18 inspiring personalities become VUB fellow: cross-fertilisation between science, education and society strengthened
Brussels, 4 June 2026 - The Vrije Universiteit Brussel welcomes 18 new fellows: leading figures from business, science, media, culture, healthcare and civil society. Over the next three years, they will volunteer as ambassadors of the university, sharing their knowledge, experience and network with students, researchers, faculties and the UZ Brussel.
The VUB fellowship programme brings together committed experts and leaders who contribute from their expertise to the further development of the university and its social mission. Through the interaction between academic knowledge and practical experience, the fellows strengthen the bridge between science, education, policy, business and society.
"The major challenges of our time, such as dealing with artificial intelligence, climate change and geopolitical shifts, require an interdisciplinary approach and intensive cooperation between the university and society," said VUB rector Jan Danckaert. "After all, we need input from policy, industry, business, civil society, the social and cultural world, education, in short, from all areas in which our fellows are active."
Strong expertise around societal challenges
The new fellows include Procureur des Konings Franky De Keyzer, director of the Women's Council Jana Van Acker, director of the Flemish Peace Institute Nils Duquet, CEO of Siemens BeLux Serge Molinari, research director of the Flemish Institute for the Sea Peter Landschützer and curator of Kazerne Dossin Veerle Vanden Daelen. Together, they bring in a wide range of expertise on topical themes such as artificial intelligence, peace and security, sustainability, social justice, entrepreneurship, health, inclusion and innovation.
A network of bridge-builders
Fellows are nominated by faculties, the rector and vice-rectors on the basis of their subject expertise, social impact and commitment. They contribute to the university through guest lectures, mentoring, policy advice, knowledge sharing and collaboration with students, researchers and healthcare professionals at UZ Brussel.
More than 300 fellows and honorary fellows have already been part of the network since its inception in 2012. Their commitment strengthens the role of the VUB as a critical, pioneering and forward-looking university.
New fellows 2026
Solvay Fellows
- Serge Molinari (CEO, Siemens BeLux)
- Nils Duquet (Director, Flemish Peace Institute)
- Jana Van Acker (Director, Women's Council)
- Lynn Tytgat (CEO, TheMerode)
- Dirk Van Evercooren (Independent energy expert, 2degNRG)
Law and Criminology Fellows
- Eve Vlemincx (Lecturer, Stanford Graduate School of Business; founder and advisor, E'levate Advisory)
- Franky De Keyzer (Public Prosecutor, Antwerp Public Prosecutor's Office)
- Steven Claes (Country Managing Partner, EY Belgium)
Science Fellows
- Peter Landschützer (Research Director, Flemish Institute for the Sea - VLIZ)
- Koen Iterbeke (Chief Strategy Officer, anacura; independent senior consultant Life Sciences)
- Karl Tuyls (CTO AI, Vice President & Fellow, imec; affiliated professor, University of Liverpool; visiting professor, KU Leuven)
Arts and Humanities Fellows
- Hannes De Durpel (Coordinator, Flemish Sign Language Centre)
- Veerle Vanden Daelen (Curator and Coordinator of Collections & Research, Kazerne Dossin)
UMC Fellows
- Philippe De Backer (Managing Director Public Affairs, KKR)
Engineering Fellows
- Abdelkarim Bellafkih (Managing Director, Flanders Hydraulics)
Movement and Rehabilitation Fellows
- Marc Bogaerts (Artistic Director and Choreographer, Bogaertsproductions/Cirque de S.P.O.R.T.)
VUB Fellows
- Fouad Gandoul (Tax expert, ACV Limburg; social affairs judge; FPS Justice; columnist)
- Dorien Vandormael (Counsellor Cabinet of the Flemish Minister for Welfare and Poverty Reduction, Culture and Equal Opportunities)
More information on the fellowship programme at Vrije Universiteit Brussel: https://www.vub.be/nl/over-de-vub/partners-netwerken/fellowship-van-de-vrije-universiteit-brussel
