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interview
verschijnt driemaandelijks
april - mei - juni 2012
Jaargang 21, nr. 2
P509015 afgiftekantoor 3000 leuven x
GROUP T’s Newsmagazine
LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
Prof. Guido Vercammen, member of the Board of GROUP T, Dr. Abishek Dutta form India, Yunhao Hu from China and Dr. Ataklti Weldeslassie from Ethiopia.
GROUP T charts out new international strategy
India-China-Ethiopia:
Connecting & Developing
“We are now going to apply to India and Ethiopia what we’ve learned in China and, in turn, use this experience to
develop further educational projects in China,” asserts Prof. Johan De Graeve, President and Chief Executive of GROUP T
and the driving force behind the new ICT strategy. This strategy is personified in Dr. Abishek Dutta from India, Yunhao
Hu from China and Dr. Ataklti Weldeslassie from Ethiopia. The team is coached by Prof. Guido Vercammen, GROUP T
Director and one of the pioneers of GROUP T’s internationalization.
GROUP T has been active in China for over 15 years
now and over the last three years, an active academic
network has been developing in India and
Ethiopia as well. Group T would now like to
combine the expertise acquired from this. The synergy created
in this way ought to lead to a new dynamic, not only
at GROUP T but also in each of the countries involved. This is
the essence of the ICE strategy.
«3»
GROUP T in
ETHIOPIA
“The underlying idea is ‘Connecting & Developing’,” Guido
Vercammen argues. “Innovation doesn’t happen behind
closed doors. Many companies and organizations still cling
to the traditional invention model that is based on the idea
that renewal is first and foremost a private affair, an internal
pursuit. That’s no longer the case. Recently, the multinational
corporation Procter & Gamble introduced a radical
new strategy of open innovation based on the concept of
«5»
new collaboration
with China
«15»
engineering
experience n
r3
‘Connecting & Developing’. It firmly abolished resistance
to change and created enthusiasm for ‘proudly found elsewhere’.
‘Connecting & Developing’ is all about finding good
ideas elsewhere, bringing them together, and in this way
raising the level of internal capacities. We’re convinced that
the ‘Connecting & Developing’ approach will create a fresh
breeze of educational innovation and growth at GROUP T
and in each of the three countries.”
➞
«20»
Industria
International

Running start in India
Dr. Abishek Dutta represents India in the ICE team. He
studied Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the
University of Madras and at Jadvpur University and
earned a Ph.D. at the University of Ghent in 2010.
“GROUP T has made a successful running start in
India,” Abishek says. “In less than three years we
concluded very promising collaboration agreements
with three leading universities for the exchange of
students, faculty and know-how. The first students
will arrive from India in late August. GROUP T is the
first higher education institute in Belgium to set up
twinning programs with Indian partner universities
at the bachelor and master levels.”
According to Abishek, India can use GROUP T’s international
expertise, especially in the development of soft
skills. He refers to the government’s new education
policy, which creates space for foreign higher education
institutes, to invest in India. Conversely, there are
also quite a few Indian companies and organizations
that can’t wait to invest abroad. “Some are already
doing so,” says Abishek. “The D.Y. Patil Educational
Group is a good example. This family-owned holding
runs more than 100 schools and is starting up an international
school in the Antwerp area.”
Abishek sees it as follows: “Education and health are
crucial for the country. Without them no development,
no prosperity, no future.” Abishek welcomes
collaboration with China and Ethiopia. “India is
China’s most important trading partner and both
India and China are active in Ethiopia. GROUP T
can bring universities and policy makers together
for multilateral cooperation on the level of education.
One of our most important export products is
software, while for the Chinese this is hardware. We
therefore complement one another.”
Generating technology in China
Yunhao Hu represents China in the ICE team. He
can easily be called a ‘product’ of GROUP T’s academic
network in China. Hu started his studies at the
Shanghai Jiaotong University and subsequently came
to GROUP T in the framework of the International
Joint Engineering Program and graduated with a
Master’s in Electromechanical Engineering in 2010.
Hu describes the few important developments in
China. Firstly, he sees a shift from pure manufacturing
to what he calls the ‘ability to generate technology’.
This is exactly what requires quality education.
“Another trend is in industry and education that
were two different worlds until recently, but are
now increasingly growing towards each other, also
because they need each other,” explains Hu. In this
context he refers to the UNESCO Chair on Cooperation
between Higher Engineering Education and
Industries at the Beijing Jiaotong University, for
which President Johan De Graeve is Co-Chairholder.
A third important movement that has started in
China, according to Hu, is the internationalization of
“Education and health
are crucial for the
country. Without them
no development, no
prosperity, no future.”
higher education. “China has opened its doors permanently
to the world and is also prominently present
on the world stage itself: politically, economically
and culturally but also educationally. GROUP T
has already acted as a gateway to Europe for many
Chinese students and teachers for a long time, now it
can also play this role in India and Ethiopia.”
In China itself Hu believes GROUP T should focus on
three key regions: great Beijing, the Yangzhe River
delta with cities like Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou
and Wenzhou, and the Sichuan province with cities
like Chengu and Chongqing. “In these regions,
GROUP T ought to profile itself as an educational
consultant to give professional advice to universities
and policy makers to achieve high quality higher
education and to advance the international dimension
and the cooperation with the business world.”
Millennium goals in Ethiopia
Dr. Atakli Weldeslassie takes his seat in the ICE team
on behalf of Ethiopia. He studied at Debub University
and Mekelle University in his country, graduated
with a Master’s in Nanoscience and Technology at the
T.U. Delft and the KU Leuven and earned a Ph.D. in
Physics in Leuven last year.
In Ethiopia, GROUP T collaborates with four universities
but the university college also maintains good
relations with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education.
“The government wants to get to work on the modernization
of higher education,” Ataklti relates. “In
doing so, it employs the so-called 70:30 policy. This is
a reference to the expansion of the university system
away from the social sciences towards natural science
and technology with the goal of having 70% of the
students enrolled in an engineering/science major
and 30% in social sciences. Indeed, the government
considers science and technology as crucial leverage
to lift the country out of poverty and meet the millennium
goals. Consequently, there is a great need
for professors and know-how to train competent
engineers that can be employed on the labor market
quickly and dynamically.”
Ataklti is convinced that the interdisciplinary
approach of GROUP T’s 5E engineering model can
make substantial headway in Ethiopia. “It is the best
way to train entrepreneurial and innovative engineers
who are able to create added value, progress
and prosperity and in this way transform the country.
We can also learn quite a bit from the GROUP T
didactics: not too much theory or ex cathedra education
like in Ethiopia, but rather with more interaction
with an emphasis on projects, teamwork and learning
by doing. With GROUP T, we also want to work
on the professionalization of the teaching staff, the
improvement of the infrastructure, the exchange of
students and teachers and the development of common
educational and research projects.”
Ataklti also expects a great deal from China and
India. “China and India are Ethiopia’s principal donor
countries. Politically, Ethiopia leans more towards
China while economically it leans more towards
India. In this case, too, the two countries complement
one another.
Y.P.
GROUP T intensifies
collaboration with Ethiopia
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
Prof. Johan De Graeve, President, and Luc Janssens, Electronics lecturer, visited Ethiopia
October 17 to 23, 2011. Their mission was to intensify the already existing collaboration
with the country. The visit was an initiative of the Ethiopian ambassador to Belgium.
To meet the demand of highly educated engineers in Ethiopian
companies, the Ethiopian government wants to rely on GROUP T’s
expertise to work on competence development in specific fields.
To this end, the GROUP T delegation was welcomed by Mohamuda
Ahmed Gaaz, State Minister of Science and Technology, and his secretary
Teshome Sahilemariam.
During a visit to Dire Dawa University, one of GROUP T’s partners, an
agreement was reached for GROUP T to support the expansion of their
labs, student- and faculty mobility, and the professionalization of their
faculty. President Wagayehu Bekele, Vice President Fekadu Lemessa, and
the entire university staff welcomed the delegation.
HE Hugues Chantry, Belgium’s newly appointed ambassador to Ethiopia,
advised GROUP T to set up a long-term strategy and to concentrate on a
limited number of universities.
Y.P.
HE Mahamouda Ahmed Gaaz to the left of President
Johan de Graeve and three ministry directors.
2
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012

On February 12, 2012, President Johan De Graeve and the delegation from GROUP T visited Jimma University,
with President Fikre Lemessa, Vice president Taye Tolemariam Ejeta, Vice president Kora Tushune Godana,
directors and heads of the departments and interviewed the four scholarship candidates.
GROUP T in Ethiopia
Using technology to climb out
of poverty
Recently, GROUP T has started to deploy activities in Ethiopia as well. Cooperation agreements have
already been concluded with three universities. In addition, the Ethiopian government is very interested in
GROUP T’s innovative engineering education project as a leverage to stimulate the welfare and prosperity
of the country and its inhabitants.
Mid-February 2012, a five-person GROUP T
mission traveled to Ethiopia. The members
of the delegation were President
and Chief-Executive Johan De Graeve,
Professor Guido Vercammen, member of the Board
of Directors Professor Atlaklti Weldeslassie, Affiliated
Professor Mekonnen G. Gebrehiwot and Assistant
Professor Wim Vuylsteke.
“Ethiopia is the final piece of the new international
strategy of GROUP T,” Guido Vercammen clarifies. “It
is focused on the multilateral cooperation with and
between three countries: India, China and Ethiopia.
All three countries are in full development and realize
that investing in education is the way ahead, bar
none. The engineering faculties play a crucial role in
this because in the end, it will be mostly the engineers
and those who are highly educated in technology who
will ensure progress.”
“In Ethiopia, the universities are popping up like
mushrooms,” Atlaklti remarks. “In turn, this creates
specific needs, especially as regards human skills.
There are simply not enough highly educated people
to meet the growing demand. So the government
is pursuing a policy to import foreign expertise and
knowhow. Or otherwise, it sends promising Ethiopian
graduates abroad to acquire the knowledge and
skills which can then be used in Ethiopia.”
Pegagogical project
The GROUP T delegation visited three universities. The
first was Jimma University (JU) in the Kafa region, the
area where coffee comes from. Upon arrival, the members
of the delegation were welcomed by Prof. Fikre
Lemessa, President of the university. Prof. Luc Duchâteau
of the University of Ghent and coordinator of the
VLUR-VOS Jimma University Project was also present.
“JU is a comprehensive public higher education
institute that was founded in 1999,” Guido Vercammen
relates. “They have set up a special pedagogical
project that is called ‘Community Learning’. What
this means is that educational activities are organized
in which the society and the field of activity are
actively involved. The purpose is to truly put education
at the service for the population and to create a
powerful learning environment for the society.”
Presidents Degraeve and Lemessa signed a Memorandum
of Understanding for intensive cooperation in
the area of research and education. “The university
has plans to start with a bachelor level bioelectronic
engineering program and appeals to the expertise
present at GROUP T to do so,” says Atlaklti. “Furthermore,
it was agreed that a number of junior faculty
members will be able to come to GROUP T to earn a
master’s degree.”
Use equipment to its full potential
The second university that was visited was Aksum
University, in the north of Ethiopia. “Aksum is the
oldest civilization in the world,” Atlaklti explains.
“It was the region ruled by the legendary Queen of
Sheba, the one referred to in the Bible, ten centuries
before Christ. Aksum University, on the other hand, is
a mere sapling, it was founded in 2006 and now has
5,000 students.”
The GROUP T delegation was welcomed by President
Mebrahtom Mesfine and his staff. Something that
Wim Vuylsteke noticed during his tour of the campus
was that although there was a great deal of
equipment in the labs, the knowhow for installing
and using the machines is lacking. “There is a real
need for well-trained personnel to make optimal
use of what’s there,” Wim remarks. “People make
the difference. Take Weldi Dintsu Tedla, staff member
in the department Electrical Engineering. He is
a GROUP T alumnus and does a great job as special
technology advisor to the president. He assisted,
for instance, in the installation of a new kitchen in
the student restaurant. It now operates on natural
gas, but the university would like to switch to more
environmentally-friendly biogas. For this, too, they
want to appeal to GROUP T.” A junior staff member
from Iksum University can also come to GROUP T for
further training.
Ambitious institute
At the Addis Ababa Science and Technology University
(AASTU), the GROUP T delegation was received by
President Tarekegn Tadesse and his staff. The university
started off in 2011 and already has 2,000 students.
“AASTU is a very ambitious institute with a visionary
president,” Guido Vercammen explains. “The university
wants to develop into a leading center of science
and technology and is preparing to attract another
5,000 to 7,000 extra students next year. We have proposed
to President Tadesse to start up a joint program
in Biomedical Engineering as well as a Postgraduate
Program in Enterprising and that was well-received by
the representatives of the university. Both presidents
also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with
agreements for further cooperation.
Study duration
Finally, President De Graeve and Prof. Guido
Vercammen visited H.E. Demeke Mekonnen, the
Ethiopian Minister of Education, and Dr. Kaba
Urgessa Diassa, State Minister for Higher Education.
They exchanged thoughts with them on the duration
of study in Ethiopia. This is currently set at five
years for bachelor’s in Engineering, but there is talk
of reducing this period to four years to free up more
human and financial resources.
Looking back on the mission, all the members of the
delegation declared they were impressed by the level
and the quality of both students and teachers. “Also
the drive to advance and the enthusiasm were clearly
present. GROUP T’s commitment to invest in human
skills can really make the difference,” Guido Vercammen
concludes.
Y.P.
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
3
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012

