Engineering: Connecting Cosmos & Consciousness - Groep T

interview 

verschijnt driemaandelijks 

AUGUSTUS 2011 

Jaargang 20, nr. 3 

P509015 afgiftekantoor 2000 ANTWERPEN x 

GROUP T’s Newsmagazine 

LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE 

From left to right: Prof. Wang Sunyu, Deputy Director of the Engineering Research Center, Tsinghua University; Prof. Chen Feng, Vice-President Beijing Jiaotong University; 

Dr. David Wisler, National Academy of Engineering, United Stats GE Aviation; Mr. Dendev Badrach, Director UNESCO IITEW; Dr. Zhou Ji, President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; 

Prof. Dr. Johan De Graeve, President – Chief Executive of GROUP T; Dr. Edward Crawley, National Academy of Engineering USA, Ford Professor of Engineering at MIT; Prof. Wang Dianzuo, 

Vice-President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering; Prof. Cha Jianzhong, Chairman of the UNESCO Chair at Beijing Jiaotong University. 

2011 CDIO Regional Conference in Beijing 

Engineering: Connecting 

Cosmos & Consciousness 

This year, the CDIO Regional Conference was held at the Beijing Jiaotong University from 8 to 11 May. The theme was 

“Understanding and implementing the CDIO model in engineering education reform to better prepare students for 

entering the engineering work force.” The keynote speaker was Prof. Johan De Graeve, President and Chief Executive 

of GROUP T and Co-Chair Holder of the UNESCO Chair on Cooperation between Higher Engineering Education and 

Industries. In addition, students from the GROUP T International Class in Beijing made a noted contribution. 

CDIO is based on a shared premise that engineering 

graduates should be able to Conceive, Design, 

Implement and Operate complex, value-added 

engineering systems in a modern, team-based engineering 

environment to create systems and products. The 

most important goals of CDIO can be summed up as follows: 

educating students so that they master a deeper working 

knowledge of the technical fundamentals; educating engineers 

so that they take the lead in creating and operating 

new products and systems; educating future researchers so 

that they understand the importance and strategic value of 

their work. The CDIO model was introduced in the late nineties 

by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has 

meanwhile become an internationally recognized given. 

5E model 

In his keynote speech ‘Engineering: Connecting Cosmos & 

Consciousness’, Prof. De Graeve compared the 5E model he 

developed for innovating engineering education with the 

CDIO principles. The 5E model stands for Engineering, Enterprising, 

Educating, Environmenting and Ensembling. 

“Engineering is about developing things”, according to Prof. 

De Graeve. “To be able to achieve this, a methodology like 

CDIO is needed. An engineer is somebody who looks for 

structures in nature using the sciences. 

“Enterprising is about developing ideas”, Prof. De Graeve 

continues. “That requires a mission, a higher purpose. Engineers 

without a mission are mere technocrats. Engineers also 

require a strategy and values. They must know the laws of 

the economy as well as the principles of ethics, ecology and 

esthetics, also all Es and not by coincidence.” 

According to Prof. De Graeve, an engineer must also be 

«4» 

GROUP T goes 

India 

«5» 

GROUP T in 

Ethiopia 

«6» 

Flemish-Chinese 

job fair 

«10» 

China 

Journey 2011 

03183_INGENIEURS_Interview_3_20.indd 1 11/07/11 17:01

‘educating’. “Education is not the same as educating. 

Education is the theory of learning and teaching. 

Educating is about people: learning to know, to do, 

to live together and to be. What does that mean, 

developing people? Well, it all has to do with educing 

the essence. To bring to development all that 

is in you, what was given you through your genes. 

Becoming who you already are as an engineer.” 

Evolving environment 

Again according to Prof. De Graeve, Engineering is 

also related to energizing the emptiness. “Emptiness 

is not synonymous to vacuum. Emptiness means 

that everything does not have an inherent existence. 

Something only exists when it is interconnected with 

all other things. An engineer must be aware of the 

fact that all things in life are connected with each 

other. This is Buddhism, Eastern philosophy and it 

touches the essence of Chinese thinking.” 

Enterprising is, still according to Prof. De Graeve, 

experiencing existence. “In all that you do, you experience 

existence. And this existence is experienced 

in an environment. Environmenting – the fourth E – 

deals with embracing the evolving environment. And 

what is the ultimate environment? That’s the cosmos. 

We are one with the cosmos.” 

The fifth E is ensembling. “Of course that is not the 

same as assembling,” explains Prof. De Graeve. “Naturally, 

engineers love to assemble, but ensembling 

goes beyond that. It is about ‘enconsciousizing oneness’, 

in other words, it is about the growing awareness 

of oneness, of everything being connected to 

everything. Enconsciousizing oneness means that 

engineers, by making things, become increasingly 

aware that all is one. That also cosmos and consciousness 

are one. If young people discover that they are 

one with the cosmos and consciousness as an engineer, 

the engineering profession will immediately 

become much more appealing to them.” 

CDIO and backbone 

According to Prof. De Graeve, the CDIO principles 

fit fully within with the 5E model, especially in engineering. 

“CDIO is the minimum, the backbone you 

need in engineering. But an engineer also must be 

enterprising, have a mission. When you are enterprising, 

you are embracing the environment. When you 

are educating, you have to educe the essence. And 

when you see the oneness, you are ensembling. But 

the ultimate ensembling is the counsciousness. And 

the ultimate environment is the cosmos. CDIO is in 

fact cosmos and consciousness.” 

Beyond textbooks 

After his speech, Prof. De Graeve gave the floor to 

five students of the Beijing Jiaotong International 

Class who had started this academic year. The International 

Class is the result of years of collaborative 

work between GROUP T and the Beijing Jiaotong 

University. The five students testified to their experiences 

with the CDIO principles and the 5E model 

from which their curriculum was conceived. 

“CDIO is in fact cosmos 

and consciousness.” 

Zha Lichen emphasized that the International Class is 

not a copy of the existing Chinese engineering program 

but distinguishes itself in a number of ways. 

“We step beyond textbooks. We visit companies and 

learn from experience during the Engineering Experiences. 

We love this style of study.” 

Li Luxi spoke of the importance of teamwork. “In 

high school everything was about competition. In the 

International Class, cooperation is key. Team stands 

for Together Each Achieves More. It’s no longer 

‘I made it’. It’s ‘We made it’.” 

Hero and engineer 

Tan Qin recalled an old Chinese proverb: ‘Environment 

creates talents.’ She believes that the important 

steps in this process include knowing, adapting, making 

use of and creating. An old story by Kuang Hong 

illustrates this. “Kuang Hong’s family was so poor 

that he had to start working for a rich land owner. 

He couldn’t go to school but asked his boss for permission 

to read books from his library in exchange 

for work. This is how Kuang Hong educated himself 

and became a famous scholar.” 

Li Jun quoted a classic from Western literature: Robinson 

Crusoe. A hero and an engineer. On his secluded 

island, he managed to organize himself such that he 

was able to provide for his needs for years. “He first 

conceives life on that island, then designs the essential 

needs, implements these ideals and operates to 

survive,” relates Li Jun. 

Ying Jinbing spoke about ‘Life is an Engineering 

Experience’ and took himself as an example. “I grew 

up as an only child and had nobody to play with at 

home. I dreamed of having a friend and resolved to 

build myself a robot friend later. In primary school, 

I made paper kites and systematically took apart 

electrical devices to see how they worked. As a teenager, 

I built entire constructions using LEGO, at first 

by following the instructions, later by using my own 

imagination. In high school I developed a fascination 

with Chinese painting and how it’s possible to create 

an entire world with a few dots and lines. When 

I chose the International Class, all these memories 

came back to me. Imitating, discovering, creating, 

designing. Engineers are not only educated at colleges. 

Our whole life is a continuation of Engineering 

Experiences.” 

Y.P. 

GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE 

2 

Prof. Dr. Johan De Graeve, President and Chief Executive of GROUP T and Prof. Dr. Ning Bin, President of Beijing 

Jiaotong University with students from the International Class: Tan Qin, Ji Luxi, Zha Lichen, Ying Jinling and L Jun. 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 


Prof. Dr. Ingrid Ilsbroux, the new 

Administrator General at GROUP T. 

New Administrator General at GROUP T 

Innovation = 

creativity + entrepreneurship 

A strong and ambitious personality with a focus on results that is matched by an excellent service 

record; a sense of loyalty and responsibility combined with a strong belief in the vision of GROUP T. 

This is Prof. Dr. Ingrid Ilsbroux’s profile. Recently, she became the new Administrator General of 

GROUP T, responsible for managing all operational staff services of the university college and the 

optimization of available resources. 

T 

he new Administrator General considers her 

promotion “an honor, a new challenge, and 

also an opportunity to contribute to the further 

growth, international recognition and 

character of GROUP T on another level.” And, it must 

also be said, “recognition for 26 years of work enjoyment 

and satisfaction.” 

Ingrid Ilsbroux studied Chemistry, majoring in Biochemistry 

at the K.U.Leuven and was admitted to the 

degree of Doctor of the Sciences in 1983. One year 

later, she went to work at GROUP T as an assistant 

and quickly worked her way up to lecturer. In 2007, 

she became full professor and also Associate Dean 

Innovation in which position she faced the challenge 

of starting up research activities at the university college 

in the framework of academization. In doing 

so, she immediately emphasized the importance of 

creativity and entrepreneurship in both research and 

education. According to her, it is particularly important 

to approach this not only by adopting an entrepreneurial 

disposition but also by effectively working 

together with the entrepreneurs. 

As Associate Dean, Ingrid Ilsbroux divided the research 

talent at GROUP T into five multidisciplinary core topics 

and set up a research incubator where new initiatives 

can find the required elbowroom and support 

to develop into mature projects. Also, the collaboration 

with companies was given a new boost under the 

impulse of the Associate Dean Innovation. GROUP T’s 

two-year master track illustrates this perfectly. 

“The importance 

of creativity and 

entrepreneurship in both 

research and education.” 

As Administrator General, Ingrid Ilsbroux is responsible 

for the coordination and harmonization of the 

staff services Administration & Finances, Facilities, 

Communication, ICT, Student Services, International 

Office, Personnel Administration and the to-beestablished 

Research and Development service. This 

assignment, according to Ingrid Ilsbroux, is “focused 

on supporting GROUP T’s core business, which is to 

say qualitative research and education in an international 

environment.” 

The Administrator General also wishes to take new 

initiatives to optimize the available resources in 

a cost-effective, people-friendly and sound way. 

“Furthermore, I also want to achieve a greater 

synergy and better information flow between 

staff services and other sections of management. 

I also see myself playing a role as one of liaison 

between on the one hand the academic developments 

and on the other the operational requirements 

that are related to it.” 

Another important task of the new Administrator 

General consists in monitoring the financial equilibrium 

and supervising the establishment plan as well as 

the general logistic and administrative organization. 

Y.P. 


3 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 


International range continues to expand 

GROUP T off to a running 

start in India 

The Chinese president Wen Jiabao did not put too fine a point on things during his visit to India in late 

2010. “The world is big enough for both of us. Our combined rapid economic growth is the driving force 

behind the world economy.” GROUP T – International University College Leuven is fully anticipating this 

development: after China and Southeast Asia, GROUP T is now also active in India. Prof. Dr. Johan De 

Graeve, President and Chief Executive of GROUP T, Prof. Patrick de Ryck, Director General of GROUP T, and 

the Professors Frank Dochy and Kumar Pinjala visited the country early April 2011. 

