A Feather in Your Cap: the feather is a prize passed on from one UAntwerp colleague to another in recognition of their efforts or achievements. This time, Edith Piqueray (Team Equal Opportunities and Diversity) passes the feather on to Noel Clycq (Training and Education Sciences).
No, don’t be surprised, as modest as you are. I have very deliberately chosen to give you this compliment, because you have long been deserving of it. It is a joy to be able to pay tribute to you.
I got to know you when I came to work for CeMis (Centre for Migration and Intercultural Studies). It has been a long time since then, since 2008. CeMis had just been founded a few years prior, in 2005, and the team was still small back then. I only knew you, Petra Heyse, Els Vanderwaeren, and Christiane Timmerman from the academic literature I read during my studies. I was very happy and proud to be a researcher in such an interesting working environment.
I have also seen you grow in taking on different roles: from finishing your PhD to coordinating major research projects, both national and international, and co-managing CeMis. From 2009 onwards, we worked together a lot. We worked together on the large-scale study Oprit 14 (Driveway 14), which was under your supervision and on which I did my PhD. We were all passionate about this project because it was a project with clear added value for society: studying the school careers of young people from disadvantaged groups with the aim of gaining insights to improve their prospects.
You have always guided me very well, like you have many other PhD students at CeMis. We could come to you not only for theoretical questions and discussions, but also for a warm conversation. We could knock on your door at any time of the day. You always made time for us and always knew how to motivate and inspire us. Just as the literature shows, you showed us how important it is that a teacher, lecturer, tutor, etc. respects, encourages, motivates, and above all, believes in their students. You brought out the best in us.
In the meantime, you have moved on to Training and Education Sciences and have made it to Senior Academic Staff. You have earned it! While you continued to grow in your work life, you have also been very active in your private life. Together with Eva, you have three children with whom you recently cycled up Mont Ventoux! There are several entrances, from easy to difficult – I won’t ask you which one you chose 😉.
These days, I see your committed and passionate side up close in your role as chair of the steering group for Diversity. Thank you for all the special times together, thank you for everything you taught me and which, among other things, led to my position as policy officer for the Diversity Team!