CONNECTING_INT_1

Quarterly • September-October-November-December 2019 • Delivery Office 3000 Leuven 1 • PB919663
Magazine of the Faculty of
Engineering Technology
INTERNATIONAL
Special edition
December 2019
QUYNH HOANG:
CONNECTING
RESEARCH
AND
INDUSTRY
• European Convention of
Engineering Deans 2019
• Cooperation with China,
India and Thailand
• New Master's programmes
• PREFER: Professional roles
for engineers
• Connecting research and
industry
• World Solar Challenge 2019
• International Alumni Chapters

AGORIA SOLAR TEAM KU LEUVEN
IS WORLD CHAMPION
CONTENT
• Editorial 3
• Faculty news 4
• Campus news 10
• Educational development in focus 13
• Researcher in focus 16
• Professor in focus 18
• Students in focus 20
• Alumni in focus 26
COLOPHON
ConnectING is the magazine of the Faculty of Engineering Technology of KU Leuven.
It is published three times a year and is intended for all students and staff of the
faculty and its 7 campuses, alumni, external relations and the broad social field with
which the faculty maintains a network.
Responsible publisher: Prof. Bert Lauwers, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering
Technology
Editorial Board: Anja Huysmans, President, Hilde Bonte, Niels De Brier, Greet Langie,
Hilde Lauwereys, Bart Lievens, Yves Persoons, Sofie Pollin, Inge Van Cauter,
Louis van Hoye, Rens Vervaeke
Editor: Yves Persoons
Editorial Secretariat: Inge Van Cauter
Editorial Adress:
ConnectING
Faculty of Engineering Technology
Willem de Croylaan 56, building E, bus 2203
3001 Heverlee (Belgium)
+00 32 53 72 71 86 (Secretariat)
connecting@kuleuven.be
www.fet.kuleuven.be
Photos: Yasmina Besseghir, Julie Feyaerts,
Johan Van Droogenbroeck, Filip Van Loock
Layout:
www.altera.be
Printing Office: Van der Poorten
KU Leuven opts for 100% climate-neutral printing
on sustainable paper and biofilm
www.vanderpoorten.be
2

EDITORIAL
CONNECTING
ENGINEERS WORLDWIDE
We live in a time of great change and challenge, an
increasingly global society, driven by the exponential
growth of knowledge and knitted together by rapidly
evolving information and communication technologies.
The result and at the same time the driving force of all this is
‘connectivity’: between man and machine, between disciplines
and specialties, between peoples and cultures, an internet of
everybody and everything.
It is no coincidence that the Faculty of Engineering Technology
of KU Leuven is based on the concept of connectivity. Our faculty
consists of seven campuses, each of which is specialized in its
educational and research domains. Their range is not limited to
Flanders or Belgium, but covers the entire world.
That is exactly the essence of ‘connectivity’. Innovation no longer
takes place in secret cenacles or behind closed walls. It is about
finding the good ideas and practices where they can be picked
up, bringing them together and then developing something new
with them. Our mission is precisely to connect, integrate and
transform the talents of our engineering students, professors,
researchers and entrepreneurs into a leading faculty at a leading
university in innovation and research.
How we do this can be found in this first international issue of
our faculty magazine ConnectING. We do not just bring a
selection of news from the faculty and from the campuses.
We also highlight students, professors, researchers, alumni and
entrepreneurs. Together they are part of the international
connection of our faculty. This connection in turn results in an
extensive network of 120 academic partners in the Europe and
40 in other continents. In this way, our faculty is a reflection of
the world in which our students in Engineering Technology will
be active. On our campuses they experience today their life and
work of tomorrow.
Professor Bert Lauwers, Dean
Faculty of Engineering Technology
CONNECTING
3