GROUP T has in any case made a successful 

running start in India,” Kumar says. “In a 

matter of less than a year 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.” 

In the meantime, two Indian professors have become 

members of GROUP T’s Board of Directors: Dr. H. 

Vinod Bhat, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Manipal University, 

and Dr. Satyanarayana Beela, Vice-Chancellor of 

Andhra University. 

Twinning programs 

On 4 June 2010, GROUP T signed a Memory of Understanding 

with the prestigious Manipal University in 

Magalore (Karnataka state). “This university has 

17,000 students and 19 different institutes, including 

the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) and the 

International Centre for Applied Sciences (ICAS),” 

Kumar continues. “While MIT offers engineering programs 

to local students, ICAS targets students who 

want to study abroad. Generally, they first study at 

ICAS for two years and the following two abroad, a 

twinning program in other words. Vice versa, many 

international students find their way to ICAS. They 

come from no less than 100 different countries.” 

“An agreement was reached with Manipal University 

to set up a 1 + 1 dual master program in Electronics 

Engineering,” according to Kumar. “That means one 

year in India followed by one year in Leuven leading 

to a dual degree. We are also examining the possibility 

of collaborating at the undergraduate level. That 

would be a 2 + 2 formula culminating in a bachelor 

degree. Not a dual degree in this case, legal regulations 

won’t allow for it.” In April 2011, Prof. Mohan 

Kumar J. arrived as a guest professor at GROUP T to 

teach and to give further shape and content to the 

collaboration and the arrival of the Indian students. 

In September 2011, the dual degree master program 

will take off.” 

Tradition and reputation 

The signing of the Memory of Understanding with the 

Andhra University in Visakhapatnam in the state of 

Andhra Pradesh took place on 8 June 2010. “This university 

has a long tradition and a strong reputation,” 

Kumar says. “Dr. S. Radhakrishan, the former president 

of India, was the Vice-Chancellor there. This university 

offers no less than 313 programs, from Arts to Management, 

Sciences and Technology. The College of Engineering 

is an independent institute that offers bachelor, 

master and doctoral programs in 16 disciplines. 

The Engineering College also has at its disposal various 

specialized research centers amongst which bioinformatics, 

nanotechnology, biotechnology, phase equilibrium 

thermodynamics, remote sensing and information 

systems and research and offshore structures.” More 

“GROUP T is the first higher 

education institute in the 

country that is setting up 

twinning programs with 

Indian partner universities 

at the bachelor and 

master levels.” 

than 600 engineering and other colleges spread out 

over five provinces are affiliated with the university. 

This affiliation guarantees excellent quality.” 

The collaboration with Andhra University relates first 

and foremost to the bachelor program in Electromechanical 

Engineering. “It is a 2 + 2 twinning program. 

Conversely, we also provide for the possibility for Flemish 

students to go there. Visakhapatnam is a coastal city 

where living and studying is very pleasant.” 

But there are also plans for the international postgraduate 

programs in Enterprising and in Logistics 

Management. “After graduating from Andhra University, 

our students can obtain a master in Management. 

Indeed, the same goes for Indian students in 

Leuven who have completed a postgraduate degree.” 

International orientation 

On 11 June 2010, GROUP T President and Chief 

Executive Johan De Graeve and Vice-Chancellor T.P. 

Ganesan from SRM University in Chennai (Tamil Nadu 

state) signed a Memory of Understanding. 

“SMR stands for Sri Ramasani Memorial and is quite 

new,” Kumar clarifies. “The Engineering College dates 

from 1985 but has meanwhile grown to become one 

of the largest universities. SRM is an institute with a 

strong international orientation that works closely 

with universities in the UK, the US and Australia. The 

Engineering College offers bachelor and master programs 

in 21 disciplines. With SRM, we’re working on 

setting up a twinning program in Electronics Engineering. 

Right now, we’re examining how we can gear the 

curricula to each other. Concrete agreements still have 

to be made about student recruitment.” 

Kumar has high expectations about the collaboration 

with his native country. “Most Indian students that 

stay in Belgium are here for a Ph.D. GROUP T is the first 

higher education institute in the country that is setting 

up twinning programs with Indian partner universities 

at the bachelor and master levels. That the language 

of instruction in India is English is very conducive to 

the collaboration and the exchange of students and 

faculty. There will be no difficulties at that level.” 

Y.P. 


4 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 

Working meeting at Andhra University. Prof. Dr. Prasad Reddy, Registrar; Prof. Dr. 

K. Viswanath, director International Affairs; Prof. Dr. MMM Sarkar, Board of Studies 

– Director of the College of Engineering; Prof. Dr. Sundara Sira Rao, Head of the 

Department of Mechanical Engineering; Prof. Dr. Johan De Graeve, President-Chief 

Executive of GROUP T; Prof. Patrick De Ryck, Director General of GROUP T. 


The GROUP T delegation at Dire-Dawa University. The delegation members were 

welcomed by Dr. Wagayehu Bekele, President; Dr. Fekadu Lemessa, Vice President for 

Academics and Research; Mrs. Ubah Adem, Vice President for Administration and 

Development and the department heads and professors of the Faculty of Engineering. 

Towards an academic network in Africa 

GROUP T cooperates 

with Ethiopia 

Since last academic year, a group of Ethiopian engineering students has been studying at GROUP T – 

Leuven Engineering College. They are students from four universities who have come to Leuven to improve 

their qualifications further so that they can build an academic career in their own country with a broader 

background. From May 23 to June 2, a GROUP T delegation led by President Johan De Graeve visited 

Ethiopia to intensify the cooperation further. Dr. Kaba Urgessa Dinssa, State Minister for Higher Education, 

welcomed the delegation. President De Graeve took this opportunity to describe his new ICE strategy: 

realizing projects in Ethiopia in cooperation with India and China. 

President De Graeve traveled to Ethiopia 

accompanied by Ingrid Ilsbroux, Administrator 

General of GROUP T, Luc Janssens, lecturer 

in the Information Technology unit, and Allison 

Windmiller, member of the Strategy & Communication 

unit. In the capital Addis Ababa, the State Minister 

apprised them of recent developments in higher 

education in Ethiopia and more precisely of the ‘70:30 

policy’. This is a reference to the expansion of the university 

system away from social sciences towards natural 

sciences and technology with the goal of having 

70% of the students enrolled in an engineering/science 

major and 30% in social sciences. The Ethiopian 

economy is evolving quickly from one based on agriculture 

to one based on industry. For this reason the 

number of engineers must increase. Capacity building 

in this regard is a major challenge and there is a great 

need for professors who can educate engineers who 

will be employable in the future job market. Currently, 

Ethiopia is experiencing a boom in many sectors (e.g., 

electronics, textiles, railways, highways, water, electricity, 

etc.). There is also a need for human resources 

development in the health sector, namely, biotechnology, 

microbiology, biomedical engineering, medicine, 

and so on. Student and staff exchange initiatives go a 

long way in supporting the expansion of higher education. 

India-China-Ethiopia 

During the talks, Minister Kaba Urgessa Dinssa and 

his staff showed great interest in GROUP T’s engineering 

education strategy based on the 5 Es of Engineering, 

Enterprising, Educating, Environmenting and 

Ensembling. GROUP T’s new ICE strategy was also well 

received. The strategy consists of GROUP T using its 

academic network in India and China to realize educational 

projects in Ethiopia. The talks with the State 

Minister were rounded off with the signing of a Memorandum 

of Understanding. 

During the Ethiopian mission, visits to two exisiting and 

two potential partner universities were also on the program. 

The first in line was Dire Dawa University (DDU) 

where the delegation was received by Dr. Wagayehu 

Bekele, University President, and Dr. Fekadu Lemessa, 

Vice-President for Academic and Research Affairs. DDU 

is a young university that originated from the technology 

campus of Haramaya University and is still in full 

development. GROUP T and DDU ran through a list 

of potential areas for collaboration, from building 

academic staff capacity and research capacity to setting 

up common programs and student and lecturer 

exchanges. Both parties agreed to collaborate in the 

field of electromechanics and electronics engineering, 

and possibly biochemical engineering in the future. 

Exchange 

Following the visit to DDU, we moved on to Haramaya 

University (HU). Our host was Prof. Belay Kassa, 

President of HU. He talked about the expansion of 

Ethiopian higher education and the history of the 

university, which shares the title of oldest in the 

country with Addis Ababa University. HU has 31,000 

students, 953 academic staff members and 1100 

administrative staff members. The following priorities 

for cooperation were suggested: staff member 

training and staff and student exchanges. Presidents 

De Graeve and Belay Kassa agreed that the dean of 

the engineering faculty would come to Leuven to 

become better acquainted with GROUP T. 

Gondar University (GU) was the third university 

we visited. Dr. Mengesha Admassu, President, 

and Dr. Desalegn Mengesha, Vice President 

for Academic, Research and Community 

Service, welcomed the delegation. GU was 

founded in 1954 as the first health institute in 

Ethiopia. The University has several campuses 

including one brand new campus with 1,200 

students in 5 departments. However, it is contending 

with a shortage in course materials 

and equipment and also wishes to increase 

its cooperation with enterprises. President De 

Graeve proposed having a number of staff 

members visit Leuven to draw up an action 

plan. Both presidents agreed to exchange 

guest professors and to cooperate on the 

level of curriculum development and research 

(e.g., on solar and wind energy). 

Technology transfer 

The last university on the list of scheduled 

visits was Aksum University (AU). Dr. Aklilu 

Hailemichael, Vice President for Academic Affairs, 

and Prof. A. Shanmuganathan, Dean of the College 

of Engineering and Technology, were the attending 

hosts. AU was founded in 2006 and is active in education, 

research and technology transfer. Its aim is 

to have a student population of 15,000 by 2014. The 

challenges currently faced by AU include the further 

professionalization of the teaching staff, library and 

laboratory resources and its ICT infrastructure. Collaboration 

proposals made included: staff exchange, 

visits by Belgian professors, guidance with research 

projects, scholarships and training of staff members. 

Dr. Aklilu praised the interdisciplinary approach of 

GROUP T’s engineering program and the 5E model 

that he would like to see implemented at AU. He 

believes it is the best way to train entrepreneurial 

engineers who are able to start or lead companies 

themselves. The visit was concluded with a meeting 

with female students of the Faculty of Engineering. 

Forty percent of the engineering students are female. 

A target we can only dream of achieving. 

Dr. Kaba Urgessa Dinssa, State Minister for Higher Education 

of Ethiopia and Prof. Dr. Johan De Graeve, President – Chief 

executive of GROUP T. 

Y.P. 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 


5 


Flemish companies angling for 

Chinese talent 

The first Flemish- 

Chinese job fair 

at GROUP T 

Prof. Guido Vercammen, 

Member of the Board of 

Directors of GROUP T. 

