KU Leuven news
Navi Pillay: "No place for hate speech on the internet"
Ms. Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, shared her vision of human rights in the digital age on 21 May with a well-filled auditorium of students and staff. It was Ms. Pillay’s first visit back to Leuven since accepting an honorary degree here last June. The lecture was coordinated by the Faculty of Law.
Kurt Deketelaere reappointed Secretary-General of LERU
Professor Kurt Deketelaere has been reappointed to a second term as Secretary-General of the League of European Research Universities (LERU). The LERU Rectors’ Assembly announced the appointment on 18 May in Leiden, Netherlands.
Rector-elect Rik Torfs: “More fraternity, more transparency”
It's Friday night and KU Leuven has a new Rector. Rik Torfs works his way through the many interviews with characteristic media savvy, but it is clear to see that the campaign was tiring. “It may come as a surprise, but I could use a little rest tomorrow.”
Professor Rik Torfs elected Rector
Professor Rik Torfs has received the required majority of votes in the second round of the rectorial election. His four-year mandate as Rector will take effect on 1 August 2013.
Faulty energy production in brain cells leads to disorders ranging from Parkinson’s to intellectual disability
Neuroscientist Patrik Verstreken of KU Leuven and VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) has shown for the first time that dysfunctional mitochondria in brain cells can lead to learning disabilities. The link between dysfunctional mitochondria and Parkinson's disease is known, but this new research shows that it is also present in other brain disorders.
Bacterium counteracts 'coffee ring effect'
Ever notice how a dried coffee stain is darker at the edges than in the middle? This 'coffee ring effect' also occurs in other materials. Researchers from the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at KU Leuven have now discovered how to counteract coffee rings with 'surfactants', i.e. soap. The key to the discovery was not a kitchen towel, but a bacterium that counteracts the coffee ring effect at the microscopic level. The findings were published in a recent edition of the leading journal Nature Communications.
Interview with Jürgen Habermas: "Europe is no longer an elite project"
"How does it feel to be a living legend?" Jürgen Habermas doesn't take long to respond: "I don't think that's very relevant." Fair enough, but the fact remains that he is one. When one of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century and a leading voice on European affairs speaks in Leuven, the President of the European Council finds the time to introduce him.
Interview with Prof. Hans Bruyninckx, new head of the European Environment Agency
How is Europe doing on climate and environment? “Good and bad," says KU Leuven professor and environmental policy expert Hans Bruyninckx. “In terms of climate, Europe is top of the class, but we don't do nearly enough.” Bruyninckx, who becomes the first Belgian director of the European Environment Agency in Copenhagen on 1 June, will soon have a chance to change that. "Pessimism is paralyzing. We need to move forward."
Multi-task protein repairs damaged DNA and helps fight cancer
The intracellular protein Tdp2, known for its anti-inflammatory properties and its role in repositioning of cells in the embryonic development phase, now also appears to play a crucial role in restoring damaged DNA. The discovery opens new avenues for fighting cancer. It was the result of collaborative research by embryologist and stem cell researcher Danny Huylebroeck (KU Leuven) and DNA repair specialist Keith Caldecott (University of Sussex).
Jürgen Habermas: "Germany holds the key to the fate of the European Union"
"Increased cooperation between the European member states is unpopular but necessary if the European project is to be saved," said Jürgen Habermas in a public lecture on Friday, 26 April delivered to a packed and enthusiastic Pieter De Somer Auditorium.
Photo report: Belgium’s biggest water balloon fight
On Wednesday, 24 April, 3,000 students and 2,500 water balloon-frenzied fans headed to the sun- (and water-) drenched Ladeuzeplein for the second edition of Big Splash. The water balloon fight – Belgium’s largest – pits student clubs against each other in a battle to stay dry.
KU Leuven named non-profit Employer of the Year
KU Leuven has been voted 'Employer of the Year 2013' in the ‘non-profit’ category. The distinction was awarded by Vacature, Acerta and the Vlerick Business School based on an audit of organisations' HR policies and public image.
Prestigious award for diabetes researcher Chantal Mathieu
Professor Chantal Mathieu (Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology) has won the InBev-Baillet Prize for Clinical Research. The prestigious award is given annually to two Belgian researchers, one per language community, and carries an award of 75,000 euros. The jury awarded Mathieu for her research on diabetes.
"Impact of social media on uprisings in the Muslim world is exaggerated"
"Of course social media played a role in the popular uprisings in Muslim countries," says American professor Charles Hirschkind. "But the Western countries have strongly overplayed that impact. Sermons on cassettes, mobile phones and word-of-mouth stories were and are much more important for understanding and framing the resistance." Charles Hirschkind was one of the speakers at the 'Being Muslim in the Age of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter' symposium organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences on 18 and 19 April.
Super-modern AGORA Learning Centre opens its doors
On Thursday, 18 April, KU Leuven opened the new, state-of-the-art AGORA Learning Centre on the Social Sciences Campus. AGORA, which can accommodate 550 students, is much more than a place to study. It is an informal learning environment that gives students the freedom and support to plan and carry out their work themselves.