FACULTY NEWS
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
HOSTS EUROPEAN CONVENTION OF
ENGINEERING DEANS 2019
From 26 till 28 May 2019, the deans, directors and department
heads of the European Faculties in Engineering gathered in
Leuven for their 11th annual networking event organized by
the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI).
At Group T Leuven Campus, the higher engineering education
leaders were welcomed by Prof. Bert Lauwers, Dean of the
Faculty of Engineering Technology and Conference Chair.
The 2019 Engineering Deans
Convention focused on universitybusiness
cooperation in engineering
institutes. The central theme was ‘crossing
borders’. The main purpose was to
discuss how and where both entities can
meet and exchange ideas, knowledge
and human capital. Multiple dimensions
of this border concept were explored from
the perspective of the students, the faculty
staff, the business professionals and the
curriculum.
From a student’s perspective, the border is
often perceived as a uni directional temporal
barrier wherein industry employment is the
logical capstone of the educational career.
However, the border can also be considered
as a hybrid constellation wherein faculty staff
collaborates with business professionals,
who can in turn take an active role in the
education of future engineers. Finally,
from a curriculum perspective, parties on
both sides of the border need to agree on
the key and the peripheral content of the
engineering curriculum. According to the
deans, determining who is predominantly
responsible for teaching specific and
professional skills can only succeed in a
meaningful dialogue between both parties.
Co-creation
Crossing borders refers not only to
interaction, it also includes co-creation.
The modern-day labour market is
characterized by increasing degrees of
complexity wherein different engineering
disciplines are more and more intertwined.
This calls for more multidisciplinary
collaboration between the engineering
disciplines and with subject areas outside
the engineering fields. As a consequence,
professional skills training should encom -
pass an integral part of future engineering
curricula.
Agreement
The Convention in Leuven created many
opportunities for networking
and sharing experiences.
Existing informal contacts
could be confirmed or
institutionalized in official
agreements and partner -
ships. For the Faculty of
Engineering Technology and
the Sciences & Technology
Group of KU Leuven the
Convention has resulted in
the signing of an agreement
on the exchange of students
and staff with Lund
University, a world top 100
university in Sweden.
Yves Persoons
4

FACULTY NEWS
KU LEUVEN AND VELLORE INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY SIGN
COOPERATION AGREEMENT
On 15th April 2019, Prof. Luc Sels, Rector of KU Leuven and Prof. Sekar Viswanathan,
Vice-President of the Indian Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) signed a Memorandum
of Understanding in Leuven. Both parties agreed to intensify the cooperation in engineering
education and research and to start up exchange and twinning programmes.
Prior to the signing ceremony,
Vice-President Viswanathan and
Prof. Sandhya Pentareddy,
Executive Director at VIT, were
welcomed at Group T Leuven Campus
by Prof. Koen Eneman, Campus Chair;
Prof Abhishek Dutta and Wim Polet,
Director of The International Office.
VIT is a young private university with
four campuses in Vellore (Tamil Nadu),
Chennai, Bhopal and Amravati Andhra
Pradesh. At these campuses more than
25,000 students are enrolled in 20
undergraduate programmes, 34 post -
graduate, 4 integrated MS courses and
4 doctoral programmes in Engineering,
Technology, Applied Sciences and
Management. VIT was among the first
universities in India to implement the
Fully Flexible Credit System (FFCS)
which gives the students the flexibility
to make their own time tables by
choosing the subjects and the faculties under whose guidance
they want to study. Recently, VIT received the honorary title ‘N°.1
Indian Private Institution of Innovation’.
With over 250 International Cooperation Agreements, VIT has a
strong presence across the globe. In the International Transfer
Programme students study 2 years at VIT and 2 years in a partner
university and get a degree from it.
During the visit in Leuven, further possibilities to co-operate were
discussed, such as collaboration with the VIT Graduate School
in research on Artificial Intelligence, participation of KU Leuven at
the VIT Higher Education Fair, the exchange of visiting professors,
a Semester Abroad Programme for final year bachelors, study
tours for students and the startup of a Dutch language
introductory course at VIT.
Prof. Sekar Viswanathan, Vice-President of the Indian Vellore
Institute of Technology (VIT) and Prof. Luc Sels, Rector of KU Leuven
Worth noting is also that VIT has its own Formula Racing Team.
Pravega Racing is the official Formula Student Combustion Team
of VIT. It designs and manufactures F1 prototype racecars to
participate at Formula Student, the world’s largest engineering
competition.
Yves Persoons
CONNECTING
5