It is common knowledge that China is well on its way to becoming 

the world’s largest economy in the next ten years. The Flemish 

business world is anticipating this development and is busily looking 

for Chinese students at our universities and university colleges. The 

largest group is at GROUP T – International University College in 

Leuven. Little wonder the Flemish-Chinese Chamber of Commerce 

organized its first job fair on the GROUP T campus in Leuven. On 

Thursday 31 March, 16 reputable companies came to offer Chinese 

students projects, master’s theses and jobs. The event certainly 

received a great deal of media attention. 


6 

Mr. Wang Luxin, Counselor 

of the Chinese Embassy 

Education Section. 

Ms. Gwenn Sonck, Executive 

Director Flanders-China 

Chamber of Commerce. 

Dr. Gao Weimen, Chairman 

of the Association of Chinese 

Professionals in Belgium. 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 

Amongst the participants were big names 

like Agfa-Gevaert, Ahlers, Atlas Copco, 

Bekaert, IMEC, Tessenderlo Group, 

Punch Powertrain, and so on. Companies 

that are all active in China and need young 

Chinese employees who are familiar with the 

Western culture and the Western business world. 

At 13:00 Prof. Guido Vercammen, member of the 

Board of Directors of GROUP T, welcomed the 

guests, the entrepreneurs and the students in the 

Auditorium. Guido Vercammen opened by saying 

“GROUP T positions itself as a truly international 

university college. And it was China that opened 

the doors of the world to us. The Chinese students 

still make up the largest and fastest growing 

group of our international population. One of the 

reasons why we started inviting Chinese students 

in 1994 is that they could be invaluable for Flemish 

companies that are active on the Chinese market. 

We also notice that our Flemish students become 

better engineers when they are able to work 

alongside Chinese students. Our international 

character works to everyone’s benefit.” 

Next, Mr. Wang Luxin, Counselor of the Chinese 

Embassy Section in Belgium took the floor. He 

welcomed the first Flemish-Chinese Job Fair as an 

important initiative to bring Chinese students and 

the Flemish business world closer together. “Both 

parties need each other. Moreover, they rely on 

each other to be able to anticipate the fast economic 

and technological developments in the East 

and the West,” according to Wang Luxin. 

Business platform 

The Flemish-Chinese Chamber of Commerce 

(FCCC) was introduced by Ms. Gwenn Sonck, 

Executive Director. “The FCCC is an action platform 

initiated by the business community for the 

promotion of economic trade and scientific relations 

with China,” explained Gwenn Sonck. “With 

a clear European perspective, FCCC aims to bring 

Flemish and Chinese partners in contact with 

each other through information and interaction, 

and by supporting projects in cooperation with 

government and other public authorities. FCCC 

assists Flemish companies in doing business with 

China and supports Chinese companies wishing to 

invest in Flanders. It organizes China conferences, 

workshops, networking lunches and meetings 

with high-ranking Chinese delegations. FCCC also 

organizes missions to China and disseminates business 

advice from Chinese experts.” 

Finally, Dr. Gao Weimen, President of the Association 

of Chinese Professionals in Belgium, concluded 

the introduction. He impressed upon the 

Chinese students what an opportunity it was to 

study here. He also called on them to learn the 

language to grow even more acquainted with the 

culture. 

Company profiles 

Between 2 pm and 4 pm, the companies were able 

to introduce themselves to more than 120 Chinese 

students and had successful discussions on the possibilities 

in future company projects, internships, 

longer-term tracks or future job opportunities. The 

students were able to look into the company profiles 

and offers beforehand while the companies 

were also given a chance to consult the students’ 

resumes in advance. This allowed both parties to 

arrange meetings and plan the fair optimally. The 

job fair was concluded with a networking drink. 

PARTICIPANTS 2011 

Agfa-Gevaert 

Ahlers 

Atlas Copco Airpower 

Avalon Automatic 

Bekaert 

Betafence 

Eoluz 

GROUP T – Leuven Engineering College 

Hudson 

Imec NOVA Relocation 

Orotex Belgium 

POM Limburg 

Punch Powertrain 

Tessenderlo Group 

Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce 

Y.P. 


Prof. Mohan Kumar 

from the Manipal 

Center for Information 

Science (India). 

Prof. Charaporn Sudhamasapa, 

Associate Professor of 

Sukhotai Thammathirat Open 

University (Thailand). 

Guest lecturer in the spotlight 

Professors from India and 

Thailand teach at GROUP T 

GROUP T – Leuven Engineering College receives guests from abroad regularly. Guest lecturers are commonly 

invited in the framework of the cooperation programs entered into with various foreign universities. As 

such, Professors Mohan Kumar J. from Manipal University (India) and Cheraporn Sudhamasapa from 

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (Thailand) were staying at GROUP T as a guest lecturer over the 

past few months. Of course, we also like to host foreign students who are on a European study trip and 

offer them a study program that is adapted to meet their specific needs. 

Prof. Mohan Kumar’s lectureship is a first 

result of the intensive contacts a GROUP T 

delegation led by President and Chief executive 

Prof. Johan De Graeve established with 

Manipal University. This university was established in 

1953 and with its 20,000 students, it is considered one 

of the most important institutes of higher education 

in India. Manipal principally offers programs in the 

medical and technological sectors, which includes 

engineering. It is, of course, mainly at that level that 

possibilities of cooperation between Manipal University 

and GROUP T present itself. 

Network technology 

Prof. Mohan Kumar is affiliated with the Manipal 

Centre for Information Science (MCIS), one of the 20 

institutes that form part of this university. The MCIS 

was established in 1998 and specialized in, among 

other areas, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), 

Embedded Systems and Software Development for 

the Medical Sector. “This link to the medical sector is 

not a coincidence,” says Prof. Mohan. “Manipal University 

was founded by Dr. Tonse Madhava Anantha 

Pai who had taken up the plan to bring health-care 

and a number of other essential services closer to the 

population of India’s West Coast. He started his project 

with the establishment of the Faculty of Medicine, 

adding the Engineering program four years 

later.” This university is special not only because of 

its size and the vision of its founder, but also because 

the choice of location is exceptional to say the least. 

Prof. Mohan: “Manipal University was built on a plateau 

in the middle of the wilderness. Where before 

there was an inaccessible jungle, there is now a complete 

university campus with all possible facilities.” 

Prof. Mohan’s specialty is wireless network technology 

and he gave guest lectures on that topic from 

late April to early July 2011 to the master’s students 

at GROUP T. “I find it important to share my knowledge 

with colleagues and students, also outside 

India. I want to stimulate the international exchange, 

in particular. That is why I make use of this opportunity 

to explore the possible cooperation between 

GROUP T and my university.” When it comes to 

international student exchange he is no novice. He 

actively participates in IAESTE (International Association 

for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience), 

a global not-for-profit organization that on 

the one hand provides access to relevant technical 

experiences for students of higher education and, 

on the other hand, offers companies qualified and 

motivated interns. This cooperation with companies 

is also high on the list of the Manipal Centre for 

Information Science. The center anticipates industry 

demand and this way establishes the link between 

students and their future labor market. Although 

there are differences between Manipal University 

and GROUP T, he mainly looks for a common base 

of cooperation in the likenesses, that is, a practiceoriented 

program and the presence of a significant 

number of foreign students. 

European culture 

Recently, Manipal University, with the impulse and 

the support of the European Union, saw the addition 

of an institute for European Studies (Manipal 

Centre for European Studies - MCES). Its purpose is 

to develop and strengthen the relations between 

India and Europe by gathering mutual knowledge. 

A group of professors and students from this center’s 

MA in European Studies and Management visited 

GROUP T on 20 June 2011 and such in the framework 

of a study trip that led them through several 

countries of the European Union. Prof. Neeta Imamdar, 

head of the Centre stated: “We want to impart 

a thorough knowledge of Europe and of the European 

culture to our students so that after their studies, 

they can bridge the gap between Europe and 

India within the business world. The long study trip 

we are now on is an important part of the program. 

What they learned about Europe from their syllabus 

is now checked against reality.” At GROUP T, the 

students, after a tour of Campus Vesalius, attended 

a presentation by Director General Prof. Patrick De 

Ryck. Following on this presentation, the participants 

exchanged ideas on the cooperation potential 

between GROUP T and MCES. The center has already 

established structural cooperation with the University 

of Bremen and would like to extend its network 

in Europe. Subsequently, Mr. Louis Delcart, Director 

Internationalization and Innovation at VOKA, provided 

a much appreciated exposition on the Belgian 

and European economy and the importance played 

by small- and medium-sized companies in this economy. 

The afternoon was reserved for European culture 

with a guided tour of the permanent exhibit of 

Museum M and a discussion on the role companies 

and governments (among which also the EU) play in 

stimulating the creation of contemporary art. 

Management game 

Prof. Cheraporn Sudhamasapa is Associate Professor 

at the School of Management Science of the Sukhotai 

Thammathirat Open University of Thailand. 

She stayed at GROUP T from 26 April until 26 May 

2011 in the framework of the cooperation agreement 

between GROUP T and STOU, an agreement 

that focuses on the exchange of students and lecturers. 

She was mainly interested in the International 

Postgraduate Program in Entreprising and the ‘Management 

Game’ that is part of the program. STOU is 

an ‘open university’, comparable to the Open University 

in the European context, and offers distance 

learning. The students work through the course 

material individually and at their own pace. A number 

of contact moments are provided however and 

every student, before graduating, must participate 

in a seminar. Prof. Cheraporn: “As of fall, I would 

like to integrate the Management Game that was 

introduced to me at GROUP T into the mandatory 

seminar.” Two GROUP T lecturers will assist her in 

this locally and in this way take a new step in the 

exchange of lecturers. 

Jan Jaspers 


7 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 


Dr. Geert Waeyenbergh, 

campus coordinator 

Intelligent Mobility. 

GROUP T goes for sustainable mobility 

Intelligent mobility: 

new focus, new campus 

We already had Intelligent Mechanics, Intelligent Manufacturing and Intelligent Electronics. As of 2011- 

2012, a new master focus will be added to these: ‘Intelligent Mobility’. At the same time GROUP T will set 

up a new campus in the Leuven Business & Research Park amidst high-tech companies. The new campus 

will be home not only to the Solar Team and the CQS GROUP T Racing Team but also to a research and 

development center for mobility. We spoke to the campus coordinator Dr. Geert Waeyenbergh. 


8 

Flanders is setting itself up as the logistic epicenter 

of Europe ever more emphatically. To 

meet the growing demand for logistics staff, 

GROUP T started up the International Postgraduate 

Program in Logistics Management four 

years ago. “GROUP T’s engineering students, too, 

have found their way to sustainable mobility”, Geert 

Waeyenbergh says. “For starters there is the Solar 

Team that, six years after the first team with the first 

Belgian solar car, is now working on an even more 

proficient version to participate in the prestigious 

World Solar Challenge in Australia, regarded as the 

unofficial world championship for solar powered cars. 

Following in the footsteps of the Solar Team was the 

CQS GROUP T Racing Team. This is a group of 31 passionate 

master’s students who went to work on two 

specimens of the legendary old timer 2CV and turned 

them into modern environmentally friendly race cars: 

one hybrid and one electric. Not only technologically 

but also logistically a tour de force.” 

