CEO -since
1988 - of the F.T.I Foundation (set up by the Flemish
Government), he coordinates numerous activities
bringing science and technology to different target
groups. The science centre (open February 2000) and
its outreach activities reach over 500 000
people/year. Erik Jacquemyn served on the Boards of
Ecsite (European Network of Science Centres and
Museums) and ASTC (Association of ScienceTechnology Centers) and sits on different committees
and juries active in the field of science communication.
Technopolis® is the Flemish centre for science
communication, with its science centre in Mechelen
(opened in 2000) and numerous innovative outreach
projects for specific target groups. Technopolis®’
mission is to Bring science and technology closer to
people. Technopolis® aims to go further than just
heightening public awareness of or insight into
sciences and technology. Its objective is to involve
the public at large in sciences and technology.
With its activities, Technopolis® is a complement to
the formal education system. Informal learning, also
called “free choice learning”, is an important tool for
getting both young and old interested, educated
and involved in science and technology.
Internationally Technopolis® is considered one of the
leaders in the field. From 17 till 19 March 2014,
Technopolis® hosted the Science Centre World
Summit, a unique high-level, global gathering that
brought together CEO’s, managers, decision makers
and experts from within and outside the science
centre field. In total, 464 participants from 58 different
countries attended the World Summit.
3. Marie Claire Van de Velde
Advisor Vice-Rector UGent
4. Wim Dehaene
KU Leuven, ESAT-MICAS
Micro-electronics engineer with projects on bridging the gap
between high tech development at universities and secondary
education.
5. Lena Bondue
Director NFTE, Network for Training Entrepreneurship Belgium
Marie Claire Van de Velde
Wim Dehaene
Lena Bondue
9
Chairpersons
Irina Veretennicoff
Member of the KVAB, VUB
Ludo Gelders
President of the KVAB, KU Leuven
Irina Veretennicoff obtained her PhD in
Physics from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel
(VUB) in 1973. She became full professor
at its Faculty of Engineering in 1990 in a
new department , devoted to research
and education in applied physics and
photonics, that she contributed to
establish and expand. Irina has been serving as an
expert in many European, Federal and Flemish advisory
boards and research programs. She is member of the
Flemish Academy for Science and Literature and Fine
Arts and was the first woman to direct the Class of
Natural Sciences in 2012 and 2013.
Ludo Gelders is emeritus professor of Industrial Management at KU Leuven. He holds degrees in electromechanical engineering (Ghent) and Industrial Management
(Louvain). He studied management at the MIT-Sloan
School and holds a PhD in Industrial Management.
After work experience in jet-engine manufacturing, he
took up an academic career. He served
as chairman of the Department of
Mechanical Engineering and the Center
for Industrial Management (KU Leuven).
He published on logistics, production,
maintenance and quality management.
He has been active in private and public
companies. He was President of the
Flemish
Water
Supply
Company,
vice-president of UHasselt and President
of KVIV (Royal Flemish Engineering
Society). Currently he is President of the
Royal Belgian Academy for Sciences and the Arts (KVAB).
Dirk Van Dyck
Member of the KVAB, UAntwerpen
Dirk Van Dyck is professor emeritus in
physics and honorary vice-rector for
research of the University of Antwerp. He
is known for his work on electron microscopy and microtomography. He is the
codeveloper of the first desk-top X-ray
microtomograph and founder of 4
spin-off companies including SKYSCAN.
Dirk Van Dyck is manager of UBCA Research Park of UAntwerpen. He published about 300
scientific papers and several books and holds 4
patents. In 2001 he received the Francqui Chair of the
KU Leuven for his scientific work in electron microscopy
and holography.
Veronique Van Speybrouck
Member of the KVAB, UGent
Veronique Van Speybroeck is full professor at UGent within the Faculty of
Engineering and Architecture. She also
holds a position as Research Professor at
UGent. She graduated as engineer in
physics at UGent in 1997 and obtained
her PhD in 2001 on a subject dealing with
theoretical simulations of chemical
reactions with static and dynamical
approaches. She was co-founder of the Center for
Molecular Modeling (CMM), which is now composed of
about 35 researchers. In this Center, she is leading the
“Computational Molecular Modeling” division. Her
current research interests primarily comprise study of
the kinetics of chemical reactions with state of the art
molecular modeling techniques. She is member of the
STEM-platform which was installed by the Flemish
government to promote Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics training and careers.
10
Alexandre Sevrin
Member of the KVAB, VUB
Alexander Sevrin got his physics degree
in 1985 from UGent. In 1988 he obtained
his PhD from KU Leuven. He performed
postdoctoral research at the C.N. Yang
Institute for Theoretical Physics at Stony
Brook (New York), the University of California at Berkeley, the Lawrence Berkeley
Laboratory and at CERN. At the end of
1994 he got tenure at the Physics Department of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He
founded there the Theoretical High
Energy Physics Group whose members
investigate theoretical aspects of elementary particle
physics and cosmology.