FACULTY NEWS
Prof. Thira Jearsiripongkul, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Thammasat University; Prof. Gasinee Witoonchart, Rector of Thammasat
University; Prof. Luc Sels, Rector of KU Leuven; Prof. Bert Lauwers, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Technology KU Leuven;
baron Frans van Daele, Minister of State and H.E. Philippe Kridelka, Ambassador of Belgium in Thailand.
KU LEUVEN AND THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY
SIGN A DUAL DEGREE AGREEMENT
150 years of diplomatic relations between Belgium
and Thailand
On Thursday 11 January 2018, Prof.
Luc Sels, Rector of KU Leuven
and Prof. Gasinee Witoonchart,
Rector of Thammasat University signed in
Bangkok an agreement on a dual degree
in Engineering Technology. The ceremony
was attended by H.E. Philippe Kridelka,
Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium
in Thailand and many dignitaries and
representatives of both universities.
Founded in 1935, Thammasat University
(TU) is one of the oldest institutes of higher
education in Thailand. Since its founding,
TU has evolved from an open university
for law and politics to an international
comprehensive university offering more than
240 academic programmes in 23 colleges
at 4 campuses. Today, TU has more than
36,000 students in the bachelor's, master's
and PhD programmes and 7200 faculty
members and supporting staff.
Milestone
The official signing ceremony of the Dual
Degree Agreement was opened by Prof.
Bert Lauwers, Dean of the Faculty of
Engineering Technology of KU Leuven.
He called the ceremony a milestone in a
period of 15 years of collaboration and
friendship. "During this period, our Faculty
and Group T Leuven Campus in particular
welcomed dozens of exchange students
from Thammasat University in our Inter -
national Engineering and Postgraduate
Programmes. At our campus in Leuven,
they gained not only expertise in science,
technology and engineering, but they also
6

learnt and experienced how to be creative
in their thinking and endeavours. They
developed distinct entrepreneurial skills
and -last but not least- they discovered a
new continent and a different culture".
Quality label
Research-based curricula, practice-based
courses, teamwork in interdisciplinary
projects and collaboration with regional
and international high-tech companies
and organisations. Prof. Lauwers called
them the trump cards of the education
and the research at the Faculty of
Engineering Technology. These trump
cards will also be played in the Dual
Degree Programmes.
Prof. Lauwers is convinced that this Dual
Degree will be considered a quality label
by the students, the professors, the
researchers and by the industry. Moreover,
it will encourage and reinforce the
collaboration between both universities.
Gateway
“The Faculty of Engineering Technology
has familiarized itself with international
co-operation and exchange of both
students and staff”, Prof. Lauwers
concluded. “Students of Thammasat
quickly find them selves at home at our
campus in Leuven, which is the home of
a truly international community of out -
standing engineering students.”
“More than 20% of our students in Leuven
are international students representing 60
different nationalities from all continents.
Our campus is a gateway to Europe and
to the world”.
Yves Persoons
Prof. Bert Lauwers, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Technology
CONNECTING
7

FACULTY NEWS
OUR CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECTS:
Even though the Faculty of Engineering Technology is
one of the newest in KU Leuven, it boasts more than
20 years of expertise on all of its campuses in the field
of capacity building projects: MMATENG, Physics, and
STINT … are but a few examples in a long row. The first
Tempus project with Slovakian universities started as long ago
as 1991 on the Ghent Technology Campus.
Worldwide capacity development is in the DNA of our
engineering technology study programmes, with dozens of
projects in developing regions around Europe. Engaging in
societal development – one of the priorities for any university
programme – acquires an international touch through these
projects.
Below we want to highlight some of the ongoing Erasmus+
capacity building projects on our campuses.
Hilde Lauwereys
The STINT project is aimed at more institutional
development in the field of internationalizing a university
(www.stint-project.net/).
All eight Bosnian Universities (Croatian, Serbian and
Bosnian) participate in the project, which turns it into a
unique example of academic collaboration in a country
with the Balkan wars still fresh in mind. Geert De Lepeleer
is the project coordinator who directs the whole project
group and guides the partner universities on the track
towards the Bologna process and more European
integration.
Actually, the STINT project has already resulted in legislative
changes in the field of recognition of foreign degrees in
several regions in Bosnia. Other interesting spin-offs are
the student and PhD exchanges that have been set up
through an Erasmus+ KA1 credit mobility project.
The Energy Engineering Technology study programme at the Diepenbeek Campus
is involved (by Annick Dexters) in the capacity building project DCT-REES, with a
number of South African universities. The project set-up is to create new curricula
and capacity in the domain of renewable energies and DC technology. The EU
partners are developing modules that include both the theoretical background and
the design of applications and implementation in renewable energy sources.
The project has an additional “train the trainer” action, resulting in several short
courses that have been developed so far. The project group is currently investi gating
how the collaboration with the South African partners can be made sustain able after
the end of the project period.
More info on www.dut.ac.za/dct-rees/
8