Chinese New Year’s
concert at GROUP T
Festive
launch into
the Year of
the Dragon
The Chinese calendar attributes an animal to
every year. The twelve signs that constitute the
Chinese zodiac are the rat, the ox, the tiger, the
rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the
ram, the ape, the rooster and the pig, in that
order. Last year was the Year of the Rabbit and
as of 23 January, the Chinese are in the Year of
the Dragon. This event did not go unnoticed at
GROUP T. The Confucius Institute launched the
new year with a vivacious concert.
In the West, the dragon represents evil and the devil. Heroes and saints feel
called upon to fight the dragon. This is not at all the case in China where the
dragon is a mythological creature that serves as a symbol for the country.
Dragons bring luck. Moreover, the heavenly dragon is the founder of the
imperial family. The most important dragon is said to have descended to earth
to become the emperor of China. Emperors throughout the ages have described
themselves as being descendants of this supreme dragon. Nowadays, the
Chinese still feel their true roots lie there.
Year of change
The Year of the Dragon is a year to take new initiatives, start new things. Words
associated with this year are: proud and vivacious, enthusiastic, irresistible, passionate,
successful, powerful, extroverted, inspiring and chosen. The Year of the
Dragon creates possibilities, ushers in change.
In China itself, this is the year when nearly the entire political leadership is
replaced. A new economic cycle also begins: the 12th five-year plan of which
several projects are launched and delivered in 2012. This must allow China to
meet the expected growth of 7% to 8%, despite the expected economic headwind
in the West, the high inflation and the fear of social unrest.
High distinctions
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
GROUP T brought in the Year of the Dragon with a colorful new year’s concert,
drawing an audience that filled the auditorium. The Shanghai Jiaotong University
(SJTU) orchestra and dance group were guest performers. This university is
one of China’s most prestigious and it has been a GROUP T partner since 2006.
The 2011 QS World University Ranking puts the SJTU in 124 th position internationally
and in 37 th position in the fields of Engineering and ICT.
The SJTU Student Art Troupe was founded in 1994 and consists of a symphonic
orchestra, a symphonic band, a choir, a dance and folk orchestra and a theater,
the members are all students from nearly every university faculty. Over the last
ten years, the Student Art Troupe has won a number of gold medals and high
distinctions in international competitions. The group has participated in a variety
of international exchange programs including with the US, Germany, France,
The Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Japan and New Zealand.
Mass spectacle
On the occasion of the Year of the Dragon celebration, the Student Art Troupe
is on tour in Germany and Belgium. The young artists treat the audience to a
mass spectacle of traditional music, song and dance. The various pieces had
poetic names like ‘blossoming flowers in full moon’, ‘Spring on the Xiang river’,
‘Give me a rose’, ‘Beautiful Loulan girls’, ‘Lily flowers’ and ‘Jiaozhou plant the
rice’. Traditional Chinese wind and string instruments like the ‘pipa’ and the ‘Liu
Qin’ created a special atmosphere that lingered on into the Chinese new year’s
reception that followed the concert.
4
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
Y.P.

Expansion of international activities
Group T steps up collaboration
with China
GROUP T has been active in China for over 15 years already. In doing so, the university college anticipated the
increasing importance of the People’s Republic in the global economy and global politics. Meanwhile, agreements
have been made with 30 Chinese universities. In late 2011, another item was added to that list: the Qiqihar
Institute of Engineering in North China. On 4 December 2011, Presidents J. De Graeve and Yong’an Cao signed a
memorandum of understanding that must lead to far-reaching collaboration.
The visit to the Qiqihar Institute was part of
a greater China mission. It included Prof. J.
De Graeve, President and Chief Executive
of GROUP T, Professors G. Vercammen and
Cha Jianzhong, both members of the Board of Directors,
assistant professor Hu Yunhao, and Li Wei,
assistant to the President. In early 2011, the Qiqihar
institute underwent an upgrade as a result of which it
evolved from a vocational college to a full university.
For its further development, the institute is looking
for advice and for foreign partners. Before more than
300 faculty members, President De Graeve explained
GROUP T’s 5E educational concept based on the combined
action of Engineering, Enterprising, Educating,
Environmenting and Ensembling. Prof. Vercammen
subsequently introduced GROUP T and elaborated on
the international activities and the collaboration with
companies.
Both institutes agreed to exchange bachelor students
in the near future and to give the Qiqihar students
the opportunity to earn a master’s degree at GROUP T.
Also the possibility of granting a double degree was
included in the memorandum of understanding as
well as the exchange of faculty members and course
modules. To give shape and content to this, a steering
committee will be set up with representatives
from both institutes.
International Class
From Qiqihar, the delegation went on to Beijing
Jiaotong University, one of GROUP T’s first and most
important partner universities in China. This is where
a meeting took place with professors Ning Bin, President,
Chen Feng, Vice-President, Xu Yugong, Director
of International Office and Li Jianyong, Dean of the
School of Mechanical Engineering. It turned into an
open discussion about the many years of collaboration
with special attention to the International Class
that started off last year in cooperation with GROUP T
under the auspices of the School of Mechanical Engineering.
President Bing Bin emphasized that GROUP T
takes first place in the international activities and
student recruitment of the university.
Both presidents also gave their approval for the
installation of a steering committee for the further
development of the International Class in the years
to come. GROUP T, for its part, declared itself willing
to involve Beijing Jiaotong in the international
projects in the Greater Mekong Region, India and
Ethiopia.
Project-based teaching
From Beijing, the tour continued south to Suzhou,
near Shanghai. This is the location of another of
GROUP T’s partner institutes: the Industrial Park-
Institute of Vocational Technology (IVT). Professors
Frank Shan, President, Allan Lu, Dean of IVT International,
Bill Xu, Dean of Teaching Affairs Department
and Nathalie Lu of the International Office provided
a cordial reception.
Prof. Xu subsequently presented IVT’s new educational
model based on project-based teaching
and supported by specially developed software. An
important innovation is that the entrepreneurs are
actively involved in the program, more precisely as
jury members on projects.
At the moment, three IVT students are studying at
GROUP T. To prepare IVT students properly for further
studies in Leuven, President De Graeve suggested
organizing a preparatory year in Suzhou. Finally, the
delegation met Xu Yin, an IVT student who, after his
studies at GROUP T, launched a successful career at
the high-tech company Sinnotech which specializes
in injection molding and the design, manufacture
and validation of precision injection molds for the
automotive, medical, electronics and optical markets.
Cooperatively-run universities
The final destination was the Zhejiang Industry &
Trade Vocational College in Wenzhou, an institute
with 10,000 students and 550 staff members. There a
meeting was scheduled with President He Xiang Rong,
Vice-President He Yingyue and Ms. Ye Junjun, head
of the international prograMs. The Vocational College
of Wenzhou has registered for an ambitious
Chinese Ministry of Education project to establish
Chinese foreign, cooperatively-run universities and
colleges. These are completely new institutes that
are jointly run by a Chinese and a foreign institute.
The Zhejiang Industry & Trade Vocational College
is very interested in working with GROUP T to set
up something similar. Also the city council, through
Mr. Qiu Yongjun, Vice-Mayor of Wenzhou Municipal
People’s Government, supports it. The new institute
is to be established on a new campus, built on
a newly constructed island off the coast. Four-year
bachelor programs will be introduced in engineering
and business, taught in English by professors
of both partner institutes. Both in Wenzhou and in
Leuven, further investigation will be carried out on
how these plans can be further shaped.
Finally, the GROUP T delegation visited the headquarters
of Yalong, a manufacturing company specialized
in engineering and automatic process control
instruments. Mr. Chen Jiquan, Chairman of the
Board proposed a number of programs that would
allow engineering programs and companies to be
more attuned with each other.
Y.P.
Prof. Johan De Graeve, President and Chief-
Executive of GROUP T and Prof. Yong’an Cao,
President of Qiqihar Institute of Engineering
signed a memorandum of understanding.
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
5

Students turn researchers
Integrating research and
education
The Ministerial Workgroup Academization formulated the following advice in 2005: ‘Academization refers to
embedding education in scientific research as a result of which the education program targets research more
and the graduates of these programs possess clear research competencies.’ On 1 December 2011, on the
occasion of the study seminar ‘Integration Research in Education’ at GROUP T, Prof. Alan Jenkins of the Oxford
Brookes University (UK) gave a lecture at GROUP T on the topic of integration of research and education.
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
6
Developing students as researchers’, this,
according to Prof. Jenkins, is the mission of
higher education. “Our argument can be
simply stated: all undergraduate students
in all higher education institutions should experience
learning through and about research. This applies
to all students in higher education. While recognising
that there are other goals the curriculum should
support – for example student employability, civic
engagement – students learning in ‘research mode’
should be central to the curriculum. Unfortunately
the Research Assessment Exercise has both devaluated
the importance of teaching and effectively moved
many undergraduate students and academic staff out
of the world of research.”
“Our interest in developing students as researchers
originated through our explorations over the last
few years to enhance the linkage between teaching
and discipline-based research”, Prof. Jenkins continued.
“Our conclusion is that one of the most effective
ways to do this is to engage our students in research
and inquiry; in other words, to see them as producers
not just customers of knowledge.”
Research in the curriculum
Prof. Jenkins argues that we can learn a great deal
from undergraduate research programs in the U.S.
“They are generally for selected students and may
well be outside the formal curriculum, e.g. in summer
enrichment programs. However, for us the key
to main-streaming undergraduate research is to integrate
it into the curriculum”.
Is undergraduate research for all students? “The
answer to this depends on how you define undergraduate
research. If you restrict it to the creation
of new knowledge, often through working with
staff, such as part of a laboratory research team,
then the experience is likely to be limited to a few
select students. However, if you conceive undergraduate
research as students learning through courses
which are designed to be as close as possible to the
research processes in their discipline, then it can be
for all students. The focus then is on student learning
and on being assessed in ways that mimic how
research is conducted in the discipline, for example,
through undergraduate research journals and student
research conference and exhibitions. In these
cases, what is produced and learned may not be new
knowledge per se; but it is new to the student and,
perhaps more significantly, transforms their understanding
of knowledge and research.”
Two axes, four quadrants
In his lecture, Prof. Jenkins presented a framework
revolving around two axes. One axis categorizes
approaches as linking teaching and research according
to the extent to which they are teacher-focused
and students are treated primarily as the audience or
treat students as participants, while the second axis
classifies the approach as emphasising research content
or research processes and problems.
These two axes, in turn, create four quadrants. Teaching
can be:
• Research-led: where students learn about research
findings, the curriculum content is strongly shaped
by faculty research interests/current research in the
discipline;
• Research-oriented: where students learn about
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
research processes, the curriculum emphasises
as much the processes by which knowledge is
produced as learning knowledge that has been
achieved, and faculty try to engender a research
ethos through their teaching.
• Research-based: where students learn as researchers,
the curriculum is largely designed around
inquiry-based activities, and the division of roles
between teacher and student is minimized.
• Research-tutored: where students supported
by staff discuss in small groups current research
(papers) in their discipline.
Supercomplex world
According to Prof. Jenkins, the emphasis must be
on the student learning in ‘research-based’ and
‘research-oriented’ modes. “The argument as to
whether undergraduate research is for all or selected
students is in part a political question - to whom and
for what, do national systems and institutions allocate
resources, in particular staff time? But for us it
is largely an educational and/or philosophical question
as to the nature of higher education. We are
persuaded by the arguments, that what distinguishes
higher education is the emphasis on helping students
to live in a supercomplex world and that the curricula
task is for lecturers to adopt teaching approaches
Prof. Alan Jenkins of the Oxford
Brookes University (UK).
that are likely to foster student experiences and that
mirror the lecturers’ experiences and researches.”
Prof. Jenkins says there are many examples of interesting
practices to engage students in research and
inquiry in individual modules, but far fewer cases
where undergraduate research has been mainstreamed
across a course, department, institution
or national system. “More strategic interventions to
reinvent the curriculum are needed. We believe that
undergraduate research and inquiry should be an
important part of the curriculum from the day students
start studying at the university. Undergraduates
should be included in the research community
and not kept at arm’s length.”
Professional life
Prof. Jenkins concluded with a quote by Angela
Brew: “For the students who are the professionals
of the future, developing the ability to investigate
problems, make judgments on the basis of sound
evidence, take decisions on a rational basis, and
understanding what they are doing and why is vital.
Research and inquiry is not just for those who choose
to pursue an academic career. It is central to professional
life in the twenty-first century.”
Y.P.

