Engineering: Connecting Cosmos & Consciousness - Groep T

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.
GROUP T - LEUVEN ENGINEERING COLLEGE
3
jg. 20, nr. 3, 16 augustus 2011
03183_INGENIEURS_Interview_3_20.indd 3 11/07/11 17:01