VUB’s Institute for European Studies and Vesalius College appoint Luc Soete as new Dean
New joint management team gears up for increased international collaboration
Tuesday, October 1, 2019 — Effective 1 October 2019, the Institute for European Studies (IES) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Vesalius College (VeCo) have appointed Luc Soete as their new Dean. The appointment goes hand in hand with a change of statutes, which are now embedded in the VUB’s statutes thus enabling an alignment of management roles. Two other new appointees include Alexander Mattelaer who will take up the new function of Vice-Dean for Research of both institutions, while Sven Van Kerckhoven will take up the new role of Vice-Dean for Education. The IES-VeCo joint management team further consists of Executive Director Anthony Antoine and Assistant Executive Director Jacintha Liem.
With Luc Soete at the head of probably its most internationally oriented flagships IES and VeCo, the VUB has secured a renowned profile who can further strengthen the IES’ and VeCo’s reputation and their positioning on the global map. Indeed, the appointment of Luc Soete is aimed at increasing collaboration with current and new partners focusing on internationalization, such as the University of Warwick and UNU-CRIS.
Luc Soete is a Belgian economist with a long-standing track record as Professor of International Economic Relations at Maastricht University, a university where he served as Rector Magnificus from 2012 to 2016. He is co-founder and former Director of UNU-MERIT and vice-president of the supervisory board of the Technical University of Delft. In July 2019, he took up the role of Director Ad Interim of Bruges-based UNU-CRIS, one of the institutions with which the IES enjoys a close collaboration.
Commenting on his new role, Luc Soete stated: “In an increasingly complex world, the EU is continuously looking to redefine and rethink its role and relevance. Today’s leaders and policy-makers are playing a crucial role in shaping the future of our continent and, by extension, the world as we know it. They rely on policy experts in various fields, such as climate change, security, migration, trade and economic governance, to name but a few. On a global level, diplomacy and global governance skills have become essential tools to tackle the new challenges. Both at the IES and VeCo we have a wealth of expertise in these matters. It is my ambition to raise this Brussels expertise to the next level, by strengthening the bonds with likeminded institutions and organisations across borders, and leveraging the synergies between them. I am delighted to take on this new challenge in my hometown.”
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About the Institute for European Studies: As a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), the Institute for European Studies (IES) provides research, education and academic services focused on the EU in an international setting. The disciplines applied include law, social/political sciences, economics and communication sciences. The IES has built up a long-standing PhD track record and organises several academic programmes.
About Vesalius College: Home to a thriving international community, Vesalius College offers students a truly unique educational experience. The College’s teaching methods are characterised by small, interactive classes, flexibility in course selection and continuous assessment. With a student body of approximately 300 and a low student-to-professor ratio, the faculty is accessible and able to take a personal interest in the success of students to help them achieve their potential.