Jeroen Buijs, lecturer in GROUP T’s
Electromechanics engineering
program.
Professor in the spotlight
Interactive lectures:
it is possible!
Lectures and interactive learning, it seems a contradiction in terms. Ex cathedra education is usually automatically
associated with teacher-driven, one-way traffic in which the student is pushed into a passive role and the
learning performance isn’t especially spectacular. But there is an alternative. This is evidenced by the approach
of Jeroen Buijs, lecturer in GROUP T’s Electromechanics engineering program. By introducing active learning in
his Control Theory lectures, he substantially increases the learning performance.
Jeroen got his inspiration from the article
‘Improved learning in a Large-Enrollment
Physics Class’ by the professors Louis Deslauriers,
Ellen Schelew and Carl Wieman of the
universities of British Columbia and Colorado. The
contribution was published in Science in May 2011
and contains the results of an interesting comparative
study of the learning performance of students in
physics lectures. “The authors compared the amount
of learning achievement using two different approaches
under controlled action,” explains Jeroen. “They
measured the learning of a specific set of topics and
objectives when taught by 3 hours of traditional lectures
given by an experienced highly rated instructor
and three hours of instruction given by a trained but
inexperienced instructor using instruction based on
research in cognitive psychology and physics education.
The comparison was made between 2 large sections
‘N=267 and N=271) of the introductory undergraduate
physics course. The authors found increased
student attendance, higher engagement, and more
than twice the learning performance in the section
taught using research-based instructions.”
Two subgroups
The success factor is called active learning and it is
precisely these activating techniques that Jeroen will
be employing in the Control Theory lectures in the
third bachelor stage of the Electromechanical Engineering
program. “Increasingly, students are asking
for interactive forms of work,” Jeroen notices. “And
many professors also feel the need to make their
lectures more interactive. Because of the size of the
group but often also because of the layout of the
auditoriums this is not always all that obvious. For
the moment, we are going to put it to the test with
170 students.”
“We divided the group into two subgroups,” Jeroen
continues. “The first group will be taught in the
classic ex cathedra manner with PPT support. After
every lecture we test what they have learned. We
ask the second group to process the subject matter
in advance via pre-class reading. We test online
whether they have effectively done so and the extent
to which this has effectively worked. Those who
“Students are asking for
interactive forms of work,
and many professors also
feel the need to make their
lectures more interactive.”
made the effort are rewarded with bonus points.
Through a series of questions the professor asks
whether the students have any further questions
and whether they are able to explain the premise
in their own words. During the lecture the professor
can then anticipate on that.”
Less school
“But there’s more,” Jeroen says. “Students in the
second group can also interact with each other. During
the lecture, they can also answer selected questions
through a click system with their podcast. We
also organize a quiz in which the student can see
what others have answered. Everything appears on
a blog and there is also a Facebook group the point
of which is to create a less scholastic environment.”
Jeroen is convinced that these inter-activities will
contribute to greater motivation and focus in the
students. But he believes it is also interesting for the
professor. “He gains better insight into how students
reason, how they process the material, where and
what the difficulties are, what requires special attention.
This way, he is always on top of the game and
able to anticipate potential problems. Control Theory
is a typically abstract and mathematical course. The
interactive approach is to ensure that the students
are better able to master the finesses. This, in turn,
allows the professor to focus more on concepts again.
Furthermore, it is the intention to divide students
into small teams to carry out smaller assignments
during the lecture. They can also earn bonus points
with their team that way.”
Also for practical sessions
When asked whether the interactive lectures will
increase the students’ workload, Jeroen answers negatively.
“We certainly do not want to give the impression
that students have to study before class. The goal
we want to achieve, in fact, is that students have to
study less after class by increasing the learning performance.
Also, it is not the intention to apply this to
all lectures. Not all courses are suitable. It does seem
useful to me to try it out in practical sessions or seminars,
so in smaller groups. Active learning, in any case,
allows more exercises to be introduced into lectures.
Y.P.
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
7
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012

Dr. Veerle Bloemen,
researcher at GROUP T.
Researcher in the spotlight
Research to the bone
After her engineering studies in Biochemistry at GROUP T, Veerle Bloemen went to the Academic Center
for Dentistry at the Open University of Amsterdam to do her doctoral research in the Oral Cellular Biology
Department. She studied the interactions between the different cells of bone tissue to better understand
the processes that take place in the formation of the bone-resorption cell, the osteoclast. This way, in the
long run, they hope to be able to develop a treatment for diseases in dentistry like periodontitis.
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
8
Simply put, our bone tissue contains three types
of cells which normally balance each other
out. A first type forms bone, a second, the
osteoclasts, resorb it,” Veerle says. “The third
kind acts as a kind of manager coordinating the bone
formation and resorption. When the balance is disrupted,
it tips towards bone formation or bone resorption.
In the latter case, in time, this leads to loose teeth
and loss of teeth. In my thesis, I examined the role of
cell interactions at the various stages of the osteoclastogenesis,
the migratory behavior of the osteoclasts
and the formation of mitochondria in these cells. It is
indeed fundamental scientific research: I tried to map
and explain processes so that, ultimately, bone-related
conditions can be treated more effectively.”
Veerle worked in a multidisciplinary and international
team in Amsterdam. It included molecular biologists,
orthopedists, doctors and dentists, which allowed the
topic matter to be considered from various angles.
Affiliated researcher
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
After defending her doctorate in July 2010, Veerle
started looking for a job that allowed her to combine
her passion for research with her passion for
education. Indeed, she thinks it is important for current
knowledge to be disseminated, but also for the
boundaries of present knowledge be challenged
continuously. This is how she ended up at GROUP T
again. Her assignment is divided equally between
teaching and research. Veerle teaches Medical Bioengineering,
Fermentation and Bioconversion, Biomedical
and Biochemical Research Methods and
Molecular Cell Biology and she also supervises various
practical sessions.
As an affiliated researcher, she is attached to the
knowledge platform Prometheus which is located
in Gasthuisberg, where she also conducted her master’s
thesis. At the moment, Veerle is involved in two
research projects. Within the department, an application
is being prepared for the TETRA project LIMSY.
“GROUP T’s forte has
always been to be at the
forefront, to discern new
trends and to implement
them before any other
university college.”
The LIMSY project, the Live Cell Monitoring System
project, is developed together with M3-Biores. This
system the dynamics of cell populations to be examined
in real-time. In addition, she is working on an
FWO application relating to the research of osteoclast
formation and bone resorption in Tissue Engineered
constructs.
In other words, the research she is participating in is
still bone-related with the focus on tissue regeneration.
“The research for which we will solicit the support
of FWO will be spread over three years. Just like
in Amsterdam, we are collaborating with an interdisciplinary
team here as well. Our base of operations is
Gasthuisberg, where we have the required laboratories
at our disposal,” Veerle explains.
Research-based education
Veerle is positive about GROUP T banking on scientific
research in the framework of the academization
of higher education. This focus strengthens scientific
reasoning skills of students and sharpens their critical
abilities. “This is taking place both in the EE projects
and during the lectures. During my lectures I discuss
scientific articles with my students because I find it
important that future engineers learn how to think
in a critical and problem-solving way. And for that he
needs a solid scientific foundation.”
At that level, GROUP T has come a long way since she
was studying here and the academization is clearly
visible in the program. “GROUP T’s forte has always
been to be at the forefront, to discern new trends
and to implement them before any other university
college. This is essential if you want to train engineers
for the current and future labor market. Maintaining
the double focus on practice and scientific
research increases a graduate’s future opportunities.
A GROUP T engineer feels at home in many environments
and finds his way in both the business world
and the research world.”
Y.P.

Two-year master track
Ruben Tacq:
student and entrepreneur
Ruben Tacq, student of the two-year master track Electronics-ICT, was already fascinated by computers
and programming as an eight-year-old. While his classmates were playing computer games, he tried
to figure out how these games worked and how the computers used to play these games worked
themselves. Because of his fascination with technology and science, he changed in secondary school from
ASO to TSO and started on the technology/science route there. He spent his spare time on extra training
on his own. The school environment did not really suit him so he allowed himself to be driven by his
curiosity to gain further knowledge. This defiant and obstinate quality he also found at GROUP T when
he was presented with the choice of higher education.
When Ruben was 16, and with the support
of his father, he started his own
little company: RubyCom. “That company
was intended to be a learning
project. So it didn’t immediately target profit. The
fact was that I got more and more requests from
private individuals and even companies in the Ypres
region to help them solve computer problems or to
build websites. So a commercial structure was warranted.”
Because he was a minor at the time, his father
acted as director and Ruben as partner. But in fact,
Ruben took care of everything: managing customers,
filling orders and tackling administrative obligations.
This allowed him to learn the intricacies of the business
at his own pace. He still has that business although
it has evolved somewhat in the meantime. He
closed down the hardware section and is now focusing
on services for companies: software development
for specific problems or support with crashes, and so
on. Furthermore, he chooses assignments that take
him another small step in his personal development.
“I think it is important to keep on learning and not
to stop at what I already know.” He never accepts too
large a project because his maxim is that he should
be able to carry out the assignment himself within a
reasonable term. Because most of his customers are in
the Ypres region, he does most of his work remotely.
He also knows his customers personally and he notices
that the companies he works for do appreciate that
individualized approach. “I think it is important to
help a customer along and therefore every now and
then I give advice that is not immediately in my commercial
interest. For instance, I teach them to solve
simple problems themselves, without my intervention.
In the short term, that generates less income, in
the long term that boosts the confidence that customers
have in your company.”
function well. “So no nine-to-five job for me after my
studies but a function with freedom and challenge:
that’s when I function best!”
Ruben is quite happy with the supervision of the
teachers at GROUP T. Also in this respect he experiences
the freedom and challenge to improve himself.
He can take his questions to his supervisors and
comes away with a solidly-founded vision of the
development of companies. But he doesn’t leave it at
that: he also uses his contacts with companies to ask
for advice on problems he experiences in the startup
of his ‘learning company’. And the companies are
only too happy to help out!
Ruben’s social life does suffer from his busy schedule.
But for him, managing his company is his way
to relax.
Y.P.
“I think it is important to
keep on learning and not
to stop at what I already
know.”
Online platform
Ruben’s choice to take the two-year master track
Electronics-ICT fits in with his way of studying as
independently as possible, driven by his curiosity to
discover new things. “After the third bachelor phase,
I felt I needed a new challenge. I was afraid that I
wouldn’t be able to find that in the one-year master.
However, in the two-year master track I’m able
to combine my two passions: the technical and the
management side to things.” In the framework of
his training Ruben is setting up a new small company
with which he hopes to accomplish his technical
project. The technical project involves setting up
an online platform that collects and analyzes data
from sensors in client companies. Through this platform
he wants to be able to make predictions about
the future operation of the functions that the sensors
monitor. “The application that I will develop is
adjusted to the needs of the companies that join this
system. This means that I will visit many companies in
the context of my research project over the next two
years. And I hope to learn a lot from it.”
At the end of the previous year, Ruben missed the
drive because he felt he got stuck in a rut. In the twoyear
master track, he has found new energy for his
studies, the variety and the challenge he needs to
Ruben Tacq, student of the two-year master track.
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
9

