“And all your worries and sadness, leave them at the door.” The opening song of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel’s New Year session set the tone: upbeat. In his speech, rector Jan Danckaert was hopeful in these not exactly cheerful times. He thanked the VUB community, who gathered in auditorium Q on the Etterbeek campus on Monday 8 January, for their commitment to keeping the university thriving.
“The VUB is healthy: financially, inclusive, sustainable and connected.” In his New Year speech, Jan Danckaert was remarkably positive about the university’s performance. This is largely due to the VUB’s balanced financial state and the continued growth in student numbers. The success of the international and English-language programmes is striking.
The relationship with the UZ Brussel is also healthier than ever. Our rector experienced this first-hand: last year, he underwent successful open-heart surgery there, for which he thanked all the hospital’s medical staff. This gave him the opportunity to highlight the relationship between the VUB and the UZ Brussel. UZ Brussel is the teaching hospital of the VUB. The VUB is the university of the UZ Brussel, where the new generation of medical experts is trained on the Health Campus, right next to the hospital.
After this praise, the rector got to the heart of his speech: the V of VUB. The V – vrije, free – stands not only for freedom, but also for critical thinking. Both are core values of the VUB. In these times of polarisation, even on campus, it was particularly important to make that clear once again.
“At the VUB, you are free to follow your own path, free to think critically and free to form your own opinions. Free to engage. Free to be guided by your curiosity, free to be open to other opinions and free to connect with others. But we are also free from religious or other authoritarian power.” All faiths are welcome at the VUB, but the practice of religions or beliefs is not supported.
The conflict in the Middle East was not left unaddressed either. In this, he explained, the university is not neutral, but it is objective. “Objective, because we base ourselves on knowledge and research.” Alongside the Hannah Arendt Institute, the VUB takes the position that international law should be the starting point in assessing this war.
Danckaert also discussed the efforts the VUB has made on sustainability, research and community engagement, with the launch of the VUB public programme as an example. The university is going out into Flanders and Brussels to embed “the power of critical thinking” in society. According to the rector, this should lead to more and better discussions on hot topics, without polarisation and based on scientific knowledge.
Artificial intelligence
The rector’s speech concluded the New Year session. Before that, vice-rector for Education Nadine Engels and data scientist Vincent Ginis had been called on stage to give their views on the hot topic of the moment: artificial intelligence. What does AI mean for the university?
Vincent Ginis: “We should not be defensive about AI. On the contrary, it is a challenge. It’s not just about the threat of plagiarism, but mainly about the possibilities it offers. For example, don’t just use it to formulate an email, but also as a sounding board for brainstorming. AI can really get you started. I always say, with AI everyone has gained a new colleague.”
Nadine Engels: “It is also a very hot topic in education. We have a prize for the best idea for AI in the classroom. But we are also still in the exploratory phase. For teaching at VUB, we have already formulated three starting points. First, AI is a tool. The outcome produced by an AI tool is not a substitute for original work. Second, interactions with AI tools should be documented for full transparency. And third, avoid personal or sensitive input to ensure confidentiality and data protection. Indeed, interactions with AI tools should be considered public discussions.”
Anniversaries and retirees
VUB staff with 20, 30 or 40 years of loyal service were brought on stage and honoured. Professor of engineering Annick Hubin and librarian Patrick Vanouplines both have 40 years on the clock. Annick: “A lot has changed. There were four of us women when I started studying at VUB. Now it’s a multiple. Admittedly there are still too few, but great strides have been made. I’ve always been happy to be part of that. The world benefits when there are more female engineers.” As a librarian, Patrick saw his work change completely. He remembers the first electronic journal: that was a revolution. Now a library is largely virtual. “But,” he says not without a hint of sadness, “the atmosphere of paper, the books on the shelves where you could hear a pin drop, that remains beautiful.”
Among those retiring, Inge Degraeve and Professor Romain Meeusen also spoke. Inge: “If I were to start again, I would start at the VUB. I have learned a lot here, and made many friends. It’s my home.”
Romain: “It’s peculiar, first you are congratulated on your retirement. As if you’ve won a competition. But then, they ask, how are you doing? As if it is a handicap. Well, I’ll disabuse them of that: it’s enjoyment!”
Sound of VUB 2024
The Sound of VUB 2024 is on its way to becoming a lustrous and highly regarded tradition at the VUB's New Year session. Never before had so many musical colleagues signed up. Enough for an entire festival.
Sam Adriaensen opened the New Year session with Wannes van de Velde's song.
Selene De Sutter performed a song of her own.
The trio Peter Stonewood & the Deaf Twins with Peter Van Elderen of UZ Brussel, infrastructure major Iwein Baeyens and drummer Rik Coppens.
President of the Friends of VUB Leo Van Biesen accompanied the honours on his saxophone.
Leen Demuys (flute) and Tom Deneckere (piano) performed Cantabile et presto by Enesco.
Julie Brondeel sang "Thunder only happens when it's raining" accompanied by Jean-Marie Werion on bass and Marnix De Boom on drums, and Peter Stonewood (guitar).
The VUB choir Café Latte ended the annual ceremony with much panache.