Broad and diverse 

The expertise that GROUP T has accumulated in the 

field of logistics and mobility is now centered in a 

new master focus in the Electromechanical Engineering 

program and in a new campus. “Intelligent 

Mobility deals with the sustainable, applying smart 

solutions”, Geert Waeyenbergh clarifies. “The application 

area is very broad and diverse. One example 

involves electric or hybrid cars fitted with intelligent 

recharging systems. Another example would be vehicles 

that can warn each other against accidents or 

traffic jams. Intelligent Mobility also has to do with 

choosing materials or production methods that have 

as small an impact on the environment as possible 

and with optimally gearing transportation systems to 

one another.” 

The new master focus comprises four courses for a 

total of 15 credits. “The first course ‘Transportation 

and Mobility Management’ covers supply and 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 

demand in the area of transportation, the optimal 

use of transportation modes but also safety and 

risks in the world of transportation”, according to 

Geert Waeyenbergh. “The students also learn traffic 

simulation techniques like measuring the effect of a 

rotary on a busy intersection.” 

“More and more electric 

vehicles are entering the 

market place, but are 

not yet given enough 

attention.” 

The three other courses are more technical in nature. 

“In ‘Vehicle Systems’ we explore drive trains in vehicles, 

the latest developments in combustion engines, 

electric and hybrid power trains as well as data transmission 

and communication systems in modern vehicles. 

The course ‘Vehicle structures’ is aimed more 

specifically at new materials, lightweight structures, 

the dynamic and aerodynamic behavior of vehicles 

and active control systems. Finally, in ‘Sustainability: 

Aspects of Mobility’, we deal with topics like ecodesign 

and life cycle engineering, various energy 

sources and transportation systems.” 

Multifunctional 

The new GROUP T campus will serve a very multifunctional 

purpose. As stated above, the campus 

offers the Solar Team and the CQS GROUP T Racing 

Team spacious and safe accommodation. But there’s 

more. “The campus can also serve as space for seminars, 

practical sessions and laboratories where students 

will be able to conduct experiments on the 

electric and hybrid vehicles that are available there”, 

Geert Waeyenbergh continues. “The results of their 

experiments can immediately be fed back into the 

theory so that a beneficial cross-fertilization is established. 

The new campus also allows students to 

engage in bigger projects. This way, we want to create 

a breeding ground for new Solar or CQS teams.” 

The Intelligent Mobility campus, in addition, is also 

developed into a professional research center. “We 

will set up research projects there on the optimization 

of battery packs or on electrically geared reluctance 

motors”, explains Geert Waeyenbergh. “We 

will focus primarily on innovative lightweight structures, 

recyclable bio-composite materials, electric 

propulsion systems and intelligent vehicles.” 

Educational and recreational 

Geert Waeyenbergh and his colleagues are also 

closely involved in the ‘Electric Vehicle for O’ (EV4O) 

project of the Flemish government which aims at creating 

an educational and recreational environment 

to familiarize the greater public and young technical 

people in particular with electric vehicles. 

“More and more electric vehicles are entering the 

market place, but we find that the new technologies 

are not yet given enough attention in the education 

of mechanics and technicians”, Geert Waeyenbergh 

observes. “We want to do something about that. 

Also, together with the province of Vlaams-Brabant, 

we intend to install charging stations for electric 

vehicles near a number of tourist attractions. People 

will be able to visit these attractions with an electric 

car. At the same time, they will discover new and 

intelligent forms of mobility.” 

Campus Intelligent Mobility 

Haasrode Business & Research Park, 

Technologielaan 11, 3001 Leuven. 

Y.P. 


Ondernemersdag 2011 

GROEP T 

campus vol 

bedrijven 

Op 9 maart 2011 organiseerde GROEP T – 

Internationale Hogeschool Leuven opnieuw 

een Ondernemersdag. De hele campus werd 

omgetoverd tot een forum waar (Vlaamse en 

internationale) ingenieursstudenten, docenten 

en ondernemers elkaar op een professionele 

manier konden ontmoeten. Dit jaar kende de 

Ondernemersdag een ware toeloop. Niet minder 

dan 110 bedrijven en organisaties meldden zich 

aan. Hiermee was alle beschikbare standruimte op 

de campus ingenomen en zag GROEP T zich voor 

het eerst genoodzaakt bedrijven te weigeren. 

Het succes van de Ondernemersdag bevestigt dat het herstel op de 

arbeidsmarkt wel degelijk is ingezet. Eerder berichtte de federale 

overheidsdienst Economie dat er nu al meer Belgen aan de slag 

zijn dan vóór het uitbreken van de financieel-economische crisis in 

het najaar van 2008. Door de impact van de bankencrisis op het bedrijfsleven 

en het bijbehorende verlies aan jobs daalde het aantal werkende Belgen van 

4,66 miljoen in het derde kwartaal van 2008 tot 4,41 miljoen in dezelfde periode 

van 2009. Om in 2010 opnieuw te stijgen naar 4,88 miljoen. Of een stijging met 

22.000 werkende Belgen tegenover het begin van de crisis. 

In Vlaanderen tekent zich dezelfde positieve trend af. In het derde kwartaal 

van 2010 waren er bijna 2,76 miljoen Vlamingen aan de slag. Dat zijn er 55.000 

meer dan op het dieptepunt van de crisis in 2009 en 15.000 meer dan in het 

najaar van 2008, vlak vóór het begin van de crisis. Het gaat om het hoogste 

aantal werkende Vlamingen van de afgelopen jaren. Nu zijn er 125.000 werkende 

Vlamingen meer dan 5 jaar geleden. 

Volgens de VDAB zijn het vooral de ingenieurs en informatici die in trek blijven. 

Beiden zijn al langer knelpuntenberoepen, maar nu komt de vraag wel extra 

sterk naar voren. In het voorjaar van 2011 alleen al ontving de dienst 30 % meer 

vacatures. Dit verklaart mee het succes van de Ondernemersdag van GROEP T. 

Jobs en projecten 

Overigens is de Ondernemersdag niet alleen een jobbeurs. Het is eveneens een 

projectenmarkt voor derdejaars die uitkijken naar een interessant onderwerp 

voor hun masterproef. Ook studenten die opteren voor GROEP T’s tweejarige 

masterformule met een aanvullend traject van 2 semesters in een onderneming 

vinden hun gading. Net zoals al wie na zijn/haar studie nog wil verder studeren. 

Bij de deelnemers niet alleen multinationals, maar ook KMO’s, selectiebureaus 

en overheidsbedrijven. Dankzij de medewerking van VOKA-Kamer van Koophandel 

Leuven was ook de Leuvense bedrijfswereld opnieuw goed vertegenwoordigd 

met o.m. de K.U.Leuven, de Universitaire Ziekenhuizen, Terumo, 

IMEC, Melexis, PEC, Materialise, BEST, enz. De Ondernemersdag van GROEP T 

is trouwens al lang geen lokaal of Vlaams onderonsje meer. Door de aanwezigheid 

van vele buitenlandse studenten – 20 % van de populatie komt uit 

Azië – heeft het evenement een sterk internationaal karakter. Deze studenten 

vormen een interessante doelgroep voor ondernemingen die internationaal 

bedrijvig zijn. Dat verklaarde meteen de aanwezigheid van de baggerbedrijven 

Jan De Nul en DEME. 

Y.P. 

Volgende editie: woensdag 22 februari 2012 

www.groupt-t.com 

On 9 March 2011, GROUP T – International University College organized an 

Entrepreneurs Day again. The entire campus was magically transformed into 

a forum where (Flemish and international) engineering students, teachers and 

entrepreneurs could meet each other at the professional level. This year, there 

was a true rush for the Entrepreneurs Day. No less than 110 companies and 

organizations presented themselves. This occupied all available exhibition space 

and, for the first time ever, GROUP T was forced to turn companies down. 

GROEP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 

9 


China Journey 2011 

An open mind p 

The twelfth edition of the now well-known 

GROUP T – Leuven Engineering College classic 

rallied 165 third-year students this year. They were 

divided into four travel groups and traversed the 

immense country that is China, each group visiting 

four large cities. For Electromechanics students 

there were two new destinations on the program 

this year: Chengdu and Chongqing. There, they 

were hosted by the same number of GROUP T’s 

recent partner universities: University of Electronic 

Science and Technology of China (UESTC) and 

Chongqing University. 

The ramified network of partner universities that GROUP T has 

built up in China over the past 16 years has in the meantime 

already led to various spin-offs. To name just a few: the Joint 

Engineering Programs, in which Chinese students can finish 

their training at GROUP T after one or two years at their home university; 

the Hongzhi Scholarships for talented but less affluent Chinese 

students; the China – GROUP T Academic Alumni Association; the International 

Class at the Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU) that started up 

this academic year; the doctorate and honorary doctorate of GROUP T’s 

president Johan De Graeve at the Beijing Normal University and the 

BJTU, respectively; the first China-Flanders Job Fair for Chinese students 

at GROUP T, and so on. This list must also certainly include the China 

Journey – the annual study trip of third-year Engineering bachelor students. 

Over the past 12 years, about 2,000 engineering students and 

professors have had the opportunity of a two-week immersion in what 

is generally accepted to be the land and the economy of the future. 

Learning experience par excellence 

The China Journey has been considered the greatest and best learning 

experience at GROUP T for years already. The concept was a success 

from the very outset, this much has not changed fundamentally 

over the years. Splitting up into travel groups according to discipline, a 

separate travel itinerary for each group, visiting cities where GROUP T 

has one or more partner universities, involving Chinese students in the 

activities as much as possible, visiting companies, being introduced to 

the great cultural and historical highlights but also to the everyday life 

of the common Chinese Joe, to the local gastronomy and nature and 

mixed in with it a good dose of R & R in which the participants not 

only get to know the Chinese students but also each other. The ties of 

friendship forged during the China Journey are almost legendary. 


All travel groups have started their journey in Shanghai, the most Western 

city of China, and this year was no exception. Not only the largest 

metropolis but also the financial heart of China and the largest port 

in the world. The futuristic Maglev (Magnetic Levitation) train, which 

travels at 400 kph brought everybody from the airport to the city in a 

matter of minutes. A couple of hours after arrival, every student was 

already parading on the Bund promenade with a view of the mighty 

Pudong skyline on the other side of the river. The next morning, there 

was a visit to Pudong scheduled with the Financial Tower (492 m) as 

the highlight. But also old Shanghai with its cluttered alleyways, typical 

temples and the enchanting gardens from the Ming Dynasty were 

not left out. 

After Shanghai, the groups split up. The Chemistry and Biochemistry 

engineering students went to charming Hangzhou first and then to 

imperial Xi’an. The Electronics engineering students first trained to 

the picturesque Suzhou and then to Hangzhou. The Electromechanical 

engineering students, in turn, split up into two groups, one flying to 

the interior to Chengdu and the other to Chongqing. 

Appointment in Beijing 

Highlights in Hangzhou were the famous West Lake, the century-old 

Buddhist temple complex of LingYin, the plantations of China’s best tea 

(the green Longjing) and, last but not least, the colorful KTV (karaoke) 

evening with the Chinese students. 

10 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 


perceives more 

In Suzhou (the Venice of China), Flemish and Chinese students made 

dumplings together and played football. The visit to Xi’an of course 

included the Terracotta army of the first Chinese emperor (the eighth 

wonder of the world), but also the old town centre with the Muslim 

quarter and the famous DeFaChang dumpling restaurant. A cycling 

trip on the city wall concluded this visit. The Electromechanics students 

who, as explained above, were visiting Chengdu for the first 

time were impressed by the cordial reception at the UESTC partner 

university. Also the giant panda nursery visit is etched in memory. 