Two-year master tracks at GROUP T
CQS GROUP T Racing Team &
Formula GROUP T: sustainable
racing
There’s no shortage of racing teams at GROUP T. In addition to the well-known
Solar Team – builder of innovative solar cars – two more student teams are astir:
the CQS GROUP T Racing Team and its spin-off: the Formula GROUP T. What binds
them together are entrepreneurship, team spirit, ambition to excel, passion for
sustainable development and... the GROUP T two-year master track. We talked to
Olivier Paulus, manager of the CQS GROUP T Racing Team, and Wolf Berwouts,
marketing manager of Formula GROUP T.
The CQS GROUP T Racing Team set off in 2009.
Thirty-one motivated master’s students set to
work on two incarnations of the legendary
2CV old-timer and turned them into modern
racing cars: the Odyssee and the Pegasus.
“The Odyssee is the electric version, the Pegasus is
the racing doily,” says Olivier. “The design of both
cars is nearly identical. Just like the aerodynamic racing
body, which consists of 100% recyclable biocomposite
material. The difference is under the hood.
The Odyssee was fitted with a Switched Reluctance
Motor that is controlled by self-developed software.
Also the car’s battery pack is not your run-of-the-mill
product. It comprises 112 lithium iron phosphate
cells, packaged in modules for easy replacement.”
“The Pegasus kept its original engine but was
adjusted to run on bioethanol and was fully prepared
to participate in endurance races,” Olivier continues.
The CQS Team took second place in the UNIZO award
for entrepreneurship in 2010. In the fall, the team
successfully participated in the 2CV race on the
Spa-Francorchamps racing circuit.
Greater performance
The CQS Team is made up of five students, two of
whom are veterans. They subjected the Pegasus to a
thorough revision. Among other tasks, they worked
on the engine and suspension and selected better
tires which resulted in a lower weight and greater
reliability and performance. This resulted in a sound
second place in Francorchamps in October 2011.
“We had little or no technical problems and did 270
rounds with ease. In the previous edition we didn’t
get any further than 150,” according to Olivier.
Still, racing is not an end in and of itself for the team.
“We continue to focus on sustainable development
in the automobile sector,” Olivier confirms. “We
do this by making use of the newest materials and
biofuel. Of course, we also want to gain experience
in motor sport and the entrepreneurial world... and
racing with the best next season.”
GROUP T has created a framework in its engineering
program in which such ambitious projects can
be realized. This is a two-year master track. Students
can spread the traditional one-year master over
two years and supplement it with a so-called Entrepreneurial
Engineering Experience, which is a twosemester
learning track in or in cooperation with
one or more companies. This provides them with the
opportunity to gain a great deal of experience, set
up large projects, solve complex problems and make
great achievements.
Electrical racing car
The 15 students of Formula GROUP T are also in
a two-year track. Three of them were part of the
CQS team last year, amongst whom Wolf Berwouts.
“CQS and Formula GROUP T were divided to create
clarity,” says Wolf. “The car that we are building has
effectively nothing to do with 2CVs or indeed with
CQS. We are working on completely different things.”
The new team’s showpiece will be the electric
racing car Areion. The team members intend to have
it ready for the Formula Student Competition. “This
competition is much larger in scale than the World
Solar Challenge in Australia,” Wolf explains. “No
fewer than 500 universities from around the world
participate which results in an enormous number
of participants. One competition has easily 3,000
students participating. The competition is not only
about racing either. The jury also gives points for
design, energy consumption, cost analysis, business
plan and presentation. In other words, you can
distinguish yourself in many different ways and the
winner is not necessarily the one going the fastest.”
Spearheads
According to Wolf, the new team wants to distinguish
itself on three levels. “To begin, we want to
score with our biocomposites since we are building a
brand new biocomposite racing seat. To achieve this,
we are collaborating in a European research project
that involves four research centers and 39 companies.
The second trump card we are playing is additive
manufacturing. This is a technology in which parts
are no longer machined or routed, but constructed by
adding layer upon layer of metal powder so they are
super light. The technologies employed for this are
Electron Beam Melting, an electron beam on metal
powder, and stereolithographhy with polymers. Our
third spearhead is the high-voltage power train. We
are building a high-performance power train that
only weighs 40 kg but does generate a capacity of
85 kW, which is 5 times greater than the Odyssee. To
give you an idea: the Areion will be able to accelerate
from 0 to 100 km/h in barely 3 seconds.”
In the spring of 2012, the first Belgian electric racing
car will go into production. In early June, it will
be presented to the press. And in the summer, it will
be entered in the two most important competitions
in Europe: Silverstone (England) and Hockenheim
(Germany). To be continued.
Y.P.
www.formulagroupt.be
The students of CQS GROUP T Racing Team
and Formula GROUP T are in the two-year
master track.
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
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jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012

Alumni in de kijker
Retour van de lichting 1991
“Onze carrières hebben in de loop van de voorbije 20 jaar een heuse transformatie ondergaan.
Maar één zaak staat nog altijd als een paal boven water: de lichting van 1991 was een geweldige
bende”, aldus Joris Brams, GROEP T-ingenieur, Managing Director of the International Division
van de C&C Group Plc, en de initiatiefnemer van een succesrijke reünie van zijn lichting op
3 december 2011 op Campus Vesalius.
1991 was een bewogen jaar. Het begin van de
Golfoorlog, de implosie van de Sovjet-Unie en
het Warschaupact, Berlijn wordt de hoofdstad
van het Herenigde Duitsland, PAN AM gaat
failliet, Miles Davis en Freddy Mercury overlijden, Roland
Bergkamp wordt geboren, André Cools vermoord,
zwarte zondag in Vlaanderen en nog veel meer.
“1991 herinneren we ons vooral als het jaar waarin
een bijzondere groep ingenieurs afzwaaide bij
GROEP T”, merkte prof. Patrick De Ryck, Algemeen
Directeur, op in zijn openingsspeech tijdens de academische
zitting. “Er is inderdaad veel gebeurd in
de tussentijd. Bij en met de alumni, maar ook met
GROEP T. Wat toen nog de Industriële Hogeschool
Leuven heette, is nu de Internationale Hogeschool
Leuven of – nog beter – het International University
College Leuven. De oude Campus Blauwput is ingeruild
voor de moderne Campus Vesalius. Het aantal
ingenieursstudenten is praktisch verdubbeld. En het
lokaal onderonsje van destijds heeft plaats gemaakt
voor een internationaal publiek van wel 40 verschillende
nationaliteiten.”
Van 1991 tot 2011
Vervolgens gaf de Algemeen Directeur een overzicht
van de belangrijkste evoluties gedurende de voorbije
20 jaar: van 5 naar 3 locaties, van de Amerikareis van destijds
naar de grote internationale actieradius van nu met
een netwerk dat zich uitstrekt van China tot Ethiopië,
van het technologie-management-communicatie-profiel
van toen naar de 5 E’s van Engineering, Enterprising,
Educating, Environmenting en Ensembling nu.
P. De Ryck besteedde ook aandacht aan de ingrijpende
verandering van het hoger onderwijslandschap,
de invoering van de bachelor-masterstructuur,
de toetreding tot de Associatie K.U.Leuven, de academisering
en flexibilisering, het tweejarig mastertraject,
de diplomaruimte en het leerkrediet. Ten
slotte gaf hij uitleg bij de aankomende integratie van
de academische hogeschoolopleidingen in de universiteit.
“Veel is veranderd. Maar niet alles. Onze dynamiek
als ‘rebel with a cause’ is gebleven.”
Wat men zich bij het 5 E-profiel moet voorstellen werd
treffend geïllustreerd door de 2 ‘paradepaardjes’
van GROEP T: het Formula GROUP T Team en het Solar
Team. Namens het eerste team sprak marketingverantwoordelijke
Wolf Bernouts. “Ons team bestaat
uit 16 masterstudenten en is een spin-off van het
CQS GROUP T Racing Team dat tussen 2009 en
2011 twee 2 PK’s ombouwde tot een hybride en een
elektrische wagen”, aldus Wolf. “Met deze knowhow
bouwen we nu een elektrisch aangedreven
race-car waarmee we deelnemen aan de Formula
Student Competition. Dit is een grote internationale
competitie waarin wel 100 universiteiten het tegen
elkaar opnemen op de circuits van Silverstone en
Hockenheim”.
Tomas Sterken, leider van het Solar Team stelde vervolgens
het zonnewagenproject voor. Daarbij gaf hij
uitleg bij de technologische innovaties in de vierde
zonnewagen, de werking van zijn team en het verloop
van de World Solar Challenge, het officieuze wereldkampioenschap
voor zonnewagens in Australië
waar het Solar Team verdienstelijk elfde werd.”
Naar een alumniwerking
Namens de docenten van GROEP T sprak prof. Guido
Vercammen, op dat moment op missie in China. Ook
hij bracht ‘de tijd van toen’ in herinnering, waarbij
hij stilstond bij de studiereis naar Philadelphia waar
vrijwel alle laatstejaars destijds aan deelnamen. Hij
bedankte ook uitgebreid Joris Brams die het initiatief
nam om zijn studiegenoten na 20 jaar opnieuw
te mobiliseren. Daarbij drukte hij de wens uit dat
deze reünie het startschot zou zijn voor een bloeiende
alumniwerking. “Jullie zijn onze beste ambassadeurs
en jullie succes is ons succes”, besloot Guido
Vercammen.
Het slotwoord werd uitgesproken door Joris Brams.
Hij dankte GROEP T voor de organisatie van het evenement
en zijn collega-alumni voor de opkomst.
“Zulke dagen zouden er meer moeten zijn”, zei Joris.
“GROEP T heeft altijd al geambieerd een plaats te
zijn waarin studenten, docenten en ondernemers
elkaar ontmoeten en van elkaar leren. Welnu, initiatieven
als deze zijn de manier bij uitstek om deze
ambitie waar te maken.”
Y.P.
“Our careers have gone through a real transformation
over the past 20 years. But one thing
is still as clear as the light of day: the class of
‘91 was one hell of a gang,” says Joris Brams,
GROUP T engineer and the organizer of a successful
reunion of his year on 3 December 2011
on Campus Vesalius.
GROeP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
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jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012

Alumnus in the spotlight
Andy Motten: researcher with
a passion for China
About six years ago, Andy Motten graduated from GROUP T with an engineering degree from the
Electronics program with the Design Techniques option. During his studies, he did an apprenticeship with
Philips Digital System Laboratories in Shanghai. He enjoyed this first introduction to China a great deal
and he made some good contacts there that would subsequently be very useful to him. He continued his
studies at the KU Leuven where he obtained a master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence. At that moment it
was clear to him that his future was in research.
This is why he applied with the Flanders’
Mechatronic Technology Centre (FMTC)
where he worked as a project engineer for
various industrial projects. FMTC is a member
organization that researches and improves mechatronic
applications in close cooperation with the Material
Sciences Department at the KU Leuven Faculty of Engineering
Sciences. Mechatronics establishes an optimal
combination of mechanics, electronics and software.
Applications can mainly be found in machine design.
“In the three years I was working for FMTC, I was contributing
to about four projects, including defining
and implementing a 3D object tracking system.”
About two years ago, Andy Motten was introduced
to the Expertise Centre for Digital Media, a research
institute of the University of Hasselt. This institute
has been around since 1987 and focuses on Computer
Graphics, on the interaction between man and computer
and on Multimedia and Communications Technology.
“I was able to get to work there as a Ph.D.
Andy Motten, GROUP T engineer and researcher.
student with a scholarship from the University of
Hasselt. My research deals with Multi-camera Computational
Video Architectures. My goal is to develop
a hardware that is reconfigurable and offers a solution
to the problem of the delay that occurs between
capture and rendering of a multi-camera 3D system.
After all, such systems require a lot of computing
power and even with powerful PCs you are limited
in the quality and speed of the image processing.
The application possibilities of such architecture are
many: 3D television, visual inspection systems, traffic
monitoring, etc. I research the architecture that is at
the base of future applications.”
Happy reunion in China
At the moment of our conversation, Andy Motten has
just returned from a six-month visit to the University
of Zhejiang in Hangzhou, China. The universities of
Hangzhou and Hasselt are both working on different
parts of the research project and at regular intervals,
“Every time it strikes
me how friendly the
people are there: they
do anything to make
you feel at home.”
time is made to exchange information. But at the
same time, the Ph.D. students of both universities
are introduced to the working methods of the
other university and that of course is very enlightening.
“For me, it was a happy reunion with China.
I like to go there and I had maintained good contacts
after my first stay in Shanghai. I had visited Hangzhou
then as well and so the city wasn’t entirely terra
incognita to me. Every time it strikes me how friendly
the people are there: they do anything to make you
feel at home. I stayed at a hotel at the university on
the campus and was provided with my own workspace.”
Andy gave presentations there detailing
the state of affairs of his part of the research and
learned about the progress of his Chinese colleagues’
research. “I found that Chinese education is of a very
high level. This is also further improved by the fact
that master’s students work together with Ph.D.
students in the same laboratories. As a researcher,
I found this particularly interesting.”
Various backgrounds
GROuP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
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jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
The international exchange, certainly between
countries with different cultures, is particularly
invigorating and stimulates research. “The fact that
you are looking at a problem with colleagues from
various backgrounds, offers new viewpoints, ideas
and surprising insights. That sharpens your creativity
and often helps you arrive at new solutions. During
my stay in China I put that into practice by writing
a few papers together with my Chinese colleagues.
That was an interesting experience!” Andy continues
the cooperation with the University of Zhejiang: he
will soon be leaving for another week in China.
As mentioned above, Andy Motten owes his good
contacts with China to the apprenticeship in his final
year in Shanghai. “Still, the contact with China is not
the only thing that makes GROUP T a special university
college to me. Thanks to GROUP T, I can rely on
a solid base of management and I learned how to
communicate and present. I use in particular the
latter regularly when I need to present the state
of affairs of my research to my colleagues or other
interested parties.”
And the future? Andy hopes to complete his Ph.D.
within two years. And afterwards he would like to
continue doing research. It makes no difference if it
is in Belgium or abroad as long as he can make his
dream come through.
Y.P.