A WORLDWIDE COMMITMENT
Supporting non-EU universities in their evolution towards a bachelor-master
structure is a frequently reiterating theme in capacity building projects. This
is also true for MMATENG (Modernization of two cycles (MA, BA) of
competence-based curricula in material engineering), the project that has
been coordinated by prof. Peter Arras in the field of Materials Science
Engineering (www.mmateng.eu). Involving universities from Ukraine, Israel
and Russia in one consortium has turned out to be a challenge in view of the
recent international events in Ukraine. Still, the MMATENG project group have
succeeded in successfully upgrading laboratories in the target universities
(especially in Ukraine and Russia), organizing trainings and publishing several
papers on materials science.
Sustainability of the collaboration has been guaranteed by e.g. a PhD student
from Ukraine at De Nayer Campus, bilateral
projects among researchers and an Erasmus
KA1 exchange cooperation with three partners
from the project.
The Faculty of Engineering Technology coordinates the
ambitious, cross-campus Erasmus+ capacity-building
project ‘RICH-Ed: Resources for Inter culturality in Chinese
Higher Education’. This project aims at intercultural learning
at Chinese universities. In ‘RICH-Ed’, eight partners develop
educational tools to prepare students at Chinese
universities for a globalised working environment and to
support internationalisation staff with intercultural learning.
The Chinese partner universities will test the learning
materials that were developed and spread the results of
the project through study programmes, curricula and
scientific publications.
RICH-Ed is coordinated by prof. Jan Van Maele, in
cooperation with Katrien Mertens and prof. Wim Van
Petegem from Group T Leuven Campus. Geert De Lepeleer
and Ellen Matthijs from the Ghent Technology Campus
provide strategic administrative support and advice.
More info is to be found on www.rich-ed.com
With a Bruges Campus project team of prof. Jeroen Boydens, Venu Babu
Thati and Sammy Verslype, the e-LIVES project already has an international
component to it, even in our own faculty. E-Lives, “e-Learning Innovative
Engineering Solutions, is currently developing e-engineering solutions and
remote laboratories, to be introduced in universities in four MENA countries
(Middle East and North Africa).
Our faculty contributes to the development and publication of good practices
in e-engineering, and has also published a scientific conference paper in the
summer of 2019. The existing contacts in Morocco, Tunesia, Algeria and
Jordan have been intensified by this project, with our Bruges project team
also training them in the use of open source study materials.
PRINTeL – PRomoting INnovative Teaching and Learning
to enhance student-learning experience in eastern
partnership countries (www.printel.am) involves a large
project group of universities in Armenia, Georgia and
Belarus. The project focuses on new educational technologies,
specifically digi talization in education. The aim is to result
in more active teaching and learning in the target
universities. The partners will innovate their educational
method ologies to connect with the “student-centred
learning” evolution that has been going on in European
university education.
Wim Van Petegem, who coordinates the project for KU Leuven,
has organised a weeklong international workshop in
November 2018 on the theme of “active learning”, which
was successfully taken by 25 participants from Armenia,
Georgia and Belarus.
https://e-lives.eu
CONNECTING
9