The Electromechanics students in Chongqing not only visited the old 

Chinese town Ciqihou, but also ventured out on a few cruises on the 

Danning and the Yangtze rivers. 

After a week, all groups met in Beijing, where they were hosted by 

BJTU and the University of Science and Technology. The Forbidden 

City, the Lama Temple and the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, 

Tienan’men Square, the Great Wall, the Olympic stadiums, Peking 

duck in the Quan JuDe restaurant, none of the classics were missing 

from the program. In Beijing, furthermore, the Chemists and Biochemists 

could fraternize with the Chinese students of the International 

Class of GROUP T at BJTU. They were visited there by GROUP T 

president Johan De Graeve. 

High-quality company visits 

The company visits, for the longest time the weak point of the China 

Journey, of the 12th edition were effectively solid and this was true 

for both the Chinese and the Western companies. The Chemistry and 

Biochemistry engineering students were received by Xi’an Janssen, 

one of the first joint ventures in China, founded in 1985 by Dr. Paul 

Janssen from the company by the same name Janssen Pharmaceutica. 

His name is still honored in Xi’an as the savior of the Terracotta Army. 

In Baoding, south of Beijing, the Chemistry and Biochemistry engineering 

students were guests for one day of Jingli Solar, one of the 

largest manufacturers of solar cells and panels in the world. In the 

meantime, the company has become widely known as the main sponsor 

for the previous Football World Cup in South Africa. 

“The China Journey has been 

considered the greatest and best 

learning experience at GROUP T.” 

The Electronics engineering students visited the Siemens Manufacturing 

and Engineering Center in Shanghai and then Technicolor and 

Rigol Electronics in Beijing. Finally, the Electromechanics engineering 

students went to the immense Baosteel in Shanghai, Atlas Copco 

in Wuxi and TianJin Xin He Shipbuilding Heavy Industry where the 

dredging ships of Jan De Nul are built. 

Confucius Institute at GROUP T 

If you are on a two-and-a-half week trip through China for the first 

time there is no getting around the culture shock. This is common 

knowledge. Much of what we have learned about China at home, at 

school or through the media, many of the ideas and images we have 

formed of it, once there, are proved incorrect because they are too 

one sided, too prejudiced or quite commonly entirely wrong. Stereotyping, 

especially at the start of the journey, stands in the way of an 

accurate perception. However, some preparation before leaving can 

remedy this. This is precisely the important contribution of the Confucius 

Institute at GROUP T for the welfare of the project. In the weeks 

leading up to departure, the institute organized a series of four sessions, 

a Taste of China, in which the future travelers to China were 

given an introduction in the Chinese language, culture, gastronomy, 

local (eating) habits and traditions. No academic discourse but practical 

and handy tips to be able to manage on your own as a newcomer 

in China. The most useful advice was probably this: open your mind 

– if possible empty it – so that you can perceive everything that comes 

at you in a detached and open-minded way. An open mind is ready 

to receive everything. 

Y.P. 

http://chinaproject.group-t.com 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 


11 


Onderzoeker in de kijker 

Intelligente robots 

herkennen beelden 

Peter Slaets is intussen twee en een half jaar werkzaam als docent in GROEP T – Leuven Engineering 

College. Binnen zijn opdracht als docent combineert hij het doceren van cursussen binnen de opleiding 

Elektromechanica met een onderzoeksopdracht. Hij studeerde als Burgerlijk Ingenieur af aan de 

K.U.Leuven en behaalde een doctoraat binnen de robotica aan het Departement Werktuigkunde. 

Zijn huidige research ligt in het verlengde van zijn doctoraatsonderzoek dat betrekking had op het 

programmeren van een industriële robot door demonstratie. Via deze techniek wordt de beweging 

van een robot opgenomen en wordt het programma om deze beweging te reproduceren (semi-) 

automatisch gegenereerd. 

Voor zijn lopend onderzoek werkt Peter 

Slaets samen met diverse partners binnen 

de K.U.Leuven (ESAT, PMA) in het 

kader van een GOA BOF-project. De focus 

ligt hierbij op de ontwikkeling van een embedded 

hardware-software-platform voor het aansturen van 

complexe mobile mechatronische systemen. De uitdaging 

bestaat erin om de benodigde rekencapaciteit in 

het mobiele systeem te integreren. Hierbij vormt de 

beeldverwerking op dit ogenblik de grootste uitdaging. 

De toepassingen hiervan in de robotica zijn legio 

(mens-robot interactie, autonome robots, ...). 

In tegenstelling tot de huidige werkwijze, die erin 

bestaat dat vooraf een programma wordt uitgeschreven 

dat precies aanduidt hoe de robot moet bewegen, 

zou de robot via beeldherkenning zelf naar zijn 

doel kunnen gaan of een object vastnemen. Je komt 

op die wijze een stap dichter bij de interactie tussen 

mens en robot. Die beeldherkenning zou je ook in 

andere gevallen kunnen toepassen. Zo is er de vraag 

vanuit de ziekenhuiswereld om de ziekenhuisgangen 

met “intelligente” camera’s te bewaken. 

Open Source software 

“In onze onderzoeksgroep werken we bijna uitsluitend 

met Open Source software. Dit is voor mij een principieel 

statement. De universiteit en het wetenschappelijk 

onderzoek moeten terug aansluiten bij de traditie 

van openheid en verspreiding van de kennis. De Open 

Source laat dit toe, in tegenstelling tot de huidige praktijk 

van vermarkting en patentering, waardoor de kennis 

voor een beperkte kring wordt voorbehouden.” 

In dat kader werd in februari jl. een congres georganiseerd 

over “Open Universiteit”, waarin andere 

benaderingen om onderwijs te geven, aan bod kwamen. 

Als een van de good practices werd verwezen 

naar de MIT Universiteit, die een eigen OpenCourse- 

Ware heeft opgestart, waarin volledige cursussen, 

lezingen enz. worden ter beschikking gesteld. 

Onderzoek en lesopdracht van Peter Slaets zijn nauw 

met elkaar verbonden. Binnen GROEP T doceert hij 

“Embedded Control Systems”. Het is vanzelfsprekend 

dat de inhoud van dit vak wordt gestoffeerd vanuit 

zijn onderzoek. Daarenboven groeit het aantal 

masterproeven dat hierbij aansluit. Een eerste thesis 

heeft “visual serving” als onderwerp. Daarin wordt 

onderzocht hoe een robot kan aangestuurd worden 

door herkenning van een object via een camerabeeld. 

Een tweede thesis betreft de ontwikkeling 

van een “bedweegschaal” voor zieken- en rusthuizen. 

In de verpleging wordt men vaak geconfronteerd 

met het probleem van ondervoeding, dat soms 

te laat wordt onderkend. Vandaar de vraag om een 

betaalbare bedweegschaal te ontwikkelen waarmee 

het gewicht van de patiënt in het oog kan gehouden 

worden. Hiervoor moet dus een meetsysteem ontwikkeld 

worden. 

Via verder onderzoek naar de detectie van beweging 

in het bed zijn er nog andere toepassingen mogelijk. 

Zo denkt men aan een preventiesysteem voor doorligwonden, 

een controlesysteem om na te gaan hoe 

lang iemand in een rusthuis bijvoorbeeld ’s nachts 

zijn bed verlaat, de meting van epileptische aanvallen 

tijdens de nacht wanneer de patiënt droomt, 

om toe te laten de medicatie aan te passen op basis 

van de gewichtsevolutie. Voor de ontwikkeling van 

deze toepassingen wordt een Technologie Transfer 

(TETRA) project opgezet in samenwerking met een 

aantal bedrijven, zoals KMO’s die zich gespecialiseerd 

hebben in meettechnologie en in grafische interfaces 

en producenten van ziekenhuisbedden. “We werken 

voor dit project eveneens samen met de collega’s van 

Biomechanica aan de K.U.Leuven. Bij GROEP T is het 

contact met collega’s direct en informeel. Je weet 

waar de anderen mee bezig zijn zodat je snel ook 

de mogelijke opportuniteiten en mogelijkheden tot 

synergie te weten komt”. 

Jan Jaspers 

http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/The_role_of_ 

universities_in_the_%22open_content%22_world 

http://ppw.kuleuven.be/english/ecs/curating-eur-univ 

Peter Slaets has been working as a lecturer for 

GROUP T – Leuven Engineering College for two 

and a half years now. Within his commission as 

a lecturer, he combines teaching courses in the 

Electromechanics program with a research assignment. 

He graduated as a civil engineer from the 

K.U.Leuven and obtained his doctoral degree in 

robotics from the Mechanics Department. His current 

research lies in the extension of his doctoral 

research which entailed programming an industrial 

robot through demonstration. This technique 

involves recording the movement of a robot while 

the programming required to reproduce this 

movement is generated (semi-)automatically. 

Dr. ir. Peter Slaets 

programmeert 

intelligente robots. 


12 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 


Dr. ir. Pauwel Goethals, winnaar 

van de Best Demo Award tijdens 

de 11th Dutch Belgian Haptics 

Network Meeting. 

Winnaar Best Haptics Demo Award 2011 

Onderzoek op de tast 

‘Een tactiel terugkoppelingssysteem voor minimaal invasieve robotchirurgie’. Dat is wat dr. ir. Pauwel Goethals 

ontwikkelde in het kader van zijn doctoraatsonderzoek. In gewone mensentaal gaat het om technologie die 

chirurgen tijdens teleoperaties letterlijk gevoel in de vingers geeft. Met zijn opstelling won Pauwel op 8 maart 

2011 de Best Demo Award tijdens de 11th Dutch Belgian Haptics Network Meeting aan de K.U.Leuven. 

Pauwel is sinds 2 jaar praktijkassistent bij 

GROEP T. In de ingenieursopleiding Elektromechanica 

verzorgt hij de hoorcolleges 

Aandrijfsystemen/Drive systems en de oefeningen 

Statica. Tevens is hij nauw betrokken bij de 

Engineering Experiences 2 (Reverse Engineering) en 

4 (bouwen van een minizonnewagen). Binnen zijn 

afdeling coördineert hij eveneens de Engineering 

Experiences, d.i. de bachelorproef. Daarnaast heeft 

Pauwel ook een onderzoeksopdracht. Hij werkt o.m. 

mee aan het Crossroads Project dat de coöperatie tussen 

bedrijven en kennisinstellingen wil bevorderen 

via gezamenlijke projecten. En met een onderneming 

in New York hoopt hij binnenkort een alternatief prototype 

te bouwen voor de tactiele sensor die hij ontwikkelde 

tijdens zijn doctoraatswerk. 

Opereren op afstand 

In de moderne chirurgie wordt hoe langer hoe meer 

een beroep gedaan op robots. Het gaat daarbij in 

de meeste gevallen om minimaal invasieve ingrepen 

waarbij één of meerdere instrumenten in het lichaam 

van de patiënt ingebracht worden zonder dat er 

groot snijwerk aan te pas komt zoals in de conventionele 

open chirurgie het geval is. “De instrumenten 

worden bediend door een robot die op zijn beurt 

aangestuurd wordt door de chirurg”, vertelt Pauwel. 