Elien Van Winckel and Thomas Rondou
improved the working conditions of
women in Benin.
Alumni in the spotlight
Engineers for a better world
Teachers at GROUP T – Leuven Engineering College are on the constant look-out for interesting topics
for their students’ master theses. To that end, they talk to their contacts or are contacted by companies
or organizations that want to have a problem examined. Not only companies but also social or cultural
organizations appeal to GROUP T. When World Solidarity, an organization aimed at social development
and humanitarian work in the South, contacted lecturer Kim Kiekens, they requested help with a project.
The project was located in the harbor of Cotonou, Benin’s largest city, and it involved changing the working
conditions of the women smoking fish and selling it for a small profit to support their families.
Thomas Rondou and Elien Van Winckel, who
were both studying Electromechanics (master’s
focus Intelligent Manufacturing), reacted
quickly to this proposal and went to
work on it at the start of the previous academic year.
After a thorough briefing by World Solidarity in October
2010, they decided to go on location for about
ten days to explore the problem thoroughly but also
to be introduced to the culture of the local inhabitants.
They saw how the women bought fresh fish
in the harbor and subsequently smoked it in homemade
ovens. These ovens are made of halved oil barrels
with a metal grid on top. Through a hole in the
bottom of the ton, a wood fire is stoked, smoking
the fish. “The smoke that is released in the process,”
Elien says, “is almost unbearable. The barrels are put
close together under a large lean-to to protect everything
against rain and sun. As a result the thick smoke
clings and the women are constantly exposed to the
polluted air. Their eyes and airways become irritated.
These are truly degrading circumstances.” The ovens
do not have a long life: they can be used for maximum
of three months because the metal rusts quickly
and disintegrates. Those rusty barrels are a source of
tetanus infection and thus constitute an additional
health hazard to the population. The system is primitive
and consumes large quantities of wood resulting
in very high production costs for smoked fish and
limiting the profit for the women selling it. “Because
we saw the problem on location and were able to
speak to the women with the help of an interpreter
from World Solidarity’s partner organization in Benin,
we knew we had to look for an inexpensive solution
using local materials that could be assembled by the
people themselves.”
Fixed oven
Back in Belgium, Elien and Thomas examined the
analysis of the problem they had drawn up together
with the women involved. Thomas: “We quickly
arrived at the conclusion that we had to opt for the
construction of a fixed oven. Although that is more
expensive than the current barrels, considering the
life span of these barrels, the investment will be
worth it in time. In our oven, we wanted to limit
the heat loss. As a result, not only did the working
circumstances of the women improve, but also less
wood was required. We also wanted to do something
about the horrible smoke emission and immediately
thought of a chimney. And finally, as we said
before, it was important that our oven could be built
with materials that were cheap and available locally.
These last aspects were especially crucial and restrictive.
During our visit we had gone to shops and seen
that only a limited selection of materials was available.
In addition, the daily wages the women earn
from selling the fish is only €2.30. In other words,
they do not have any capital for heavy investments.”
Elien and Thomas started to experiment with various
building materials with good insulating properties
that could withstand a temperature of 1,000°C and
that were moisture and pressure resistant. Although
traditional materials like brick and concrete were
available, they were not eligible because they were
difficult and expensive to manufacture themselves or
because they did not have sufficient insulating properties
or they were not heat resistant. They tested
various combinations and arrived at a composition
of 75% ash and 25% cement. The ash can be recycled
from the burning process and is available everywhere.
From then on, they developed different concepts for
the shape of the bricks and the ultimate design of the
oven. From a comparable project in Togo, Elien and
Thomas learned that they could increase the capacity
of the oven by stacking multiple grids on top of each
other. They thought of a casing to produce their own
bricks quickly and simply as well as a lean-to to protect
against the rain and a chimney constructed from
corrugated plate material. Everything was designed
so that one woman could operate the oven on her
own. Finally, they wrote a manual in simple French
containing clear working plans, which clarified every
step in the process for the people there, and they
made a scale-model.
Additional ovens
Because of political instability in Benin, their planned
trip to Cotonou had to be deferred from April to
August 2011. Still, they were determined to present
their design to the women of Cotonou and to help
build the first two ovens. “The women were reluctant
at first,” says Thomas, “they were deterred by
the high investment costs. Thankfully, we found a
budget that covered the costs for two model ovens.
Once built, they were speaking of ‘Des vrais fours’,
real ovens, as opposed to the ‘foyers’ (fireplaces) they
used to refer to the barrels they worked with. This
showed the appreciation for what we made. Also
World Solidarity is happy with the result and is looking
for extra money now to build additional ovens
for the women of Cotonou.”
Elien and Thomas learned from their project that it is
not obvious to collaborate with people from another
cultural background. They were often not understood
as they intended, but learned how to communicate
more carefully as a result. They feel good that
they were able to contribute in some small way to
the improvement of the women’s working circumstances
in Cotonou and are happy they started this
project. “I have learned,” says Elien, “to take care
of much more myself: our visas, the inoculations, the
traveling. I’ve become much more independent.”
Architectural engineering has always interested
Thomas. Thanks to this project he is now certain he
wants to continue his studies in this field.
Y.P.
GROuP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
13
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012

Alumnus in de kijker
Materialen en duurzaam ondernemen
bij Bond Beter Leefmilieu
“Waar ik nu sta, dank ik aan een reeks oorzaken en gevolgen die als dominosteentjes elkaar in beweging
hebben gezet”, zo omschrijft Kristof Debrabandere, 44 jaar en in 1988 afgestudeerd bij GROEP T als
Ingenieur Chemie, zijn studie- en beroepsloopbaan. GROEP T heeft een eerste belangrijke impuls gegeven.
Prof. Gabriël Groeninckx zette hem en 2 studiegenoten ertoe aan om aan de Universiteit van Loughborough
(GB) een master te behalen in Polymeertechnologie. Daar behaalde Kristof ook zijn doctorsgraad.
GROeP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
14
In Loughborough kwam hij in een internationaal
gerichte omgeving terecht. En meteen werd hij
zich bewust van de brede en degelijke basisopleiding
die hij in GROEP T genoten had, dit in
tegenstelling tot zijn Britse studiegenoten die vaak
getuigden van mentale oogkleppen. Tijdens zijn
doctoraatsstudies was hij “Subwarden” van een studentenhuis
waar een 90-tal internationale postgraduaatstudenten
verbleven van over de hele wereld.
Daar kwam hij in contact met verschillende culturen.
Na zijn doctoraat besloot hij om te gaan reizen en hij
doorkruiste gedurende 7 maanden Afrika, van het
Noorden tot Botswana, waar hij een medestudent van
het studentenhuis kende. Die reis was voor hem een
levensveranderende ervaring: hij trad uit een beschermende
omgeving en kwam in contact met de soms
ruwe realiteit van een continent in ontwikkeling.
Dr. Kristof Debrabandere
promoot duurzame ontwikkeling
in het bedrijfsleven.
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
Kristof startte zijn beroepsloopbaan bij Shell Chemicals
in Louvain-la-Neuve. “Bij mijn aanwerving werd geen
enkele technische vraag gesteld. Wel vroeg men mij
hoe ik de problemen van Kongo zou oplossen. Dankzij
de reis door Afrika die ik net achter de rug had,
had ik daar wel een gefundeerde mening over. Meteen
bleek al dat een diploma wel belangrijk is, maar
dat bedrijven mensen zoeken die over de muur van
hun opleiding kunnen kijken.” Kristof begon in de
R&D afdeling, maar evolueerde in de 13 jaar dat hij
in de kunststofindustrie werkte geleidelijk aan naar
meer zakelijke functies. Dit betekende dat hij mobiel
moest zijn. Hij verhuisde eerst terug naar Engeland,
vervolgens naar de hoofdzetel in Brussel waar hij verantwoordelijk
werd voor Europese projecten en marketing
voor de verpakkingsindustrie. Twee jaar later
werd hij naar Mexico gestuurd, waar hij regionale
Sales Manager van deze dynamische groeimarkt werd.
Zijn ervaring in internationale omgevingen hielp hem
om zich ook hier goed thuis te voelen.
Duurzaamheid
In 2006 keerde Kristof terug naar Europa, waar hij
als business leader een kleine unit leidde die zich
positioneerde tussen R&D en de commercialisering
van nieuwe ideeën en processen. De centrale vraag
was of het bedrijf al dan niet moest investeren in
bepaalde nieuwe ontwikkelingen.
“Ik vind het essentieel
dat de bedrijfswereld
en de milieubeweging
elkaar leren kennen.”
In deze periode begon hij zich meer en meer vragen
te stellen over duurzaamheid en de rol die de
bedrijfswereld daarin kan spelen. Hij wilde vanuit
het middenmanagement van het bedrijf graag werken
aan het ontwikkelen van een duurzaamheidvisie-
en strategie, onderzoeken welke de bedreigingen
en opportuniteiten zich op dat vlak aandienden,
zodat tijdig de nodige maatregelen en bijsturingen
doorgevoerd konden worden. Helaas vond hij op dat
ogenblik geen gehoor bij het topmanagement. Hij
vreesde dat door het negeren van deze problematiek,
het bedrijf onaangepast en dus niet opgewassen
zou zijn tegen de ontwikkelingen van de toekomst.
Daarom keek hij uit naar een andere functie die hem
een goede kijk op de maatschappelijke uitdagingen
kon geven, om zich zo een beter beeld te kunnen
vormen van de snel wijzigende context waarbinnen
ondernemingen zich bevinden.
Die opportuniteit bood zich kort daarna aan bij Bond
Beter Leefmilieu (BBL) waar hij beleidsmedewerker
voor Materialen en Duurzaam Ondernemen werd.
In deze rol ontwikkelt hij er een macrovisie rond
afvalbeleid en duurzame ontwikkeling. “Ik vind het
essentieel dat de bedrijfswereld en de milieubeweging
elkaar leren kennen. In mijn huidige functie kan
ik daartoe een steentje bijdragen. Gelukkig groeit
het bewustzijn dat beide kanten zinvolle inzichten
hebben en dat economie en ecologie niet noodzakelijk
tegengestelde belangen hebben”. In een NGO
zoals BBL, leer je breed te denken en uit te zoomen
naar het grotere plaatje. Daardoor kom je soms tot
andere oplossingen dan de louter technische aanpak
en net die breedhoekvisie is een toegevoegde
waarde voor het geheel.
Alarmkreet
Die ideeën van duurzaamheid laat hij ook aan bod
komen in de cursus die hij als gastdocent geeft aan
de laatstejaarsstudenten Chemie aan de Katholieke
Hogeschool Leuven. Hij tracht zijn studenten duidelijk
te maken dat innovatie een middel is en geen
doel, en dat de maatschappelijke noden het vertrekpunt
zijn van ontwikkeling. De conclusies van internationale
instanties en onderzoeksorganisaties zijn
vaak een alarmkreet dat er dringend bijgestuurd
moet worden omdat onze huidige manier van produceren
en consumeren inherent niet-duurzaam is.
Als tijdshorizon hanteert men vaak 2050 als het tijdstip
tegen wanneer die bijsturing gebeurd moet zijn.
“Het is dus de huidige generatie van studenten die
oplossingen zal moeten aanreiken. We moeten ons
daarom afvragen of het onderwijs vandaag de studenten
voldoende voorbereidt om de uitdagingen
van morgen aan te kunnen.”
Begin mei keerde Kristof naar het bedrijfsleven terug.
Hij is nu ‘sustainability manager’ bij de Tessenderlo
Groep. Zijn taak bestaat erin om het proces van ommezwaai
van de klassieke zware chemie naar duurzame
chemie te begeleiden. Dit is volgens hem geen strikte
milieufunctie, maar houdt meer verband met strategie.
Met de kennis en ervaring die hij in de milieubeweging
heeft opgedaan wil Kristof nu op beleidsvlak
werk maken van duurzame veranderingen.
Y.P.
“I am where I am thanks to a series of causes and
consequences set in motion like dominoes,” is
how Kristof Debrabandere, 44 and 1988 GROUP T
graduate in Chemical Engineering, describes his
studies and professional career. GROUP T gave him
his first significant boost. Prof. Gabriel Groeninckx
spurred him and two fellow students on to obtain a
master’s degrees in polymer technology at the
University of Loughborough (UK). This is also
where Kristof obtained his doctoral degree.