He is the deputy director for physics of the International
Solvay Institutes for Physics and Chemistry and he serves
on numerous boards among which the board of the
Francqui Foundation and the one of the Vlaamse
Wetenschappelijke Stichting which he also presides. He
is a guest professor at UAntwerp and KU Leuven.
Christiane Malcorps
Member of the KVAB, Solvay S.A.
Christiane Malcorps is Head of Global
Facility Management and Country
Manager for Belgium for SOLVAY S.A.
Throughout her career she gained extensive experience in business management, always with a special attention for
safety, quality and innovation to ensure
that sustainable development creates value. She is
active in several organizations striving for a direct
contribution of business and academic experience to
find solutions for societal needs. She is member of the
Business-Academia Board for university qualified
engineering at the Flemish universities of Louvain &
Ghent. She is also member of the Board of several
professional organizations in Belgium (essenscia, UWE,
VOKA, BECI, de Warande). She is engaged in teaching
on Skill Development of PhD students preparing them
for a successful business – academia interface and
helping them to develop as better citizens of the world.
Christiane Malcorps studied university qualified chemical engineering at the Catholic University of Louvain
and completed a PhD with major in Veterinary Science
and minor in Biomedical Engineering at the University of
Wisconsin, Madison, USA in 1983.
Participants list
Guy
Conny
Frank
Marc
Aelterman
Aerts
Baert
Beddegenoodts
Paul
Stephan
Bertels
Blickx
Carine
Boonen
Philippe
Danièle
Dominique
Philippe
Jan
Philippe
Carine
Simon
Eduard
Elke
Philippe
Liesbet
Jean-Pierre
Bourdeau
Bouvy
Boyen
Busquin
Buysse
Cara
Casteleyn
Cauwenbergh
Celens
Christiaen
Claeys
Cockx
Contzen
UGent
KU Leuven
KU Leuven
GO! Onderwijs van de
Vlaamse Gemeenschap
STEM-Platform
Fonds voor de
beroepsziekten
Flanders' Care
Beleidsdomein WVG
ARB
VOLTA
Co-valent
European Parliament
Vleva
VUB
Explorado
UGent
Howest, University College
VUB
UAntwerpen
Von Karman Institute for Fluid
Dynamics
Eric
Corijn
COSMOPOLIS, VUB
Ben
Craps
VUB
Michael
Creek
Freelance
Lino
da Costa Pereira KU Leuven
Johan
Danneels
Essensium
Dennis
De Bie
Uitgeverij De Boeck
Jelle
De Borger
KU Leuven
Jean
De Cannière
United Fund for Belgium
Erik
De Corte
KU Leuven
Hans
De Four
eduCentrum vzw
Jean-Pierre De Greve
VUB
Paul
De Hondt
Kabinet Vlaams viceministerpresident Hilde Crevits
Lut
De Jaegher
Arteveldehogeschool
Roger
De Keersmaecker IMEC
Haydée
De Loof
UAntwerpen
Martine
de Mazière
Belgisch Instituut voor Ruimte
Aëronomie
Jolien
De Meester
KU Leuven
Stijn
De Mil
Ersamus University College
Brussels
Bernard
Astrid
Jo
Koen
Nathalie
De Potter
De Schrijver
De Wachter
Debackere
Debaes
Jo
Wim
Nicole
pascale
Decuyper
Dehaene
Dekelver
dengis
Christof
Jorgen
Aurelie
Devriendt
D'Hondt
Duchateau
Freddy
Rita
Hendrik
Renaat
Dumortier
Dunon
Ferdinande
Frans
Andreas
Frans
José Mariano Gago
Niko
Geerts
Ludo
Gelders
Georges
Gielen
Mieke
Gijsemans
Vincent
Ginis
Inge
Gyssens
Jacqueline Hellemans
Bernadette Hendrickx
Jean Pierre Henriet
Kris
Heyde
Charles
Hirsch
Lut
Hoornaert
Serge
Huyghe
Mark
Huyse
Erik
Jacquemyn
Liliane
Etienne
Karel
Luc
Heidi
Anne-Lize
Cedric
Jonckheere
Keller
Kersters
Kindt
Knipprath
Kochuyt
Koslowski
Flemish government
VOLTA
KU Leuven
KU Leuven
EYESTvzw, Excite Youth for
Engin., Science and Techn.
RVO-Society VZW
KU Leuven
UHasselt
Flemish government, dept.
EWI
VUB
VUB
Flemish Department of
Foreign Affairs
KVAB, UHasselt
Department of Education
UGent
University College LeuvenLimburg
VVS
Thinker in residence
Flemish government
KVAB, KU Leuven
KU Leuven
VUB R&D department
VUB
Atheneum Brasschaat
KU Leuven
H.-Hart&College Halle
UGent
UGent
NUMECA Int.