CAMPUS NEWS
NEW AT GROUP T LEUVEN CAMPUS
ADVANCED MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
INNOVATIVE HEALTH TECHNOLOGY
Alvin Toffler, a 20th century philosopher and author of the novel ‘Future Shock’ once said:
“As we move into the 21st century, not only will technology advance, but the rate at which
technology advances will increase exponentially”. The technological advances with greatest
relevance to the future and welfare of society involve science and healthcare. With the new
Advanced Master’s Programme in Innovative Health Technology, Group T Leuven Campus
responds to the latest scientific and technological developments in this rapidly evolving
domain.
The development of novel technologies has always been
a big enabler in health care. Medical doctors, therapists
and other health care providers make use of these
technologies to identify symptoms, to perform diagnoses, to
carry out surgery, to cure diseases, to enable therapy and to
follow up patients. Many companies worldwide develop novel
technologies to improve health care even further. The Advanced
Master in Innovative Health Technology aims to contribute to
this evolution by offering students the opportunity to specialize
in the domain of innovative health care technologies. They will
learn to design, develop and implement practical and pragmatic
technological solutions. Specific for the programme is the focus
on the integration of different technologies and methodologies
into usable systems. Recent trends in domains such as electrical
and electronics engineering, mathematical engineering,
mechanical and biochemical engineering will be combined to
inspire students to conceive and implement novel integrated
solutions that can be tested and used by patients and health
care professionals.
Prof. Liz Jones, Prof. Bart Vanrumste, Prof. Luc Geurts,
Prof. Vero Vanden Abeele, Luc Janssens and
Prof. Manu Vander Poorten
International programme
The Advanced Master of Science in Innovative Health Technology
is a one-year programme (60 ICTS) aimed at students who have
completed a master’s programme in (bio)engineering or
equivalent. It consists of eight course units: six courses focusing
on engineering technology, entrepreneurship as well as on topics
related to the human body, one team-based projects and
finally a master’s thesis and an internship. Characteristic of the
programme is its international dimension, benefitting from the
international network of Group T Leuven campus. This network
includes universities, high-tech companies and internationally
renowned institutions such as the Interuniversity Microelectronics
Center (imec) and the University Hospitals Leuven.
10

For more details, consult: www.fet.kuleuven.be/groupt
Career perspectives
Recent scientific and technological advancements in healthcare
have created numerous new functions and job opportunities in
medical technology companies, health care institutes, hospitals
and research centres. These include e.g. patient identity
management, health care mobility and business intelligence,
applied medical research, designing, developing and testing of
prototypes and installations and configuration of medical
instruments.
In the field of Health Technology Assessment (HTA), there is an
increasing demand for experts providing policy-makers with
evidence-based information about the medical, economic,
organizational, social and ethical issues related to the use of
health technology.
Luc Geurts
CONNECTING
11

CAMPUS NEWS
CHINA’S OLDEST UNIVERSITY VISITS
GROUP T LEUVEN CAMPUS
On Thursday 31 May 2018, six prominent professors of
Tianjin University (TJU), headed by Prof. Liu Dongzhi,
Vice-Chairman of the University Council, were welcomed
by Prof. Bert Lauwers, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering
Technology. After a tour of the campus and a presentation of the
faculty, a Memory of Understanding was signed by Vice-Rector
Peter Lievens and Campus Chair Prof. Koen Eneman.
After the signing ceremony, TJU organized a recruitment fair to
attract talented Belgian and Chinese master’s and PhD students
to join the university in China.
Since 2012, Group T Leuven Campus and TJU cooperate closely.
As many other Chinese universities, TJU participates in the 2+2
Double Degree Programme and each year, several students from
TJU come to Leuven to continue their education.
Founded in 1895, TJU has become one of the top universities in
China (no 13 in China National Alumni Ranking 2018). The university
has the strong ambition to obtain a place in the list world best
universities.
Yves Persoons
Prof. Koen Eneman, Campus Chair, Prof. Peter Lievens, Vice-Rector KU Leuven
and Prof. Liu Dongzhi, Vice-Chairman of TJU
12

