Pintra (EN) Blog
How do our employees feel in their day-to-day work? What causes stress? And how has the coronavirus pandemic affected our wellbeing? At UAntwerp, we’ve launched a new wellbeing survey to find the answers to these questions. ‘The more people participate, the better we can make our policies.’
‘Impact on the world, connection, innovation and quality: these are our core values and we want to shine an extra spotlight on them’, says Rector Herman Van Goethem. This sharper focus also serves as the foundation for the new house style. A double interview with the rector and Elisabeth Vanhoutte, head of the Communications Department.
After a sixteen-year career in politics, Inga Verhaert has returned to the University of Antwerp full of enthusiasm as the new head of the International Relations Office – where more than one challenge awaits her. ‘The traditional Erasmus programme is not going to disappear, but we need a broader palette of opportunities if we want to keep growing.’
What if we professors were to do something for the most vulnerable victims of the corona crisis? Professor Lieven Bervoets from the Department of Biology and historian Professor Marnix Beyen had the same idea. The solidarity initiative 1000 x 1000 has raised 700,000 eurosand collected more than 1200 signatures in a call for more social justice.
The collaboration between our university and the Port of Antwerp is flourishing as never before. Some thirty research projects are currently underway. ‘The technologies we are investigating today could be part of our daily lives in just a few years’ time’, says project coordinator Svetlana Samsonova.
In early June, our university launched an appeal to share experiences and suggestions with the aim of improving diversity, which was named ‘Black Lives Matter @ UAntwerp’. This resulted in a flurry of reactions and initiatives. But what has happened since then? Time for an update.
Where do I get textbooks? What activities should I know about? Where can I buy a bike? Finding your way around a new university isn’t always easy. The Buddy Project App aims to give international students, researchers and employees a helping hand by putting them in touch with local hosts.
What was your experience with online education this spring? That’s the question we asked students and lecturers alike over the summer. Here’s an overview of the key results and good practices.
It may have taken blood, sweat and tears, but more than 2000 international students have found their way to our university this year – even amidst a pandemic. ‘Postponing everything for this virus? I don’t think so. Life goes on’, says Bernara Bakhtiiar from Kyrgyzstan.
Managing a team is not quite the same when your team members are sitting at their kitchen tables. What are the main challenges and pitfalls of this way of working? We asked Marjolijn De Clercq (HR Department), Professor Jan Steckel (CoSys-Lab) and Koen Pepermans (director of the Faculty of Social Sciences) about their approach.
Last year, our university received more than 2 million euros in donations for the first time. A great boost for the University of Antwerp Fund, which is launching a new campaign.
With all eyes fixed on a vaccine for the coronavirus, it’d be easy to forget how important the flu vaccine is for many people. And now more than ever, explains UAntwerp’s Professor Pierre Van Damme, head of the Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination (CEV).