“Je kunt het vergelijken met een afstandsbediening. 

Via joysticks voert de chirurg de nodige operatieve 

handelingen uit. De robot vertaalt die bewegingen 

naar de instrumenten. Op 3D-beelden krijgt de chirurg 

te zien hoe de ingreep verloopt. Zulke teleoperatie 

laat de chirurg toe intuïtiever en ergonomischer 

te werken en uiteindelijk ook precieser en veiliger. 

De robot voert immers feilloos en onvermoeibaar uit 

wat de chirurg wil dat gebeurt.” 

Toch is er een serieuze beperking. De chirurg voelt niet 

wat hij doet. Er is enkel visuele terugkoppeling, geen 

fysieke. Pauwels doctoraatswerk bestond er precies in 

om tastzin te creëren, m.a.w. de chirurg te laten aanvoelen 

wat er tijdens de operatie gebeurt. “Dit geeft 

de robotchirurgie een grote meerwaarde”, vervolgt 

Pauwel. “De chirurg kan voortaan weefsels en zenuwen 

betasten of verborgen aders of tumoren ontdekken 

die niet altijd zichtbaar zijn maar die je tijdens de 

ingreep wel tactiel op het spoor kunt komen.” 

Levensechte robotchirurgie 

Het tactiele terugkoppelingssysteem van Pauwel 

bestaat uit twee apparaten: een tactiele sensor en 

een tactiele display. Daarover geeft hij de volgende 

uitleg: “De sensor is een robotvinger waarvan het 

uiteinde gevoelig is. De informatie die dit apparaatje 

detecteert, wordt teruggekoppeld naar de joystick. 

Aan de vinger van de chirurg bevindt zich de tactiele 

display. Dit is een toestel met kleine pinnetjes die op en 

neer gaan en maken dat je de informatie die de sensor 

registreert in het lichaam van de patiënt kunt aanvoelen. 

Voorlopig is het doel slechts één vinger te laten 

voelen, maar meerdere vingers is in principe niet uitgesloten. 

Zo wordt het mogelijk om de robotchirurgie 

nog meer ‘levensecht’ te maken.” 

“De chirurg kan voortaan 

weefsels en zenuwen 

betasten of verborgen 

aders of tumoren 

ontdekken.” 

Dat de bijkomende tactiele informatie tot een extra 

belasting van het systeem zou leiden, wordt door Pauwel 

ontkend. “Tactiele data wegen beduidend minder 

zwaar dan visuele. Het tactiel ‘beeld’ dat doorgestuurd 

moet worden heeft uiteindelijk maar een beperkte 

resolutie, hooguit een honderdtal elementen. Er is wel 

een hogere frequentie vereist dan bij beelden, maar er 

is minder tijd nodig. Kortom, met de tactiele informatie 

erbij, krijg je zeker geen vertragingen.” 

Kleppen en pinnetjes 

Tijdens de 11th Dutch Belgian Haptics Network 

Meeting demonstreerde Pauwel een display met 

32 pinnetjes in een 4 x 8 matrix. “De pinnetjes worden 

pneumatisch aangestuurd met kleppen die de 

luchtdruk regelen. Ik maakte gebruik van commerciële 

kleppen. Die hebben het nadeel dat ze groot 

en lawaaierig zijn – wat zeker niet ideaal is in een 

operatiekamer – maar ook qua bandbreedte zitten 

ze op het randje. Ik hoop ooit zelf mijn onderzoek 

naar nieuwe, betere kleppen te finaliseren. Je hebt 

er gemakkelijk 100 nodig om voldoende pinnetjes 

aan te sturen. Dat is stof voor een nieuw doctoraat.” 

Pauwel ontving de ‘Best Demo Award’ uit handen 

van het Dutch Belgian Haptics Network, dit is 

een organisatie van diverse onderzoeksgroepen in 

Nederland en België die met haptische technologie 

en research bezig zijn. “Het is een erg breed en gevarieerd 

toepassingsveld over alles wat met gevoel en 

tastzin te maken heeft”, aldus Pauwel. “Van krachtterugkoppeling 

en interactie met machines tot trillingen 

en textuur. Elk jaar komen de leden van het 

netwerk bij elkaar om hun activiteiten en vorderingen 

te presenteren en te bespreken.” 

In maart 2011 was het Departement Werktuigkunde 

van de K.U.Leuven de gastheer. Zeven demonstratieopstellingen 

dongen mee naar de Award, gesponsord 

door MOOg, een Nederlands bedrijf dat onder andere 

haptische joysticks ontwikkelt die kracht kunnen leveren. 

De jury, bestaande uit prof. Y. Yokokohji van de 

Kobe University in Japan en Piet Lamertse van Moog, 

trad doortastend op en riep Pauwel uit tot winnaar. 

“A tactile feedback system for minimally invasive 

robot surgery.” This is what Dr. Pauwel Goethals 

developed in the framework of his doctoral 

research. In layman’s terms, it is a technology that 

literally gives surgeons feeling in the fingers during 

tele-operations. On 8 March 2011, his installation 

won Pauwel the Best Demo Award at the 

11th Dutch Belgian Haptics Network Meeting at 

the K.U.Leuven. 

Y.P. 


13 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 


Leerbelevenissen in de ingenieursopleiding 

Vier op een rij in 

Engineering Experience 3 

Naarmate de opleiding vordert, worden ingenieursstudenten gestimuleerd tot het creëren van “Stuff that 

really Works”. In de tweede fase van de opleiding wordt daarmee een aanvang genomen in het Engineering 

Experience 3-project. Een goede voorbereiding vormden alvast de twee EE-projecten in de eerste fase. 

Dit zijn interdisciplinaire leerbelevenissen waarin studenten in teamverband uitdagende projecten realiseren. 

Al doende verwerven ze de bekwaamheden van een ingenieur volgens het 5 E-opleidingsmodel van GROEP T. 

De opdracht die de studenten kregen, luidde 

kort en bondig: bouw een machine die 

werkt met sensoren, aangestuurd wordt 

door een PC en interageert met de buitenwereld. 

Een vijftigtal teams werkten gedurende het 

eerste semester aan “hun” project. Zij werden hierbij 

gecoached door hun docenten. Aan het einde van 

het semester leverden zij een product af dat effectief 

moest werken. Daarenboven onderzochten zij de 

kostprijs ervan om zo later ook de link te kunnen leggen 

naar de economische haalbaarheid van een creatie. 

De projecten werden voorgelegd aan een jury van 

docenten en assistenten van GROEP T, die 10 in het 

oog springende realisaties nomineerde. In deze top 

10 kwamen projecten voor als: een cocktailmachine 

die automatisch drankjes mengt, een brandweerwagen 

die uitgerust is met een webcam, een plotter 

waarmee je ook op een hobbelige ondergrond kan 

tekenen,… kortom telkens heel creatieve en vaak 

speelse en ludieke invullingen. Eén ding hadden ze 

alle gemeen: ze werkten ook effectief. 

… and the winner is… 

opgelost hebt, loop je er weer een ander tegen het 

lijf. Zo hebben we bijvoorbeeld lang gezocht naar 

een foutje in het programma. Als je dan de oplossing 

vindt, ben je natuurlijk erg fier.” Dat maakt zo’n project 

echter ook tot een fijne vorm van leren. “Je moet 

zelf op zoek gaan naar oplossingen voor de problemen 

die je ontmoet en je leert flexibel en creatief 

te zijn want als iets niet werkt, moet je wat anders 

uitproberen, tot het lukt.” 

Ze hebben als groep veel aan elkaar gehad, hoewel 

ze elkaar in het begin niet zo goed kenden. Elkaars 

kwaliteiten leren kennen, was een belangrijke fase in 

het vormen van een hecht team. Dat ervaarde Mattijs 

als een van zijn belangrijkste opdrachten als teamleider. 

“Daarnaast vond ik een goede coördinatie van 

de taken essentieel. Wij vonden oorspronkelijk dat 

iedereen van alle ontwikkelingen van het project op 

de hoogte moest zijn. In de praktijk bleek dat niet zo 

nuttig of noodzakelijk te zijn en was het belangrijker 

dat iedereen voldoende informatie had om zijn of 

haar deeltaak uit te voeren. Als teamleider vond ik het 

wel belangrijk om het overzicht te houden.” 

De stap van werktekeningen tot realisatie was boeiend 

maar niet eenvoudig. Stap voor stap leerden zij 

het ontwerpprogramma LabVIEW grondig kennen 

en konden zij daardoor hun oorspronkelijk ontwerp 

vóór de definitieve realisatie goed bijsturen. Het 

bouwen zelf gaf hun veel voldoening, omdat ze aan 

den lijve konden ondervinden hoe hun theoretisch 

ontwerp vorm kreeg. In de eindfase werd nog met 

cijfers gegoocheld. Silke: “We leerden hoe je de kostprijs 

van de ontwikkeling van een nieuw apparaat 

tot in de details berekent. We kwamen daarbij ook 

tot de verrassende vaststelling dat mijn uren goedkoper 

aangerekend werden dan deze van mijn mannelijke 

medestudenten. Ook voor ingenieurs is er dus 

nog lang geen gelijk loon voor gelijk werk!”. 

De eindconclusie is voor deze studenten unaniem positief. 

Ze hebben beter leren samenwerken, maar ze hebben 

ook geleerd om realistische doelen te stellen. Ze 

kijken uit naar de volgende Engineering Experiences. 

Jan Jaspers 

De 10 geselecteerde projecten werden bij de aanvang 

van het tweede semester in het Atrium van 

Campus Vesalius aan het publiek getoond. Ieder 

bezoeker bracht zijn stem uit op het origineelste, 

interessantste, meest verrassende project. En de winnaar 

was het team “Tengja Fjörir”. 

Dieter Bulens, Tim Delcol, Silke Ghijs, Joris Aper, Gaëtan 

Rans en Mattijs Plettinx vormden samen het team dat 

het object met de vreemde naam uitwerkte. Die verwijst 

naar het gezelschapsspel “Vier op ’n Rij’, maar 

dan vertaald naar het IJslands, omdat dat zo mooi 

klinkt. Zo gaan poëzie, marketing en techniek hand 

in hand: een in het oog springende naam verheft het 

gekende gezelschapsspel tot een exotisch hebbeding. 

As the program progresses, engineering students are stimulated to create “Stuff that really Works.” The second 

phase of the program gets the show on the road with the Engineering Experience 3 project. The two EE projects 

of the first phase were in any case a decent preparation. These are the interdisciplinary learning experiences 

in which students accomplish challenging projects as a team. Through immersion, they acquire the skills of an 

engineer according to GROUP T’s 5E program model. 


14 

“Je moet zelf op zoek gaan 

naar oplossingen voor de 

problemen die je ontmoet 

en je leert flexibel en 

creatief te zijn.” 