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN FOCUS
NEW AT GHENT TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CIVIL
ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
on technologies such as
Dredging, BIM, Acoustics,
Coastal and River
Engineering, Sustainable
Materials Engineering,
Precast Concrete and
Dynamics of Structures.
Students will also complete
a professional competence
module (internship) to work
on a scientific project,
resulting in a master’s
thesis. The project can be
carried out in one of the
research labs at the
campus or in an approved
workplace.
Prof. Rik Saey
Structural design and structural innovation are the cornerstones
of the new master’s programme.
Career prospectives
After graduation, a wide
spectrum of professional
opportunities opens for
degree holders. Graduates
in Civil Engineering
Technology can get started
in various functions including design,
calculation, consultancy, sales, quality
inspection and research. Depending on
their interest and ambition, their scope
may range from technical expert to
consultancy and executive functions.
Civil engineering structures are
designed with a specific purpose
in compliance with environmental,
legal and structural rules. Through the
choice of materials, numerical simulation
and construction methods, the conceptual
structural design is translated into structural
shapes and dimensions. The engineering
challenge is to obtain an optimal structural
design that meets the relevant criteria of
structural strength, serviceability, energy
efficiency, sustainability, etc.
This process is driven by technological
innovations such as new materials,
building information modelling (BIM),
heating, ventilation and air conditioning
technologies (HVAC).
Programme
The Master of Science in Civil Engineering
Technology is a one-year programme
(60 ICTS). Students are required to take
6 compulsory courses and 18 ICTS
elective courses, allowing them to focus
Ghent Technology Campus is the only
campus in the Faculty of Engineering
Technology that offers this master’s
programme in English.
Prof. Rik Saey
www.iiw.kuleuven.be/english/civil-engineering
CONNECTING
13

EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN FOCUS
PREFER:
THE JOY OF
CHOICE
Choosing is losing, as the saying goes. As the possibilities
for choice increase, choosing becomes more and more
difficult. Moreover, you run the risk of making the wrong
choice. And for those who want a little bit of everything,
it is hopeless. In youngsters’ slang, it is called ‘fomo’
or the fear of missing out. For the future engineers, this will
soon change. The Faculty of Engineering Technology is
putting the finishing touch to an instrument that may solve
this problem.
French fries or salad? Friend or lovers? Right or left? Juliette’s
problem is that she is totally incapable of making up her mind about
anything. So even at 40, she still asks her father and her friends to
choose everything for her. When her love crosses the road of Paul
then of Stephen, as charming and different as the other, necessarily,
the heart of Juliette swings. For the first time, nobody can decide
for her. This is in a nutshell the plot of Eric Lavaine’s film ‘L’embarras
du choix’ (The embarrassment of choice) from 2017, starring a
brilliant Alexandra Lamy.
“Many newly graduated engineers looking for the job of their life will
somehow recognize themselves in this situation”, says doctoral
researcher Sofie Craps. “The difference is that they are confronted
with a multitude of possibilities in a grab barrel of jobs. The more
choice there is, the more important it is to know ‘what type of
engineer am I?’ and ‘what am I really good at?’ This is precisely the
subject of the PREFER project, an acronym for ‘Professional Roles
and Employability for Future Engineers’. This project aims to
enhance student’s critical reflection on their professional future by
identifying their strengths and growth points and by introducing
them to the professional roles they may play as an engineer”.
From roles to competences
PREFER is a project in the framework of the Erasmus+
Programme of the EU. In addition to KU Leuven, TU Delft and
TU Dublin are. Engie, Siemens Nederland, BDO Advisory Human
Capital and the Irish energy company ESB are the business
partners. The professional organizations ie-net, Agoria Flanders,
Kivi and Engineers Ireland are also involved, as are the European
engineering networks SEFI and FEANI.
In the first part of her research, Sofie identified three categories
of professional roles for early career engineers. These are
‘product leadership’ (engineers who focus on radical change),
‘operational excellence’ (engineers who aim for process
optimization) and ‘customer intimacy’ (engineers who initially
come up with customer-oriented solutions)
“The next step was to test and validate this model”, Sofie
continues. “This was done on the basis of a whole battery of
interviews and panel discussions with students, alumni and
entrepreneurs. At the same time, experts, engineers and HR
managers set to work to translate these professional roles into
a series of representative competences.

