170 secondary schools present new VUB STEM graduation award

It’s a tradition for the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) to hand out an award for critical thinking every year to graduating pupils in Flanders and Brussels. This year, 170 secondary schools celebrated their best critical thinkers at graduation ceremonies with the book De Toekomst is Terug (The Future is Back) by VUB guest professor Fons Van Dyck. The VUB also introduced a new prize: the STEM award for a pupil who excels in the field of science.

In mid-June, 170 secondary schools in Flanders and Brussels received a book package from the VUB. The university is giving these books to encourage critical thinkers and excellent scientists to choose the right study pathway, under the motto “The World Needs You”. The schools presented the awards to a student or students who excel at critical thinking and STEM subjects – science, technology, engineering and maths.

This year’s prize for critical thinking is De Toekomst is Terug by VUB guest professor Fons Van Dyck. The starting point of his book is the increasing polarisation that is seeing governments and experts lose credibility. He asks two questions: what should we make of this, and above all, how do we turn the tide? He looks for the answers in a mix of four forces: exploring, connecting, conquering and defending. Which of these forces prevails, he says, will determine what the future looks like and how we retake control of our lives. This should act as a trigger for self-reliance in young people.

The STEM prize is the book The Three-Body Problem by Chinese science fiction author Liu Cixin, the inspiration for the Netflix series of the same name, which explores scientists and conspiracy theories.

Jan Danckaert, rector of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel:

“Unfortunately, we see all too often that students do not choose to take a STEM programme, despite having the right profile for it. Given the shortage, there is clearly a need for an extra push. We want to use these awards to motivate students to choose a STEM subject in higher education.”

Contact

Gert De Coorde
​gert.de.coorde@vub.be
​+32 2 62 91 240

This initiative is part of VUB’s public programme: a programme for everyone who thinks the world can be different and believes that scientific insights, critical thinking and dialogue are an important first step to making a difference to your environment and the world.