What do you get when you combine sunshine, good food and great colleagues? Unifiesta 2026. In glorious …
“Unifiesta once again brings music, good food and people together”
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That time of the month and no tampons or sanitary pads with you? Because no woman should have to experience stress over what is essentially a basic necessity, our university became the first in Flanders to provide free menstrual products in all toilet facilities. An initial evaluation shows that the project has been an overwhelming success. ‘Students sometimes literally tell us we saved their day.’
Researchers are increasingly asked to share their expertise in the media, sometimes in response to their own research, sometimes to provide context for current events. That visibility creates opportunities. It shows what UAntwerp stands for: sharing knowledge, bringing nuance and contributing to debates in society. In most cases, media interactions run smoothly: researchers are given the space to share their expertise and work with journalists who approach things carefully and accurately. But media attention also brings responsibility. And pressure.
What does a media appearance involve? How do researchers stay true to their scientific integrity? How do they deal with framing, pressure and reactions? Let’s take a look behind the scenes.
The Antwerp School of Education (ASoE) celebrated its anniversary at the beginning of May with a festive study afternoon. For the past 10 years, the academic expertise centre has been building bridges between research, education and practice. We spoke to four key figures about the evolution of the teaching profession and the power of collaboration. ‘When major changes in direction are made, we’re often involved in shaping them.’
It’s no coincidence that students and staff cycle in such large numbers. On 24 April, the University of Antwerp put cycling centre stage to thank them. With the Bicycle Festival and a special edition of the Critical Mass Bike Ride, the university showed how cycling is part of campus life and why cycling safety remains important.
One colleague prefers to work from home for a day in peace and quiet. Another thrives on campus dynamics, flexible hours or a different structure. Work-life balance at UAntwerp can’t be captured in a single formula. And that’s precisely where the challenge lies: how do we create a caring working environment that allows room for differences while remaining manageable for everyone?
In the section ‘The Feather’, a staff member puts a colleague in the spotlight. This time, Elio Berardocco, passes the compliment to Britt Van Beek, file manager at the Department of Veterinary Sciences.
Recently, we launched the Mision in Motion quiz to give colleagues a playful way to reflect on how our mission, vision and lines of strength already live in their daily work. Around 200 colleagues completed the quiz. While this is not representative of the entire university, their responses offer a valuable first insight into the strengths we share and the principles colleagues most naturally bring into practice.
Every researcher knows the feeling: your topic is complex, your data are complicated and your time is scarce. And yet, whether at a family gathering, for a journalist, for your faculty blog or for the stakeholders of your project, you want to make it clear in a short time why your work matters. The annual PRESS>SPEAK competition helps researchers do exactly that. Four participants share their experiences and their best communication tips.
For many people, cybersecurity sounds technical – something for ICT specialists sitting at computers guarding lines of code. Until you receive a suspicious email. Or leave your laptop on the train. Or a system suddenly stops working. Then it becomes something that concerns all of us. We spoke with Sabine Marichal, our ICT Security & Risk Officer, about what is done every day to keep UAntwerp digitally secure and why your behaviour is crucial in that respect.
Did you know that UAntwerp has been developing its own software for institutes of higher learning, heritage institutions and museums in Belgium and abroad for more than 25 years? What started as a collaboration between five partners has grown into a unique network and a powerful set of digital solutions. For many years, these were known as Anet and Brocade. With the name change to Wander, that story is now more visible than ever. Head of service Véronique Rega explains why this change is happening and what it means.
What do we stand for as a university? In challenging times like these, that question matters more than ever. Our mission and vision are more than lofty statements, and you help bring them to life every day – often without realising it. With the online Mission in Motion quiz, you can refresh your knowledge of our mission, vision and lines of strength in a quick and enjoyable way. You’ll also discover what we bring to the table together.
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