“By the end of 2019, when the project ends, the tool will be
validated and is ready to implement in the engineering technology
programme”.
Sofie Craps, prof. Greet Langie and Maarten Pinxten
For example, a positive critical attitude and the ability to organize
efficiently remain crucial for ‘operational excellence’, creativity
and persuasiveness for ‘product leadership’ and customer focus
and empathy for ‘custom intimacy’.
From competences to roles
“Once the relevant competences had been mapped out, a start
could be made with the development of the actual tool”,
according to project coordinator Maarten Pinxten. “This consists
of two tests in which the interests of the future engineers are
linked to the different roles and the students work with the
competences”.
The tool itself is a fine example of teamwork. “Together with
experts from TU Dublin and BDO we made a situational
judgement test with realistic cases that relate to various
competences”, says Maarten. “A total of 23 cases were worked
out. For each case, the participants in the test are presented
four possible reactions to tackle the situation or the problem at
hand. On a five-point scale, they indicate how ‘appropriate’ they
think each of the reactions is. From this result, it can then be
deduced to what extend the student’s response pattern deviates
from that of the experts from the engineering practice and in
which professional role the participant recognizes him/herself.”
From concept to implementation
The academic year 2020-2021 will be the year of truth. Then the
tool will be given a place in the faculty’s renewed curriculum,
starting with the first bachelor’s stage. Prof. Greet Langie,
promoter of the PREFER project, who as Vice-Dean of Education
is in charge of the entire operation, already has a clear view of
the implementation process. “In the first stage, the emphasis is
on raising student awareness. The ‘Day with an Engineer’ is an
excellent opportunity to introduce the model. For the first time,
the student discovers how varied the engineering profession is.
In the second stage, the company visits are an interesting
occasion. There we go a step further in the direction of critical
reflection. The third stage will be dominated by the concretization
of the personal professional role. Thanks to the increasing
contacts with the professional field and the implementation of
the tests we have developed, we will encourage students to
reflect critically on their values, strengths and weaknesses.
This will give them an idea of the professional role(s) they feel
good about and are therefore best looking forward to when they
apply for a job. Finally, the prospective engineer will be able to
focus on the competences that belong to the professional role(s)
and thus prepare him/herself optimally for professional practice”.
From awkward to fun
Let’s return now to Eric Lavaine’s film from 2017. You don’t need
much imagination to transpose Juliette’s heart breaking choice
to today and a remake of the movie. In the new scenario, Juliette
is a final-year student on one of the faculty’s campuses. During
her studies she has been working actively with the new PREFER
tool. We follow Juliette in her first steps on the labour market.
She has actually already been offered a job during the job fair on
her campus, but Juliette still wants to roam around the big
market. We will not tell the rest of the story. We only want to
share the title. It is no longer ‘The Embarrassment of Choice’.
The poster now features ‘The Joy of Choice’.
Yves Persoons
The PREFER project is supported by the Erasmus+
programme of the EU (Grant Agreement 575778-EEP-1-
2016-BE-EPPKA2-KA).
More information: www.preferproject.eu