Engineering Experience nr 3
The winning team: Akshat Jangam from India,
Xitis Lal Shrestha from Nepal, Na-Bajr Sirikul
from Thailand and Mao Huitan from China.
International Team
builds intelligent robot
Build a robot that works on sensors and is controlled by a PC. That, in a nutshell, is the assignment
students of the second bachelor stage are presented with in their first semester. The teams got to
work enthusiastically and presented their creations at the beginning of the second semester. An actual
competition was set up that was brilliantly won by Wolfpack, a five-man international team whose main
players were Akshat Jangam from India, Mao Huitan from China, Olegs Samoilenko from Latvia, Na-Bajr
Sirikul from Thailand and Xitis Lal Shrestha from Nepal.
The Engineering Experiences are no doubt
some of the most enthralling course units in
GROUP T’s engineering curricula. They are
the interdisciplinary learning experiences
that stretch out over the entire program. Students
carry out challenging projects as a team and acquire
the competencies of a 3E engineer while doing them.
‘Make stuff work’, that is the central theme of the
Engineering Experiences (EEs) in the second bachelor
year. Each of the projects is conceived so that
the teams design and build an original and tangible
product that actually works. Furthermore, each team
is also expected to examine whether the product
is economically viable and whether there are any
potential buyers for it. The constructed good must,
after all, not only work but also sell.
Brainstorm
Immediately after the start of the academic year,
Mao Huiton, Olegs, Akshat, Na-Bajr and Xitis joined
forces. “Most of us already knew each other, so that
we could get started immediately,” team leader
Akshat explains. “We knew where we stood and who
was good at what.”
“We were ambitious from the start,” Oleg continues.
“We really wanted to come up with something special.
So we started brainstorming, coming up with
the wildest ideas. In the end, we came up with 90
possible projects. After a thorough screening we
were left with a shortlist of ten and finally went for
the most original idea: a robot capable of solving
a Rubik’s cube in no more than 20 steps and in less
than five minutes.”
GROUP T provided each student team with a
Fischertechnik parts kit to build the robot. “We
started with drawing up the concept,” Na-Bajr
relates. “Our Rubik’s cube solver had to be able to
detect the color configurations of the cube, upload
the problem of the unsolved cube to an online
server, download and interpret the solution and
subsequently transform that into mechanical movements
that solve the cube. In doing so, we also had to
develop an algorithm that enabled the robot to solve
the cube in as few moves as possible.”
Engineering, Enterprising,
Educating
The EEs do not only involve technological or scientific
competencies. “Typical for the EE projects is the
convergence of Engineering, Enterprising and Educating,”
says Xitis. “Engineering encompasses everything
to do with designing, building and programming.
The Enterprising denominator encompasses
“We knew where we
stood and who was
good at what.”
the financial analysis, the economic viability, the
price tag, the price/quality ratio, and the risk assessment.
And, finally, educating means working independently
and systematically and includes teamwork,
coordination abilities and data handling. Also the
ability to learn from each other falls in this category
since each team member focuses on a topic or aspect
and subsequently shares the acquired knowledge
with others.”
Also in the Wolfpack team, clear arrangements were
made as to the division of tasks. As such, Mao Huiton
was responsible for the economic aspect and the cost
assessment. Olegs took care of the mechanical and
electrical part and contributed to the final report.
Team leader Akshat did the programming. Na-Bajr
took it upon himself to do the assembly and the
communication and Xitis carried out the mechanical
design and tested the robot.
“In spite of our different backgrounds, the cooperation
during the project was excellent,” Mao Huiton
finds. “It may have gone a bit slow at first, but we
reached cruising speed quickly. Our robot was done
in seven weeks. If we count 10 euro per hour for our
work, we arrive at a cost of 5,000 euro.”
Good coach
An EE project involves a lot of independent work, but
that does not mean that the students are left to their
own devices. “Proper coaching is indeed provided,”
Akshat confirms. “Supinya Piampongsant, a former
GROUP T student herself, did an excellent coaching
job although most of the time, we worked independently.
Furthermore, there were instructional
seminars on, for instance, labview programming.
In short, we were able to count on sound support.”
When asked what they had learned from the project,
the answers were remarkably similar: “Cooperating,
operating in a results-oriented context, efficient
planning, setting targets. In short learning how to
manage to allow for the optimal use of everybody’s
qualities.” Team leader Akshat concludes as follows:
“Technical and scientific knowledge can be found,
researched or learned from a book. But managing
a project is something you learn by doing. In that
respect, our EE was a great success.”
Y.P.
GROuP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
15
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012

Jan Van Dessel, Belgisch kampioen biertappen.
GROEP T’er is Belgisch kampioen biertappen
De perfecte pint
Jan Van Dessel, student in de derde opleidingsfase industrieel ingenieur bij GROEP T beschikt over een
bijzonder talent. Hij beheerst als geen ander in dit land het ‘9 steps pouring ritual’, dit is het schenkritueel
– noem het gerust een kunst – om een Stella te tappen van het vat en die vervolgens perfect te serveren.
Op 26 september 2011 werd Jan uitgeroepen tot Belgisch kampioen biertappen. Hij ontving de trofee uit
handen van VS ambassadeur en bierkenner Howard Gutman.
GROeP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
16
Jan staat al jaar en dag achter de toog in café
Den Deugniet in Haasrode. Hij tapt er elke
vrijdag- en zaterdagavond. “Ik heb het echt al
doende geleerd”, vertelt hij. “Eerst bij de Chiro
tijdens de fuiven en feestjes. Daarna bij Den Deugniet,
waar de baas mijn leermeester was. Hij leerde
mij het verschil tussen een goed en een slecht getapte
pint. En of er een verschil is. Drink je twee slecht
getapte pinten, dan heb je gegarandeerd hoofdpijn.
Drink tien goed getapte glazen en je eindigt niet met
een houten kop.”
De tappers van Den Deugniet doen al jaren mee met
het Belgische kampioenschap biertappen. Ze hebben
dan ook een reputatie hoog te houden. “Het kampioenschap
van de brouwerij AB InBev dat via deze
weg Stella Artois wil promoten”, zegt Jan. “In het
buitenland heeft Stella al langer de naam een luxebier
te zijn, maar hier te lande heeft Stella nog altijd
een volks imago. Daar wil de brouwerij verandering in
brengen. Cruciaal voor het opkrikken van het imago is
dat de pint perfect getapt wordt.”
Vergulde tapkraan
Het Belgisch kampioenschap verloopt traditioneel in
verschillende rondes. “Per provincie worden 5 kandidaten
geselecteerd”, vervolgt Jan. “Leuven telt zoveel
cafés dat er een speciale preselectie georganiseerd
wordt tijdens het Hapje Tapje-evenement. De geselecteerden
mogen dan naar de finale. In 2011 waren
we met 50 finalisten. Die werden beoordeeld door
een professionele jury waarin o.m. de Belgische en
de wereldkampioen biertappen zetelden.” Na afloop
overhandigde VS ambassadeur aan Jan een vergulde
tapkraan.
“Hét geheim van een goed getapte pint bestaat
eigenlijk niet”, vindt Jan. “Het is een alchemie van
tal van geheimen die je moet doorgronden. Om te
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
beginnen is er het glas. Dat moet kraaknet zijn en
nat, zoniet moet je er niet aan beginnen. Dan is er
de temperatuur van het bier: exact 3° C. Niet minder,
maar zeker niet meer, want dat heeft nadelige
gevolgen voor de reactie van de CO2 in je glas. Een
andere cruciale factor is de schuimkraag. Eerst je glas
shuin houden op 45°, geleidelijk verticaal brengen en
altijd laten overlopen om daarna af te schuimen. Zo
verwijder je de grote CO2 bellen die nefast zijn voor
de smaak. De schuimkraag moet lichtjes bol staan als
een hoedje alvorens hij begint te zakken. Hoe properder
je glas, hoe langer het schuim blijft. Constant het
water in de spoelbak vervangen is dus de boodschap.
Ook de factor tijd speelt mee. Een pint van 35 cl tap je
in welgeteld 4,5 seconden, een 33’er in 6,5 seconden.
En het logo op het glas hou je tijdens het tappen altijd
naar de klant gericht.”
Wereldkampioenschap
De echte kunst bestaat er volgens Jan in een hele plateau
van 10 of 15 pinten even goed te tappen. “De
eerstgetapte moet even perfect geserveerd worden
als de laatste. Dat betekent dat je de eerste een dikkere
schuimkraag moet geven want – zoals gezegd
– het schuim zakt vlug weg. En het schuim is precies
bepalend voor de smaak. Niets zo erg als een Stella
zonder of met onvoldoende schuim.”
AB InBev organiseert niet alleen een Belgisch kampioenschap
maar ook een wereldkampioenschap
biertappen. Als ambassadeur van België trok Jan in
oktober 2011 naar Argentinië om er in Buenos Aires
de Belgische eer te verdedigen tijdens de Stella Artois
World Draught Master 2011. Op 26 oktober nam hij
het op tegen meer dan 30 nationale kampioenen over
de hele wereld.
Jan volgde extra trainingen bij de vorige Belgische en
wereldkampioen. Ter plaatse bereidde hij zich speciaal
voor op de grote clash der kampioenen. “De Belgen
hebben wereldwijd een stevige reputatie”, merkt Jan
op. “De voorbije 12 jaar werd België niet minder dan
7 keer wereldkampioen. Ook in 2011 werden we tot
de favorieten gerekend.”
Helaas besliste het lot er anders over en haalde de
heersende Belgische kampioen de tweede ronde niet.
Nochtans kan Jan zich niet herinneren iets verkeerd te
hebben gedaan. Uiteindelijk werd Dubai wereldkampioen
met een tapper uit India. “Toch niet bepaald
landen met een lange of rijke biercultuur”, laat Jan
zich droogjes ontvallen.
Vaste klanten
Maar niet getreurd, zowel het Belgische als het
wereldkampioenschap waren een mooi avontuur
waar Jan van achter zijn tapkast maar al te graag over
vertelt. Tappen wil hij ook na zijn studie blijven doen
in het drukbezochte dorpscafé waar iedereen iedereen
kent en tot in de vroege uurtjes wordt doorgeboomd
over het leven zoals het is of zoals het zou
moeten zijn. De vaste klanten van Den Deugniet zijn
niet weinig trots op hun kampioen.
Y.P.
Jan Van Dessel, student of the third program stage in
industrial engineering at GROUP T has a special talent.
Like no one else in this country, he has mastered
the ‘9-step pouring ritual’, the serving ritual – go right
ahead and call it an art – to draw a Stella from the
barrel and then serve it perfectly. On 26 September
2011, Jan was declared the Belgian champion of pulling
the perfect pint. He was handed the trophy by US
ambassador and beer connoisseur Howard Gutman.

Students in the spotlight
Spanish temperament
in Leuven
GROUP T’s engineering program attracts students not only from China, India or Ethiopia. Many students
from the EU countries also find their way to Leuven. For some years now, the Spaniards have been
regulars at GROUP T. We spoke to Victor Tamarit and Mario Seguí, two of the eight Spanish students
staying at GROUP T for a year in the framework of Erasmus, the European mobility program.
Victor and Mario are both enrolled in a specially
tailored study program consisting of
course units from the third bachelor’s stage
and the master’s program in Electronics
Engineering. They first studied at the University of
Valencia where they are enrolled in the Telecommunications
Engineering program.
What brought Victor to Belgium and, more specifically,
Leuven? “I have fond memories of Belgium”, the answer
goes. “As a child, I spent a week of holidays here with
my parents. Belgium is a small but interesting country
in the heart of Europe with beautiful art towns and a
rich cultural heritage. It is also very international thanks
to Brussels as the capital of the EU and Antwerp as an
international port. Leuven, in turn, is one of the oldest
university cities in the world with an ironclad reputation
as a city of science and knowledge. In Leuven you
follow in the footsteps of Erasmus himself, because he
was a professor here. But most of all: Leuven is a superenjoyable
university town that is crawling with students
from all over the world and where there is something
for and by students every day. We have gotten to know
many Spanish students here in the meantime but also
Italian, Greek and of course Chinese.”
Collaboration agreement
Victor and Mario ended up at GROUP T in the framework
of a collaboration agreement between GROUP T
and their alma mater. “What makes GROUP T so
attractive is not only the location of Leuven but also
its international character and the fact that the entire
engineering program can be taken in English,” says
Mario. “This is a great advantage that allows you to
enter the program immediately without first having
to learn another language.”
“Studying at GROUP T is really not so bad,”
Victor confirms. “For instance, there are great projects
that allow you to collaborate as a team with Belgian
and international students. The professors are very
approachable. There are many things going on on
campus: events, job fairs, culture, performances. International
students cook for Belgian students and vice
“What makes GROUP T
so attractive is its
international character
and the fact that the entire
engineering program can
be taken in English.”
versa. There is also a flourishing student life inspired
by a dynamic student movement. And – last but not
least – there is the faculty bar (fakbar), the place to
be, also for the international students. All the Spanish
students are regulars there.”
Strong ties
Mario also points out the importance of Belgium in
Europe, something that makes the country attractive
to international students. There are also strong
historic and cultural ties with Spain since the Netherlands,
for a substantial time in history, was part of the
powerful Spanish empire in which the sun never set.
Charles V, the famous ruler of that empire, was born
in Ghent in 1500. “No wonder we feel right at home
here”, Mario remarks. “The people are friendly and
helpful. Almost everybody speaks English. Also the
Belgian cuisine is not too bad, especially the fries and
the beer, although we still swear by Spanish food.”
“The teaching method differs significantly from what
we are used to in Valencia,” Mario finds. “The engineering
program at GROUP T is broader and is aimed
not only at technological knowledge but also at enterprising
competencies. There are more projects, the
approach is smaller in scale. The greatest difference
is probably the examinations. These are very often
oral at GROUP T. In Spain they are always written.
That took some getting used to for us, but it certainly
wasn’t insurmountable.”
Mario and Victor found a special experience in the
Engineering Experience 3 project in which students
were given the assignment to build a robot that works
on sensors and is controlled by a PC. “For a whole
semester we cooperated intensively with Chinese
and Belgian students,” Victor says. “After the project
finished, there was a fair during which the teams
presented their robots. There were also prizes to win.
All very fascinating, challenging and instructive. And
an ideal way to get to know other students.”
Home in the world
In July 2012, Mario and Victor will return to Valencia
where they will graduate. They are both hoping to
find work as engineers in a company as soon as possible.
“In Spain or abroad, it doesn’t really matter. As an
Erasmus student, the world is your home,” they state
unanimously.
Y.P.
Victor Tamarit and Mario Seguí, Spanish Erasmus
students at GROUP T.
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
17

