VUB opens research and training hub in Ostend
On Friday, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) officially opened ‘VUB aan Zee’ (‘VUB by the Sea’), a new research and training facility of the Brussels university in Ostend. It is a partnership between the city of Ostend, the Port of Ostend and the VUB. The initiative aims to encourage young people to take up STEM courses, strengthen research and innovation on the Belgian coast and build bridges between the university, the city and the port.
“VUB aan Zee is not a traditional campus, but an interdisciplinary research and training hub,” the university explains in a press release. The location is intended to become a base for researchers, students and professionals.
Together with the city, the VUB wants to actively guide young people towards higher education and STEM courses. To this end, it is collaborating with employers’ organisation Voka and the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) to develop marine and coastal expertise. “By having a local presence, the VUB is strengthening the interaction between research, business and policy,” states the university.
In concrete terms, VUB aan Zee will be a workplace for researchers active in offshore wind energy, marine technology, AI and urban applications, climate and coastal research, and innovation in and around the port. Other VUB researchers with activities in the region will also be welcome there. Training courses and postgraduate programmes will also be offered.
“Today, every talent is needed to make our world and our society more sustainable, resilient and fair,” stated VUB rector Jan Danckaert. “We want to help develop that talent. Together with the city, the region, the province and together with the port, the research centres and the companies. Together with the people of Ostend and everyone who lives in the wider Ostend area.”
#FlandersNewsService | Harbour of Ostend © PHOTO VILDAPHOTO
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