“Nochtans was het niet vanaf het begin duidelijk wat 

we zouden maken”, zegt teamleider Mattijs. “Een 

brainstorm leverde een groot aantal mogelijkheden 

op, maar de definitieve impuls werd gegeven door 

Jelle, een medestudent van GROEP T, die suggereerde 

om een geautomatiseerde versie van Vier op ’n Rij 

te maken”. Aan motivatie ontbrak het niet: iedereen 

vond het een geweldige uitdaging om zelf iets ‘uit 

te vinden’ en te bouwen. Vanuit die gedrevenheid 

vonden ze elkaar snel en ontdekten ze dat elk van de 

leden vanuit zijn of haar interesse een eigen bijdrage 

kon leveren. De wetenschap dat er nog een ander 

team met hetzelfde idee aan de slag was gegaan, 

scherpte de concurrentie aan en verhoogde de drang 

om het beste project uit te werken. 

Flexibel en creatief 

Nochtans liep het proces niet over rozen. Dieter, 

de programmeur van dienst: “Als je een probleem 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 

Dieter Bulens, Tim Delcol, Joris Aper, 

Gaëtan Rans en Mattijs Plettinx, winnaars 

van de Engineering Experience 3. 


Wetenschapscommunicatie bij GROEP T 

Veel groen op de Solar Olympics 

Hoe maken we jongeren bewust voor de mogelijkheden van groene energie? En hoe stimuleren we hen om 

te kiezen voor een technologische of wetenschappelijke richting in het hoger onderwijs? Eén manier is de 

organisatie van een wedstrijd waarin ze uitgedaagd worden om een gadget te ontwerpen en te bouwen op 

zonne-energie: de Solar Olympics. 

Vijfenzestig teams van jongeren gingen deze 

uitdaging aan en stuurden een ontwerp in. 

De 30 meest belovende kregen een zonnepaneel, 

een budget van 100 euro en begeleiding 

door het Solar Team om hun ontwerp ook 

effectief te bouwen. Na een jaar zweten en zwoegen 

stelden de jongeren trots hun gadget voor tijdens de 

finaledag op woensdag 11 mei 2011. 

De finaledag van deze 7 de editie startte met een 

workshop waarin alle leerlingen de kans kregen om 

zelf een zonnepaneeltje in elkaar te knutselen. Met 

enkele zonnecellen, een soldeerbout en wat handigheid 

kon een paneel gemaakt worden dat een LEDlampje 

kon laten oplichten. Met deze ervaring rijker 

beantwoordden de teams de vragen van de vakjury, 

die elk gadget beoordeelde op drie basiscriteria: 

• economisch: is het interessant om dit gadget op 

de markt te brengen? Is de productiekost van het 

gadget niet te hoog? 

• technisch: zit het gadget technologisch goed in 

mekaar? Is de mechanische afwerking top? Is het 

elektrische circuit doordacht? Zijn er inventieve 

oplossingen bedacht voor technische problemen? 

• creatief: hoe is het gadget ingekleed? Is er creatief 

omgesprongen met materialen? Is het idee origineel? 

De Technologieprijs, waarmee de vakjury het meest 

technische hoogstandje onder de gadgets beloont, 

ging naar het team De Padvinders uit het VTI in 

Veurne dat een GPS bouwde. Deze high-tech GPS is 

uitgerust met zelfgeprogrammeerde software waarmee 

je achteraf het gewandelde traject kan bekijken 

via Google Earth. 

Het best verkoopbare product vond de vakjury de 

‘Rain Air’ van team ECOgreen uit het PTI te Eeklo. 

Zij maken komaf met allergieën want de ‘Rain Air’ 

zuivert de lucht van stof en pollen door middel van 

regen. Bovendien wordt de lucht bevochtigd en van 

een aangename geur voorzien. 

De vakjury koos als origineelste gadget ‘A Closet’ 

ontworpen door het enthousiaste vrouwenteam 

MACE van het Immaculata-instituut in De Panne. Zij 

ontwierpen een zeer mooi afgewerkte dressing met 

roterende kapstokken en LED-verlichting. 

Dr. Katleen Lodewyckx 

How do we make young people aware of the possibilities 

of green energy? And how do we stimulate 

them to choose a technological or scientific program 

in higher education? One way is to organize 

a competition that challenges them to design and 

build a gadget on solar energy: the Solar Olympics. 

REALIA 

NIEUWE BESTUURDERS BIJ GROEP T 

Dr. H. Vinod Bhat, Pro Vice-Chancellor van de Manipal 

University (Indië) 

Dr. Satyanarayana Beela, Vice-Chancellor van de 

Andhra University (Indië) 

Prof. Dr. ir. Wim Desmet, Gewoon hoogleraar 

K.U.Leuven 

OP STUDIEDAG 


V. Bloemen (unit Leven) nam deel aan:’Gateway to 

innovators’, georganiseerd door Biomedia in Eindhoven 

op 07.04.11. 

Y. Cauwerts (ICT-dienst) woonde de Microsoft Tech Days 

bij van 04.02 tot 26.04.11 in Antwerpen. 

P. Daman (HR-dienst) nam deel aan ‘Leiderschap en NLP’ 

bij Ubeon in Wetteren op 11.01.11. 

J. De Graeve (Gedelegeerd Bestuurder) was keynote 

speaker op de CDIO Regional Conference aan Beijing 

Jiaotong University op 08 en 09.05.11. 

S. De Jonge (unit Materie), Hu Yunhao (unit Informatie), 

W. Polet (International Officer) en S. Geuns (ICT-dienst) 

namen deel aan de CDIO Regional Conference in Beijing 

op 08 en 09.05.11. 

C. De Jonghe (unit Materie) nam deel aan ‘Verder 

studeren: ambitie gecoacht’ bij de Associatie K.U.Leuven 

op 02 en 03.03.11. 

P. Delcourt (Facility manager) nam deel aan: 

- de vormingssessies ‘Energiecoördinator’ bij het Departement 

Onderwijs van 02 tot 04.02.11; 

- ‘Optimale ondersteuning van Hoger Onderwijs’ aan de 

Associatie K.U.Leuven op 04.05.11; 

- ‘Beheer van gebouwen’ bij het Centrum Duurzaam 

Bouwen in Heusden-Zolder op 10.05.11. 

B. De Schutter (unit Informatie) nam deel aan: 

- ‘2011 AERA Annual Meeting’ bij de American Educational 

Research Association in New Orleans op 08.04.11; 

- ‘SIGCHI.be event’ in Hasselt op 31.01.11. 

W. Dewulf (unit Energie) nam deel aan de ‘LCE 2011 

net CO2PE Workshop’ aan de Technische Universität 

Braunschweg op 02.04.11. 

W. Dewulf, Tan Ye en K. Kiekens (Unit Energie) namen 

deel aan het International Symposium on Digital Industrial 

Radiology in Berlijn op 20.06.11. 

D. Fabré (ICT manager) nam deel aan: 

- ‘In touch with the cloud’ bij Real Dolmen in Oostende 

op 05.04.11; 

- ‘IPVG Workshop’ bij Belnet in Brussel op 01.04.11; 

- ‘Belnet Security Conference’ bij Belnet op 05.05.11. 

A. François (unit Materie) nam deel aan: 

- ‘ Nieuwe toepassingen met polymeren’ bij VIK op 

16.02.11; 

- ‘Duurzame chemie vanuit biomassa’ bij KVIV op 

10.02.11; 

- ‘Themadag Dutch Design’ bij Microcentrum Eindhoven 

op 22.02.11; 

- ‘Prijsstijging van grondstoffen en energie’ bij Federplast 

op 23.03.11. 

L. Geurts en L. Vanden Audenaeren (unit Informatie) 

namen deel aan de Conferentie TEI 2011 aan de University 

of Madeira op 23.06. 

I. Ilsbroux (Algemeen Beheerder) nam deel aan: 

- ‘International Technology, Education and Development’ 

aan de University of Valencia op 07.03.11; 

- ‘ACQA: Academic Competences and Quality Control’ 

aan de K.U.Leuven op 13.01 en 08.02.11; 

- ‘Cinbios Workshop’ bij Flanders Bio in Gent op 

03.02.11. 

J. Jaspers (cultuurcoördinator) nam deel aan ‘Dag van de 

cultuureducatie’ in Gent op 25.01.11. 

E. Sammels (unit Leven) nam deel aan: 

- ‘International Technology, Education and Development’ 

aan de University of Valencia op 07.03.11; 

- ‘Inleiding tot enquêtering’ aan de K.U.Leuven op 

26.04.11; 

- ‘Learning outcomes’ bij VLIR en VLHORA in Brussel op 

04.03.11. 

J. Van der Velpen (ICT-dienst) nam deel aan: 

- ‘Seminar Red Hat Enterprise Linux Release 6’ bij Real 

Dolmen op 11.01.11; 

- ‘Reducing the ecological footprint of the Internet’ bij 

LeuvenInc. op 03.03.11. 

CQS-GROUP T Racing Team nam deel aan het congres 

‘Future Powertrains & Clean Mobility aan de TU Eindhoven 

op 16 en 17.05.11. 

L. Vandeurzen (unit Informatie) nam deel aan: 

- ‘Academic-2-business Matchmaking Event’ bij DSP 

Valley op 15.03.11; 

- ‘Transitiearea 2011’ bij DEWOBO op 06.04.11. 

K. Van Hoegaerden (Dienst Communicatie) nam deel 

aan de CEFR Conference for Teachers’ bij British Council 

Brussels op 29.04.11. 

G. Van Loock (unit Informatie) nam deel aan: 

- ‘Thermal management of electronic cooling’ bij IMEC op 

02 en 03.03.11; 

- ‘Design of multistage operational amplifiers’ bi IMEC op 

31.03.11; 

- ‘Analog Design-Class AB and driven amplifiers’ bij IMEC 

op 15.05.11. 

J. Van Maele (unit communicatie) nam deel aan: 

- Partner meetingUniversity/Business’ bij CEFCULT aan de 

Milton Keynes Open University op 05.04.11; 

- ‘Ethics in language Testing and Assessment’ bij EATLTA 

in Siena op 05.05.11; 

- ‘Language Identity and Intercultural Communications 

Conference’ in London op 09.06.11. 

B. Van Hooreweder (unit Energie) nam deel aan 

‘Modern Metal Fatique Analysis’ bij Safe Technology in 

Sheffield van 09 tot 11.05.11. 

GASTDOCENTEN 


R. Boechout, Bayer-Antwerpen: ‘REACH’ (27.04.11). 

F. Carrera, professor ISEG Technical University: ‘Networking’ 

(25.03.11). 

S. Chen, strategy director Universal Communication: 

‘Advertising’ (27.04.11). 

L. Coeck, R & D Umicore-Olen: ‘Recyclage van batterijen’ 

(18.05.11). 

B. Croes, communication manager Umicore-Olen: 

‘Duurzaam ondernemen (28.02.11). 

S. de Gheldere, founder-CEA: ‘Natural capitalism’ 

(07.03.11). 

L. Dusar, projectmanager Livingston-Leuven: ‘Intercultural 

project collaboration’ (23.02.11). 

S. Ghysens, directeur Enviro +: “Milieuzorgsystemen’ 

(27.04.11). 

S. Gillis, adviseur Essencia: ‘Kunstoffen voor duurzaamheid’ 

(08.03.11). 

K. Goyvaert, consultant BIG: ‘Business Intelligence’ 

(25.03.11). 

I. Craye, manager Carrefour Belgium: ‘SAP’ (25.03.11). 

I. Ben Al-Lal, projectmanager FUTECH: ‘Ondernemerschap’ 

(28.03.11). 