Wetenschapscommunicatie bij GROEP T
Jeugdige techniek op de
wetenschapswedstrijd Eurekas
Op 7 maart 2012 zakten jonge wetenschappers van
12 tot 18 jaar af naar Campus Vesalius bij GROEP T.
Tijdens de regionale finale van de wetenschapswedstrijd
Eurekas stelden de deelnemende groepjes uit de
regio Vlaams-Brabant en Brussel er hun zelf ontwikkelde
proefjes voor aan de jury en aan het publiek.
In teamverband en onder begeleiding van een leraar zochten de jongeren
naar een leuke wetenschappelijke proef. Dat kan een experiment zijn of
een technologisch ontwerp dat ook wordt gebouwd. Wetenschappers uit
de bedrijfswereld staan als peters en meters klaar om via e-mail vragen te
beantwoorden. Via www.eurekas.be brachten de teams verslag uit over hun
ervaringen en onderzoeksresultaten. Verschillende groepjes gebruikten daarbij
een zelfgemaakte wetenschapsvideo.
De regionale finale
Tijdens de regionale finale toonden ze hun werk live tijdens een wetenschapsmarkt.
De jury kwam kijken en legde de deelnemers kritische vragen voor.
Zo trachtte ze te weten te komen of hun proef voldoende wetenschappelijk
onderbouwd is en of ze de nodige creativiteit aan de dag legden bij het oplossen
van problemen. Ook kregen de deelnemers op voorhand punten voor hun
inhoudelijke rapportage via de website.
De winnaars
Tijdens de prijsuitreiking werd bekendgemaakt wie in de verschillende categorieën
de regionale overwinning behaalt en onze regio kan verdedigen tijdens
de Eurekas-Awards in Technopolis:
De jongste deelnemers uit het Sint-Jozefscollege te Aarschot maakten een
veilige fiets, ‘FiLa’ genaamd, met automatisch oplichtende lampen bij het
vastnemen van het fietsstuur. Vooraan op het stuur werd er een on/off –knop
voorzien voor de momenten dat de lampen niet gebruikt worden, bijvoorbeeld
overdag. De jury gaf hen zowel de prijs van de eerste graad, als de gat-in-demarkt
prijs.
De jongens uit de tweede graad van Provil uit Lommel werden met de ‘pincode
hacker’ beloond voor hun hilarische wetenschapsvideo en hun technische kennis
van de gebruikte meetapparatuur. Zij hackten pincodes met behulp van een
warmtecamera en gingen de invloed van het materiaal, waaruit het toetsenbord
gemaakt is, na.
De enthousiaste groep uit het ZAVO te Zaventem kaapte met hun proef ‘Schiet
ze weg’ de finaleplaats voor de derde graad weg. Zij onderzochten met welke
snelheid de laatste knikker in een rij van metalen en magnetische knikkers door
andere knikkers weggeschoten wordt. De plaats van de magnetische knikkers
in de rij bleek van cruciaal belang op de snelheid van de weggeschoten knikker.
GROEP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
18
Het massaal aanwezige Heilig-Drievuldigheidscollege uit Leuven kaapte
3 finaleplaatsen weg:
Het ‘patattenkanon’ werd ontworpen door de, door de jury uitgeroepen, coolste
groep. Door deodorant in te spuiten in het ‘kanon’, een pvc-constructie, en
dit gas te laten ontploffen door een zelfontworpen ontsteker op afstand, schiet
de aardappel meters ver weg.
‘Golfrad Energie’ creëerde getijdenenergie door een waterrad te laten draaien
die een dynamo in actie brengt. De opgewekte energie werd voorgesteld met
een brandend LED-lampje. Zij verdedigen onze regio in het jaarthema: water,
wetenschap en technologie.
Daarnaast kon het publiek een wildcard uitreiken door te stemmen op een proef.
Deze ging naar de jongens van de ‘kopercel’, een zelfgemaakte batterij. Ze
onderzochten verschillende combinaties van metalen met koper om een zo groot
mogelijke spanning te bekomen, waarmee een propeller werd aangedreven.
Eurekas Awards
De echte prijzen werden echter pas op 5 mei verdeeld tijdens de Eurekas-
Awards in Technopolis. De finale startte met een wetenschapsmarkt waarop
alle regionale winnaars hun proef voorstelden. Het aanwezige publiek en de
supporters kwamen kijken, net als de jury die op dat moment nog punten
toekende. Na een verrassende wetenschapsshow werden de winnaars bekend
gemaakt en de prijzen uitgedeeld.
Dr. Katleen Lodewyckx
Wetenschapscommunicatie
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
March 7, 2012, young scientists from Flemish-Brabant and Brussels between the
age of 12 and 18 gathered at GROUP T’s Vesalius Campus. The participating teams
presented their self-developed experiments to a jury and the general public
during the regional finals of the Eurekas science competition.