VTI Veurne
VKW
KU Leuven
Technopolis, STEM
Academies
Dep.Keller
member KVAB
RVO Society
HIVA-KU LEUVEN
Planetarium Brussels
WeZooz Academy
11
Participants list
Kathleen
Koen
Franklin
Kuypers
Laenens
Lambert
Philip
Greet
Greet
Marc AR
Annemie
Peter
Marie
Boniface
Christiane
Jelle
Lambrechts
Langie
Langie
Larmuseau Sr
Lemahieu
Lievens
Lubs
Lumpungu
Malcorps
Mampaey
Harry
Kurt
Nicki
Pieter
Martens
Meeus
Mennekens
Mestdagh
Tijs
Gina
Liliane
Elisabeth
Bart
Philippe
Michiels
Mihai
Moeremans
Monard
Motmans
Muyters
Gerda
Joaquim
Manuel
Wim
Hensen
Danielle
Neyens
Oliveira Martins
Paiva
Peeters
Pieter
Raspoet
Dirk
Reyntjens
Filip
Evi
Robyn
Roelen
Rony
Jef
Luc
Ronald
Niceas
An
Nick
Bert
Alexander
Manuel
Svein
Brigitte
Dirk
Luc
Ingrid
Marit
Mertens
Roos
Rosiers
Rousseau
Schamp
Schrijvers
Schryvers
Seghers
Sevrin
Sintubin
Sjoberg
Smessaert
Snyders
Soete
Stes
Storhaug
KSJoma
Essenscia
VUB and International Solvay
Institutes
KlasCement
KU Leuven
KU Leuven
eesv Eurysconsult
CD&V
KU Leuven
ARPNS
ISTA / KINSHASA
KVAB, Solvay S.A.
CHEGG - Centre for Higher
Education Governance Ghent
VLOR, UHasselt
ASO GO!
KU Leuven
esero.be: teaching with
space
De Warande
European Schoolnet
Flemish government, dep. EWI
FWO
KU Leuven
Flemish Minister for Work,
Econ., Innov. and Sports
KU Leuven
OECD
ULB
PBDKO
BNP Paribas Fortis
VRWI - Flemish Council for
Science and Innovation
DG EMPL - European
Commission
VTI Veurne
Flemish Department of
Foreign Affairs
European press federation
VDAB
AP
KU Leuven
KVAB
VRWI
UAntwerpen
KVAB
VUB
KU Leuven
Oslo University
Flanders' House of Food
UAntwerpen
Maastricht University
Uitgeverij Van In
Oslo and Akershus University
College, Norway
Annemie
Luc
Philippe
Joseph
Hendrik
Struyf
Taerwe
Tassin
Thas
Theunissen
Lieve
Kris
Bruno
Alla
Willy
Els
Wim
Marie Claire
Didier
Thibaut
Thienpont
Tindemans
Tourguieva
Van Belleghem
Van Damme
Van de Moortel
Van de Velde
Van de Velde
Georges
Freek
Dirk
Georges
Van der Perre
Van Deynze
Van Dyck
Van Goethem
Paul
Helene
Van Houtte
Van Kerrebroeck
Rudi
Philippe
Willy
Veronique
Karine
Van Lysebetten
Van Meerbeeck
Van Overschee
Van Speybroeck
Van Thienen
Thierry
Rosette
Paul
Johan
Roland
Pita
Joos
Vancrombrugge
Vandenbroucke
Vandenplas
Vanderborght
Vanderstukken
Vandevelde
Vandewalle
Sandra
Vanhove
Walter
Eef
Walter
Gert
Verbeke
Verbeke
Verbeke
Verdonck
Pierre
Irina
Nele
Vincent
Dirk
Dominique
Kristiaan
Jacques
Pieter
Marleen
Verdoodt
Veretennicoff
Vermeulen
Verrydt
Wauters
Willems
Willems
Willems
Willot
Wynants
UAntwerpen
UGent
Chalmers University
UGent
Cabinet of the Ministerpresident
HIVA-KU Leuven
Arteveldehogeschool
SYNTRA Vlaanderen
BNYE
Flemish Ministry for Education
UGent
VDAB
UGent
Vlaams Verbond Katholiek
Secundair Onderwijs
KU Leuven/KVAB
UGent
UAntwerpen
European Commission / DG
Reserach and Innovation
KVAB, KU Leuven
Centrale Raad voor het
Bedrijfsleven
VVKSO
VRT
KVAB, CIMCIL
UGent
VSKO - Flemish Office of
Catholic Education
FOD Justitie
VUB
ARB
Milora Group
NV Procopia
AP
Electrical Eng. Dept.
KU Leuven
International Polar
Foundation
Thomas Moore
ToekomstATELIERdelAvenir
Euroclear
SERV Stichting Innovatie &
Arbeid
Vlaamse overheid, dept. EWI
VUB, KVAB
Hogeschool Gent
Tracé Brussel
KVAB
UGent, KVAB
KU Leuven
KVAB
KU Leuven
Crosstalks