Dear Reader
Even a university with a strong international orientation must devote particular attention to its immediate environment. Internationalisation is a dual project: global and local. Think globally, act locally. That is why it is self-evident for K.U.Leuven to attach great importance to its position in the European education and research landscape.
This landscape is fascinating. With respect to education, there is of course the well-known Bologna Process, which has resulted in fundamental improvements to European higher education over the past ten years. On the level of research, there are the many funding opportunities from European research agencies for our scientists. Just recently, two of our top researchers have received considerable funding from the European Research Council. Read our interview with them in this issue!
It is difficult to imagine being more European than Herman Van Rompuy, Chair of the Council of Europe. He is an alumnus of our university and recently visited his Alma Mater to deliver the opening lecture of the Lectures for the 21st Century, which was attended by more than one thousand students. He gave Campus Insight an exclusive interview.
The fact that we also look to more distant horizons is evidenced by our interview with the ambassador of India, who delivered the second Ambassador’s Lecture last month. You will also find a story about archaeological excavations in Syria. To summarise: this issue of Campus Insight illustrates once more that K.U.Leuven takes its openness to the world and its inhabitants very seriously. We wish you great pleasure in reading this issue.
Professor Bart De Moor
Vice Rector for International Policy