Entrepreneurs’ day 2012
More than 100 companies at
the job fair
In Leuven, on Wednesday 22 February 2012,
GROUP T was transformed again into a large job
and project fair. The entrepreneurs were given all
the necessary facilities for recruiting engineering
students, offering company projects and finding
apprenticeship candidates. There was no lack of
interest from the employers. One hundred three
companies and organizations came down to the
campus, tying the 2011 record.
The numbers don’t lie. Just the number of vacancies for industrial and civil
engineers received by the VDAB, went up by 30% last year compared
to 2010: 9,747 vacancies in 2011 compared to 6,921 the year before. The
numbers aren’t even that much lower than those of the pre-crisis year
2007 when the VDAB received 10,649 vacancies for engineers.
The Entrepreneurs’ Day is a service GROUP T offers to its most important
customers: the students and the entrepreneurs. The objective of the event is to
create a forum where entrepreneurs looking for new talent and future engineers
looking for a challenging company project, an interesting apprenticeship
or a first job can meet each other in a professional context. Also those who
want to continue studying after their training can find something to their liking.
Several universities and university colleges were present to provide information
about their programs.
The Entrepreneurs’ Day is sponsored by the Leuven VOKA Chamber of
Commerce. As a result, not only the large multinationals were present, but also
the KMOs, recruitment agencies and public services. Of note this year was the
renewed presence of the automobile industry represented by companies like
Toyota and Ford after several years of absence. Thanks to the Chamber, the business
world from the Leuven region was well represented again. The increasing
internationalization of the university college and the many foreign students
helped make the Entrepreneurs’ Day more than just a regional or Flemish
affair. The international, especially Asian, students constitute an interesting
target audience for companies that are active in Asia or wish to develop activities
there.
Y.P.
REALIA
OP STUDIEDAG
V. Bloemen (team Leven) nam deel aan de NVCRnajaarsvergadering
op 10.11.11 in Zeist (Nl).
J. Buys (team energie) gaf op 28.02.12 een lezing ‘Interactief
leren in het hoorcollege’ tijdens het Annual Event
van LESEC in Leuven.
L. Carlier (ACE) en P. De Ryck (Algemeen Directeur)
namen deel aan ‘Good practices in internationalisation’
bij NVAO in Den Haag op 12.01.12.
L. Carlier (ACE) nam deel aan:
- NUFFIC Jaarcongres 2012 in Amersfoort (NL) op
13.03.12;
- ‘ACA European Policy Seminar’ in Brussel op 23.03.12.
G. Ceulemans (team Energie), P. De Ryck (Algemeen
Directeur) en S. De Jonge (team Chemie) waren van 5 tot
10.12.11 op missie in de USA.
E. De Herdt (team leven) nam deel aan de studiedag
‘Kékulé cyclus aan de U. Antwerpen op 11.10.12.
C. De Jonghe (team Materie) nam deel aan FISC@
Association KU Leuven op 30.09.11.
J. De Graeve (Gedelegeerd Bestuurder), G. Vercammen
(Bestuurder), W. Vuylsteke (team energie) A. Weldeslassie
(Strategie en Communicatie) en Li Wei (Strategie en
Communicatie) waren van 11 tot 17.02.12 op missie
in Ethiopië.
K. Denis (team energie) nam deel aan:
- ‘10 th National Day on Biomedical Engineering’ bij
NCBME in Brussel op 02.12.11;
- ‘Zorgidee 2011’ bij Life Tech Limburg in Diepenbeek op
16.02.12.
T. De Raeymaeker (Decanaat) nam deel aan ‘Persoonlijke
effectiviteit’ bij Syntra in Leuven op 10.11.11.
W. Dewulf (team Energie) nam deel aan de CIRP Paris
meeting in Parijs op 26.01.12.
D. Fabré en J. Vandervelpen (ICT) namen deel aan de
Belnet networking Conference op 24.11.11 in Brussel.
D. Fabré (ICT) nam deel aan ‘Intelligent Data Management’
bij Dell in Mechelen op 26.01.12.
L. Geurts en V. Vanden Abeele (team Informatie)
woonden de TEI 2012 conferentie bij op 19.02.12 in
Kingston (Canada).
P. Goethals en L. Pastrav (team Energie) namen deel
aan de ‘10 th National Day on Biomedical Engineering’ bij
NCBME in Brussel op 02.12.12.
D. Haeseldonckx en S. Swolfs (team Energie) namen
deel aan ‘Decentrale productie in een residentiële omgeving’
bij Lemcko in Kortrijk op 09.02.12.
I. Ilsbroux (Algemeen Beheerder) nam deel aan:
- ‘Motivatie en incentives’ bij Leuven.Inc op 20.11.11;
- Ex(e)ctly for women’ bi KPMG in Ruisbroek op 08.12.11;
- ‘INTED 2012 bij IATED in Valencia van 05 tot 07.03.12.
K. Lodewyckx (Wetenschapscommunicator) nam deel
aan de Chemie-E Day in Leuven op 15.02.12.
T. Nobels (team Energie) nam deel aan ‘De toevloed van
gedecentraliseerde en internetterende productie’ bij KBVE
in Brussel op 07.02.12.
K. Pelsmaekers (team Informatie) nam deel aan:
- ‘Fixing the Media’ bij ACE-GROEP T op 14.10.12;
- ‘Vaadin Meetup Event’ bij Faros in Kontich op 27.10.11;
- ‘Stage ondersteund door informatica’ bij K.H.Leuven
op 29.22.11;
- ‘Microsoft Students to Business Day 2012’ bi Microsoft
in Braine L’Alleud op 16.02.12.
E. Sammels (team Leven) nam deel aan ‘Regenerative
Medicine’ bij Leuven.Inc op 28.11.11.
W. Polet (Int. Office) en Bai Yanlei (Confucius Institute)
woonden van 12 tot 14.12.11 de Internationale Conferentie
van de Confucius Institutes in Beijing.
L. Spanjers (team Leven) nam deel aan ‘Hoger Onderwijs
en Bedrijf’ bij het Centrum voor Professionele Opleidingen
in Leuven op 11.01.12.
J. Steens (team Management) nam deel aan ‘International
development collaboration at STOU’ in Thailand
op 24.01.12.
J. Vandervelpen (ICT) nam deel aan:
- ‘Dell Case Seminar’ bi Dell in Diegem op 05.10.11;
CISCO up to date on United Access Switching big CISCO
in Diegem op 19.01.12.
- ‘Juniper Technical Workshop’ bij Juniper Networks in
Zaventem op 20.03.12.
J. Van Maele (team Communicatie) nam deel aan:
- ‘4 th International BAAHE Conference aan HUB op
01.12.11;
- ‘Het nieuwe samenwerken’ bij de Baak in Antwerpen
op 07.12.11;
- ‘Toegepaste taalkunde als bruggenbouwer’ bij de Baak
in Antwerpen op 10.12.11.
B. Vassilico (team Communicatie) nam deel aan de
‘Fiftieth Annual Meeting Society for Pphenomenology and
Existential Philosophy’ in Philadelphia (USA) op 11.10.11.
S. Vercruysse (Ass. Dean Academic Affairs) woonde de
ALTUS dag bij in Leuven op 22.11.11.
S. Vercruysse (Ass. Dean Academic Affairs) en K. Pinjala
(team management) waren van 29.01 tot 07.02.12 op
missie in India.
J. Wauters (team Informatie) nam deel aan ‘Serious
games: the challenge’ aan KULAK op 19.10.11.
GASTDOCENTEN
H. Marcus, R & D Engineer Cella Technologies: ‘Production
of polyhydroxyalkanoates in mixed microbiological
cultures’ (09.11.11).
L. Wouters, zaakvoerder Performance Partners: ‘Tijdsbeheer
en plannen (09.02.12).
F. De Schepper, CEO BONAC: ‘Moderne CNL controllers’
(01.12.11).
S. Vandenabeele, manager RION: ‘E-mailmanagement
voor ATP’ (27.10.11).
P. Van den Zande, onderzoeker VITO: ‘Membraanscheidingstechnieken’
(21.11.11).
J. Van Gansenwinkel, assistent KU Leuven: Practica:
effect antibiotica, immunologie, proteïnen in levensmiddelen
(27.10, 10 en 24.11.11).
A. Pardon, EH&S Officer IMEC: ‘Veiligheid in de industrie’
(22.2.11).
C. Colpaert, Confide Zomergem: ‘HRM: an overview’
(13.01.12)
W. Lombaerts, founder The Lead-Leuven: ‘Supply chain
operations reference model’ (28.11.11).
E. Lismont (Corporate Account Officer en organisatieconsulent-AXA):
“Organisations Structures and Design’
(26.10.11).
L. Mergeay, consultant MST Consult: ‘Doing Business in
China’ (13.12.11).
W. Rubens, consultant-Triple Q-Leuven: ‘G-Sigma and
Quality Management’ (20.12.11).
B. De Moor, hoogleraar KU Leuven: ‘ICT and e-Health’
(07.12.11).
S. de Gheldere, CEO Futureproofed: ‘Natural Capitalism’
(19.03.12).
S. De Witte, CEO-Voltspot-Brussel: ‘Getuigenis van een
ingenieur-ondernemer’ (20.02.12).
P. Pedus, duurzaamheidscoördinator-Artoos: ‘Duurzaam
ondernemen’ (19.03.12).
F. Van Splunder, docent Univ. Antwerpen: ‘International
English for Global Business Performance’ (30.11.11).
L. Dusar, project manager – Living Stone Leuven: ‘International
communication for global Business Performance’
( 26.10.11).
D. Boyens, hoogleraar Vlerick Managementschool:
‘People & skills Nederlands en Engels’ (18.10.11).
R. Thonissen, kwaliteitsmanager-Ford Genk: ‘FMEA en
kwaliteit bij Ford’ (13.12.11).
EXTERNE ACTIVITEITEN
Bedrijfsbezoeken 1 ste bacfase
Audi – Brussel (05.03.12)
BP Amoco – Geel (06.03.12)
Rettig Belgium – Zonhoven (07.03.12)
Continental Automotive Benelux – Mechelen (13.03.12)
VCST Industrial Products – Sint-Truiden (16.03.12)
INEOS Chlor Vinyls– Tessenderlo (19.04.12)
Coca Cola Enterprises Belgium – Wilrijk (16.03.12)
Keramo-Steinzeug – Hasselt (16.02.12)
ECHO – Houthalen (19.03.12)
Pittsburg Corning Europe – Tessenderlo (26.03.12)
Henrad – Herentals (28.02.12)
Van Hool – Lier (29.03.12)
Arcelor Mittal – Genk (23.02.12)
TE Connectivity – Kessel-Lo ( 12.03.12)
Andere activiteiten
Bedrijfsbezoek CODA-CERVA – Tervuren (30.11.11).
Organisatie: G. Bény (team Chemie).
Studienamiddag: Additive’ manufacturing aan KU Leuven
(15.12.11). Organisatie: A. François (team materie).
Workshop Watertechnologie – Haasrode (16.11.11).
Organisatie: A. François (team Materie).
Leuvense klimaatweek (lezingen op 09 en 10.11.11).
Organisatie: D. Haeseldoncks (team Energie).
Laboratoriumbezoeken ESAT-KU Leuven (28.11, 01.12.11
en 12.01.12). Organisatie: T. Nobels (team Energie).
Laboratoriumbezoeken aan KH Geel (07 en 09.12.11).
Organisatie: T. Nobels (team energie).
Laboratoriumbezoek KAHO Sint-Lieven – Gent (09.12.11).
Organisatie: T. Nobels (team Energie).
Bezoek Ethiopische ambassade (22.12.11). Organisatie:
P. Kumar (team Management).
Bezoek CPF Europe – Waterloo (22.11.12). Organisatie:
P. Kumar (team Management).
Antwerpen Havencentrum – Lillo (28.11.12). Organisatie:
P. Kumar (team Management).
Brouwerij Bosteels – Buggenhout (08.11.11). Organisatie:
KARDINAAL MERCIER INSTITUUT
D'ANETHANSTRAAT 33
1030 BRUSSEL
B. Put (team Management).
Brouwerij Duvel – Puurs (16.11.11). Organisatie:
B. Put (team Management).
Beurs ‘Ondernemen in Vlaanderen’ – Gent. Organisatie:
E. Sammels (team Leven).
Laboratorium ‘dynamische aspecten van de machinebouw’
– KU Leuven (23.03.12). Organisatie:
M. Vanierschot (team Energie).
EWAL Cargo Care – Leuven (15.12.11). Organisatie:
G. Waeyenbergh (team Management)
Ford Genk 10.02.12). Organisatie: G. Waeyenbergh.
GROEP T
Leuven Engineering College
Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven
tel. 016-30 10 30 – fax 016-30 10 40
e-mail: group-t@group-t.com
http://www.group-t.com
21 ste jaar gang, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
Inter view verschijnt driemaandelijks
Ver ant woor de lijke uit ge ver:
Jo han De Graeve,
Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leu ven
Hoofd re dac tie: Yves Per soons
Re dac tie se cre ta ri aat: Mar ti ne Grof fils
Interview online: Seany Geuns
Re dac tie raad: Gui do Ver cam men, Stijn Dhert,
Paul Goos sens, Patrick De Rijck, wim Polet,
Ingrid Ilsbroux, Katleen Lodewyckx, Bavo Van
Achte, John Caluwaerts
Coördinatie Engelse vertaling:
Kristien Van Hoegaerden
foto’s: Filip Van Loock
Selectie foto’s: Seany Geuns
Vormgeving: there, Leuven, 016-29 24 00
Drukkerij: Artoos, Kampenhout
Op lage: 17.000 exemplaren
Wettelijk Depot: D/2012/2134/8
T 02 216 21 96
F 02 245 68 65
INFO@KMERCIER.WENK.BE
WWW.KMERCIER.WENK.BE
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
19

Students in the spotlight
Koen Coolen, Tina Tang, Dinox Wang, Heleen Yu
and Weiwei Xu from the student Union Industria.
Industria International
GROUP T’s student movement Industria celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. What started in 1962 as a
modest local club has grown into a full-blown organization that belongs to Leuven’s top 4 with its 1,200
members. For a couple of years now, Industria has been going international and has its own International
Relations division. But there are also foreign students working in other divisions. We spoke to Tina Tang,
Heleen Yu, Dinox Wang, Koen Coolen and Weiwei Xu.
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
20
After 50 years, the student movement is
more alive than ever. Industria has long
ceased being the party club and has developed
into a professionally-run organization
that arranges city trips and cultural activities,
publishes syllabi, has its own magazine, runs a faculty
bar, and so on. The Industria sports teams are fearful
opponents all over Leuven and what’s more the choice
of international activities increases every year.
Unsurprisingly, bringing Flemish and international
students closer together is written in large letters on
the Industria banner. To achieve this goal, a number of
super-motivated students is up and at it day and night.
Business relations
Tina is one of the driving forces in this band. She is
from Kunming (Yunnan Province, China) and studied
at the South West Jiaotong University in Chengdu.
She has been studying at GROUP T for two years. At
the moment she is in the third bachelor year of Electromechanical
Engineering. “Leaving my home university
was a very conscious decision,” Tina relates.
“I wanted to see the world, starting with Europe.
Belgium and GROUP T in particular are the perfect starting
point for that. Also, South West Jiaotong offered
an attractive exchange formula with GROUP T.”
Within Industria, Tina is part of the business relations
team. “Just as GROUP T collaborates closely with the
industry, Industria also maintains good relations with
companies,” Tina confirms. “These contacts are crucial
for our operation. Many companies sponsor our
activities to create brand awareness among future
engineers.”
Tina is not a novice in the student movement, either.
In China, she was even the president of the student
movements of South West Jiaotong. “The number
and variety of activities with Industria is significantly
greater than in China,” Tina remarks. “There is no
such thing as city trips and skiing holidays in China.
The main activities of the student movement there is
welcoming new students and sending off graduates.
jg. 21, nr. 2, 16 mei 2012
I am, in any case, proud to be part of the Industria
team as a foreign students.”
International relations
Heleen has Chinese roots, but is Belgian. She is in the
third bachelor year of Electronics Engineering and is
part of Industria’s International Relations team.
“The task of my colleagues and I involves getting
the international students more and more closely
involved in the Industria activities,” she explains.
“Everything starts with good communication
because unknown is unloved. As a result, we publish
the T-magazine in English as well and we make
sure that all our posters and announcements are
bilingual. And it works. The participation of international
students is increasing. Flemish and foreign
students spend more and more time together, not
least because they are encouraged to work together
in the Engineering Experience projects. Because the
students also meet each other off-campus thanks to
Industria can only expedite integration.”
“Everything starts with
good communication
because unknown is
unloved.”
Dinox Wang comes from Hangzhou (Zhejiang Province,
China), where he studied Materials Science at the
Zhejiang University of Technology, one of GROUP T’s
first partner universities in China. “I love Belgium and
Leuven,” he confesses. “I have already made good
friends here – Flemish and foreign – thanks to my
involvement in Industria. The student movement is
an excellent forum for building a network.”
Within Industria, Dinox Wang is part of the International
Relations department. “Our goal is that at least
50% of the activities specifically target an international
audience,” he remarks. “Although, in principal,
all activities are open to everybody.”
Dinox Wang, too, has experience with the student
movement at his home university in China. He also
contributed to the university newspaper. Commitment
to his fellow students is not unknown to him
and Industria is now reaping the benefits of this.
Investing in the future
Koen is Belgian and is in the third bachelor year of
Electromechanical Engineering. He, too, dedicates
himself to Industria’s International Relations team.
“It is my first year in the student movement, but it’s
great,” he says. “It is a great opportunity to get to
know international students and broaden my horizon
and my circle of friends. At Industria, you make
friends for life.”
Wei Wei couldn’t agree more. He comes from the Chinese
province Jiang Su and studied Electronics Engineering
& Automation at the Beijing Jiaotong University,
also one of GROUP T’s first partner universities
in China. At the moment, he is in his third bachelor
year of Electromechanical Engineering. “It was the
5E concept of GROUP T’s engineering program that
brought me to Leuven,” he relates. “At GROUP T,
you become a real all-round engineer who is prepared
to function in an international environment.” Wei Wei
is also the vice-president of the Chinese Students and
Scholars Association in Leuven, which organizes the
Chinese Spring Festival at GROUP T every year. At
Industria, he is jointly responsible for business relations.
“The ideal way to get in touch with the industry,”
he finds. “Working with the student movement
is investing in the future, not only that of Industria
but also your own. It looks good on your CV and it
proves that you are not just a techie, completely unaware
of the world around you but a socially engaged
engineer devoted to others.”
Y.P.