E. Lismont, corporate account AXA: ‘Intercultural 

Management sessions’ (08.03.11). 

J. Robert, dossierbeheerder Acerta: ‘Starting up your 

company’ (01.04.11). 

G. Scheys, secretaris generaal Essencia: ‘Kunststoffen’ 

(09.03.11). 

P. Smets, projectmanager Phidata: ‘Automatische 

identificatie’ (04.03.11). 

P. Van Geel, projectmanager FUTECH: ‘Ondernemerschap’ 

(22.02.11). 

G. Van Leemput, sales engineer Elscolab: ‘Viscositeit’ 

(03.05.11). 

K. Verstreken, directeur Life Sciences IMEC: ‘Bioelectronics’ 

(31.01.11). 

EXTERNE ACTIVITEITEN - BEDRIJFSBEZOEKEN 


BEDRIJFSBEZOEKEN 1ste bac 

Groep: 

1. Echo – Huthalen (17.03) 

2. Henrad – Herentals (29.03) 

3. Daf Trucks – Oevel (08.04) 

4. Tessenderlo- Chemie – Tessenerlo (27.04) 

5. Tyco Electronics – Kessel-Lo (15.03) 

6. B.E.S.T. – Leuven (18.03) 

7. Pittsburgh Corning Europe – Tessenderlo (04.04) 

8. Beneo Remy – Wijgmaal (25.03) 

9. Keramo-Steinzeug – Hasselt (14.03) 

10. Rettig Belgium – Zonhoven (28.03) 

11. Continental Automotive Benelux – Mechelen (08.03) 

12. Niko – Sint-Niklaas (31.03) 

13. BP Amoco – Geel (07.04) 

14. VCST – Sint-Truiden (25.03) 

15. Arcelor Mittal – Genk (03.03) 

16. Baltimore Aircoil – Heist-op-den-Berg (21.03) 

CHINA JOURNEY (02 – 20.04.11) 

Organisatie: China Project Team 

Shanghai 

Siemens Manufacturing and Engineering Centre (06.04) 

Atlas Copco (06.04) 

Bao Steel (07.04) 

Belgian Consulate (06.04) 

Suzhou 

Suzhou Vocational School (07.04) 

Hangzhou 

Zhejiang University of Technology (07 en 08.04) 

Xi’an 

Xidian University (10.04) 

Janssen Pharmaceutics (12.04) 

Chengdu 

University of Electronic Science and Technology – China 

(08.04) 

ChongQing – Yichang 

ChongQing University (09.04) 

Chjang’an Automobile Corp. (11.04) 

Three Gorges Dam (14.04) 

Beijing 

Beijing Jiaotong University (14.04) 

University of Science and Technology Beijing (13.04) 

YingLi Solar (13.04) 

Belgian Embassy (13.04) 

Rigol (15.04) 

Technicolor (14.04) 

TianJin XinHe Shipbuilding Heavy Industry (15 en 16.04) 

DUITSLAND (04 – 07.04.11) 

Organisatie: K. Pelsmaekers (unit Informatie) 

EON Kraftwerk Buschhaus – Schöningen (04.04) 

Volkswagen – Wolfsburg (05.04) 

Stage Tec – Berlijn (07.04) 

DUITSLAND (04 – 09.04.11) 

Organisatie: R. Van Opstal (unit Energie) 

Thyssen Krupp Stahl – Duisburg (04.04) 

Volkswagen – Wolfsburg (05.04) 

Rolls Royce – Dahlewitz (06.04) 

Würfel Kunststofftechnik – Velten (08.04) 

DENEMARKEN (04 – 09.04.11) 

Organisatie: R. Van Opstal (unit Energie) 

Unisign-Panningen (04.04) 

HDW-Kiel (05.04) 

EADS-Finkenwerder (06.04) 

LM Wind Power – Lunderskov (08.04) 

OVERIGE BEDRIJFSBEZOEKEN 

Best Sorting – Leuven (08.04). 

Organisatie: R. Caubergs (unit Energie). 

Volvo Trucks – Gent (04.04). 

Organisatie: R. Caubergs (unit Energie) 

Atlas Copco – Wilrijk (05.04). 


C4 Power – Mechelen (08.04). 

Organisatie R. Caubergs (unit Energie). 

ASCO – Brussel (07.04). 


KARDINAAL MERCIER INSTITUUT 

D'ANETHANSTRAAT 33 

1030 BRUSSEL 

T 02 216 21 96 

F 02 245 68 65 

INFO@KMERCIER.WENK.BE 

WWW.KMERCIER.WENK.BE 

INEOS Oxides en Fenol – Zwijndrecht (03.05). 

Organisatie: A. Deschuytere (unit Materie). 

Remy Industries – Wijgmaal (07.05). 

Organisatie: I. Holsbeeks (unit Leven). 

Biomedia Congres – Eindhoven (07.05). 


Congres: Micro-organisms in human nutrition – Brussel 

(29.04). Organisatie: I. Holsbeeks (unit Leven). 

Congres: Knowledge for growth – Gent (05.05). 


OP BEZOEK 

Delegaties uit China: 

University of Electronic Science & Technology China – 

Chengdu (20-27.02.11). O.l.v. prof. Ma Lan, Vice-Dean 

School of Automation Engineering. 

ChongQing University (28-29.04.11). O.l.v. prof. Yang 

Dan, Vice President. 

University of Electronic Science & Technology China- 

Chengdu (10.05.11). O.l.v. prof. Wang Zhiqiang, 

Chairman of University Council. 

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 

20 ste jaar gang, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 

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, Wwim Polet, 

Ingrid Ilsbroux, Jan Jaspers, Christophe Van de 

Weygert, 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/2011/2134/4 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 


15 


Students from the School of 

Automation Engineering of 

the University of Electronic 

Science & Technology – China 

were GROUP T’s guests. 

International students in the spotlight 

Total immersion in studying 

at GROUP T 

In past years, GROUP T – International University College Leuven has built an extensive network in China. 

Agreements have been concluded with more than 30 universities across the country for the exchange of 

students, faculty, programs and expertise. One of GROUP T’s more recent partners is the University 

of Electronic Science & Technology – China (UESTC) in Chengdu (Central China). In late February 2011, 

20 students from the School of Automation Engineering were GROUP T’s guests. 


16 

The delegation of UESTC was led by Prof. Ma 

Lan, Vice Dean of the School of Automation 

Engineering, and Mr. Nie Wenkai, coordinator 

of the Office of International Cooperation 

and Exchange. “The purpose of our visit is simple”, 

Prof. Ma explains. “We literally and figuratively want 

to immerse our students in life and studies at GROUP T. 

For most of them it is the first time traveling abroad. 

So it was evident to opt for a university college that 

is very familiar both with China and with hosting and 

integrating Chinese students. During our visit we talked 

at great length with GROUP T students – both Flemish 

and international – as well as with teachers, researchers, 

managers and members of the board of directors. 

We visited the auditoriums, the laboratories and the 

Confucius Institute at GROUP T. We were introduced 

to the Industria student movement as well as to the 

student council. We also met the noted GROUP T Solar 

Team, a group of students building a revolutionary 

solar energy racing car to participate in the World Solar 

Challenge in Australia in October. Another interesting 

team is the CQS-GROUP T Racing Team that turns oldtimers 

into environmentally-friendly racing cars. We 

were also invited to the STUK arts center in Leuven. 

We visited a brewery. And in GROUP T’s student bar we 

fraternized with the GROUP T students .” 

Internationalization as a lever 

UESTC is not exactly a small university. The two 

immense campuses are home to no fewer than 

15 schools among which five key national laboratories. 

Seventeen thousand students from all over China 

live and study there. “Since recently, our university has 

resolutely been following the international route”, 

Nie Wenkai says. “China has a lot of momentum 

going, not only nationally but also in the rest of the 

world. So we don’t want to miss the train. International 

cooperation is a crucial lever for increasing 

the quality of education and improving the employability 

of graduates. It pushes you to pitch yourself 

against the best of the world. GROUP T, as the gateway 

to Europe, plays an important role in this. So far, 

only one UESTC student has found his way to Leuven. 

As of next year, we want that to be different. This 

jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011 

visit is part of a broader awareness-raising campaign 

to warm up our students to studying abroad.” 

Welcome to another world 

Wang Xinglu is one of the few students who is not 

from the School of Automation Engineering. She is a 

junior studying English. By her own account, she has 

never been to Europe, but has dreamed of doing so 

her entire life. “I know that there are many excellent 

universities in Europe”, she says. “But there are also 

fantastic art cities with impressive monuments, museums 

and squares. This visit is a sort of scouting mission 

for me: I want to see how people live and study here 

so that I’m prepared as best I can be when I go abroad 

myself.” In any case, Wang Xinglu is very excited 

about Leuven: “Small, snug and pleasant with friendly 

people and striking buildings and churches.” 

“The study environment 

at GROUP T is precisely 

the reflection of the 

professional context that 

you will find yourself in as 

an engineer.” 

Roxi is studying Testing Technology and Instruments. 

She, too, is enthusiastic about going abroad. “Belgium 

is completely different from China”, she finds. 

“It is really a different world. I particularly like the 

architecture, not only in Leuven but also in Brussels 

we visited for a day. The people are very helpful. We 

were able to see that the Leuven students work hard 

and are focused on their studies.” 

Engineers and entrepreneurs 

Li Zhixun also studies Testing Technology at the 

School of Automation Engineering. For him, it is his 

first journey abroad. “Something I noticed immediately 

is how clean, safe and organized everything is 

here”, he says. “And how friendly the people are. 

What is also entirely different from China is the 

teaching method. Less detached and theoretical, 

more contact with the professors and everything very 

focused on professional practice. GROUP T engineers 

are not only technologists but also entrepreneurs. 

For everything they design or make, they examine 

whether there is a market for it. That’s great. For that 

reason alone, I would love to study at GROUP T.” 

Andy has a friend studying in France who encouraged 

him to go abroad as well. “My purpose is to 

learn as much as possible there and then to share all 

that knowledge and experience with my friends in 

China.” “Crazy and amazing”, is how he describes his 

visit to GROUP T. The busy night life of the students in 

Leuven especially fascinates him. And, let’s not forget 

the excellent Belgian beer. “A must. If I can, I’ll come 

to GROUP T.” 

Learn from each other 

Huang Ganqin is in his second year of the Optical Engineering 

bachelor program and, just like the others, he 

is looking to gain as much international experience 

as quickly as possible and to bring it back with him to 

his home town in Sichuan province. He, too, arrived 

at the conclusion that the Chinese and Western cultures 

are substantially different. “That’s precisely why 

we can learn so much from each other”, he believes. 

“That’s why it’s such a great experience for the Chinese 

students at GROUP T but also for the Flemish 

students who have the opportunity to get to know 

a bit of China on their own campus and familiarize 

themselves with the way Chinese people think and 

function. I have the impression that GROUP T students 

don’t always realize what an opportunity that 

is.” Huang is quite happy with the Belgian cuisine. He 

is even at peace with the Belgian weather. “First day 

sun, second day rain, third day snow, then sun again... 

If you enjoy variety you will feel right at home.” 

Y.P.

Engineering: Connecting Cosmos & Consciousness - Groep T

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