The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) will open the academic year 2023-2024 in the European Parliament. With the theme ‘Europe, EUTOPIA and the need for a new Renaissance’, rector Jan Danckaert wants to underline the importance of European cooperation and innovation during the ceremony.
The opening of the academic year will be dominated by EUTOPIA, a partnership of ten leading European universities with the VUB as founding member. The network’s core values are inclusion, openness, sustainability and defending academic freedom.
“The European Parliament is the perfect location for an academic opening dedicated to our EUTOPIA network,” says Rector Jan Danckaert. “My message is clear: Europe and the world are in dire need of a new Renaissance and a renewed Enlightenment. Initiatives such as EUTOPIA will contribute to this endeavour.”
The network strives to tackle the challenges of our time. With contributions from the entire EUTOPIA network, the VUB will emphasize the crucial importance of European cooperation for excellent education, research and innovation.
During the ceremony, Rector Jan Danckaert and the rectors of the other nine EUTOPIA universities will sign an agreement that will make EUTOPIA a leading reference point in European academic cooperation and connections.
The traditional opening of the academic year has been taking place for years at special locations in Brussels, such as the Abattoir in Curegem, the Gare Maritime, the Jubelpark or Bozar.
This year, the academic opening will take place on September 29 at 3 p.m.
This article is originally published on bruzz.be
