ECIU opens office in Brussels

From1 October 2017, the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU) willbe represented  on the European stage bya permanent Brussels office. Representing the network is Olga Wessels, who willbe working to boost its visibility and harness the ECIU and its memberuniversities’ influence in Brussels.

ECIU’s interests in Brussels

TheECIU is a collaboration between 12 research-intensive universities and aims tocreate societal impact through innovation and creativity. Within the network,ECIU members work together to obtain information from European institutions toinfluence the debate on the European funding programmes. The networkstrengthens its presence in Brussels with the ECIU Brussels office, which willofficially open on 1 October 2017. The timing could not be more perfect as theEuropean Commission is set to begin preparations for new European programmes in2018. The programmes that are currently most relevant for ECIU universities areHorizon 2020, Erasmus+ and the European Structural Investment Funds (ESIF),which includes regional funds. The successors of these programmes will start in2021.

Goal: visibility and influence atEuropean level

Victorvan der Chijs, ECIU President, sees the Brussels’ office as a major stepforward for the consortium: “Brussels is the place to be, for showing what ECIUis capable of. By challenging conventional thinking, ECIU’s mission, we will beable to play a proactive role in preparing the upcoming European programmes andpolicies.” As representative of the ECIU, Olga Wessels plans to contribute tosetting the agenda at the European level, which will lead to a stronger ECIUprofile, increasing the organization’s visibility as a potential and reliablepartner for European institutions in debates on policy and programmedevelopments.

Inthe development of European funding programmes, European institutions rely on networkslike the ECIU for advice and expertise. As a consultant, the ECIU will be ableto secure a position as an important stakeholder. This new position and theinformation obtained at an early stage will help ECIU member universitiesprepare for upcoming programmes.

The necessity of an office inBrussels

The ECIU has experiencecontributing to European policy debates. The consortium has played an activerole in the past and has ambitions to strengthen and intensify its presence inthese debates. The ECIU currently has a European Affairs Working Group thatfocuses on exchanging information and sharing experiences with otherparticipating universities. A permanent representative in Brussels ensures aquick coordination of ECIU replies to requests for advice and consultancy. TheBrussels office will work closely with the EU Steering Committee which consistsof Liaison Officers of every member institution.

The ECIU representative: OlgaWessels and her role in Brussels

OlgaWessels has been active in Brussels education and research networks for severalyears and has relevant contacts at the European Commission, the EuropeanParliament and other institutions. Olga Wessels about the ECIU office: “With thispresence in Brussels we show that we are here – and that we have big plans.Brussels will be hearing from us.”

Contactdetails Olga Wessels: olga.wessels(at)eciu.org / +32 483 680 182