COOLSCHOOLS Final Conference: Nature-Based Climate Shelters in School Environments for Urban Transformation 

Is our democracy at a tipping point? That question is at the centre of a conversation between writer and opinion maker Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer and VUB professor of political science Karen Celis. Afterwards, students will enter into a direct dialogue with Pfeijffer on the future of democracy.

A prototype shoe made entirely from pure mycelium, the root-like network of fungi, will debut at Milan Design Week. The project is a collaboration between researcher and designer Lars Dittrich of Vrije Universiteit Brussel and head shoemaker Marie De Ryck at La Monnaie/De Munt. It reframes how living materials enter application, moving beyond substitution toward a model in which design mediates between advanced biomaterials research and the demands of traditional craft.

ANTWERPEN/BRUSSELS - The martial arts world is in the spotlight this spring, both in museum galleries and on university campuses. While the 'Martial Arts' expo at the MAS in Antwerp highlights the rich history of martial arts, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is translating tradition into current affairs. With a lecture on 22 April and an international symposium on 20 May, the VUB examines how boxing and oriental martial arts, among others, contribute to social cohesion and personal growth in our society.