RESEARCHER IN FOCUS
QUYNH HOANG:
CONNECTING RESEARCH
AND INDUSTRY
Corrosion of the heat-exchanging components is one of
the major operational problems in Waste-to-Energy (WtE)
combustion plants. Due to its heterogeneous and complex
nature, municipal solid waste, when combusted, generates flue
gas with high dust and pollutant concentrations, leading to the
corrosion of the heat-exchanging surfaces in the steel boiler.
This phenomenon limits the electrical
efficiency and increases the operating
and maintenance cost. At Group T
Leuven Campus, Quynh Hoang is doing
research that focuses on the optimisation
of the energy and material performance
of these combustion plants.
Quynh was born in Thanh Hoa, a flourishing
city at the North Central Coast of Vietnam,
about 150 kilometers south of the capital
Hanoi. She remembers vividly always have
been fascinated by sciences in general
and chemistry in particular. In 2012,
she graduated with a Bachelor of Science
in Chemical Engineering from Hanoi
University of Science and Technology.
After graduation, Quynh worked as a
process engineer in two oil and gas
petrochemical EPC companies, one in
Hanoi and the other in Ho Chi Minh City
(the former Saigon), where she carried out
the process design of refineries and
conducted risk assessment studies for oil
and gas platforms. “There I have learnt to
apply the chemical principles to practical,
real-world problems related to energy,
health, safety and environment”, Quynh
explains. “But at the same time, I realised
that I needed more knowledge and a solid
scientific background”.
Research assistant
Thanks to a Belgium-Vietnam Bilateral
Scholarship Programme, Quynh was able
to pick up her study again, this time at
KU Leuven, where she graduated in 2017
‘Magna cum laude’ as Master of Science
in Chemical Engineering Technology at
the Leuven campus of the Faculty of
Engineering Technology. As the result of
her excellent marks, Quynh was awarded
the Prize of the Royal Flemish Chemical
Association for the most meritorious student
in Chemical Engineering Technology.
Quynhs’ remarkable interest in environ -
mental courses with a focus on waste
combustion processes and computational
fluid dynamics (CFD), as well as her
professional experience in chemical
companies, were noticed by Prof. Jo Van
Caneghem of the Materials Technology
unit. So Quynh was invited to join the
ChEMarRT research group at Group T
Leuven Campus.
“ChEMaRTs stands for Chemistry for
Energy and Materials Recovery in Thermal
Systems”, Quynh continues. “Our group
is dedicated to improving energy and
material recovery in thermal systems by
controlling the chemistry in the involved
processes.
Our focus is on thermal waste processing
as an essential part of a sustainable
circular economy. Moreover, our group is
proud of its close research collaboration
with industry. The aim of our applied
research approach is to provide answers
to industrial, technological challenges by
translating and introducing the results into
existing processes. As the connection
between industry and research is one of my
favourite fields of interest, I immediately
felt at home in the ChEMaRTS team”.
PhD project
After one year with Keppel-Seghers
Belgium, a company specialized in the
construction of Waste-to-Energy plants,
the collaboration team consisting of Prof.
Van Caneghem, Ass. Prof. Vanierschot,
Dr. De Greef and Quynh decided to
continue the research on high-temperature
corrosion in WtE. They submitted a
doctoral proposal and applied for a
Baekeland mandate funding, which is
assigned to a ‘consortium’ of at least a
PhD-candidate, a Flemish company and
a Flemish university. The project was
granted a four-year PhD project, starting
from November 2018.
“I will build further on the results of the
chemical engineering analysis by
conducting a numerical CFD approach in
order to provide fundamental explanations
both on the particle level as on the furnace
level”, Quynh declares. “More specifically,
I will develop a comprehensive set of
models specifically applicable to thermal
waste processing with emphasis on
HCI/SOx.
16

QUYNH HOANG
These models will be directly applicable
to real Waste-to-Energy plants, helping us
to understand the relative correlation
between process parameters such as
airflow and the formation and release of
HCI/Sox. This way, the models can be
used to control corrosion in municipal
solid waste installations”.
“Moreover, I am convinced that these
models may also contribute to fundamental
knowledge of the thermal waste processing
in general and can be used for all types
of Waste-to-Energy plants. Until now,
compre hensive research on thermal
waste processing in the context of boiler
corrosion has not been fully addressed
in any prior study.”
“I hope my project will be the first to
assess this lack”, Quynh concludes.
Yves Persoons
CONNECTING
17

PROFESSOR IN FOCUS
FOOD4S:
INTERNATIONAL JOINT MASTER’S
PROGRAMME
The European Master of Science in Sustainable Food
Systems Engineering, Technology and Business at the Ghent
Technology Campus has been given a new look as of this
academic year. An upgrade was needed, especially in a
sector in which vital issues such as food production and
safety, health and sustainability are in full development.
Professor Jan Van Impe, Programme Director and recently
awarded an honorary doctorate from the Université Libre de
Bruxelles, gives more explanation.
What started modestly in 2005 as
a partnership between the
Hochschule Anhalt (Germany),
the Universidade Católica Portuguesa and
KU Leuven-Technology Campus in Ghent,
has now grown into one of the show pieces
of the Faculty of Engineering Technology.
The number of new registrations tripled in
three year’s time. Prof. Van Impe knows
why: “To start with, we offer a fully-fledged
master’s programme of 120 ECTS – thus
internationally compatible – at a top
university as KU Leuven. Moreover, our
master’s programme is situated in a domain
Prof. Jan Van Impe,
Programme Director
that is relevant worldwide. All aspects of
food science and technology are covered,
which means that our graduates can
function in all parts of the food chain”.
“The ‘business component’ also contributes
to the success. Courses such as Product
Development and Product Management
are very popular with students. The same
can be said about the intensive cooperation
with companies and research institutes”.
“Another advantage is undoubtedly the
joint degree that the graduates receive.
This has been a strategic choice right
from the start. Students enrolling in our
programme choose to learn while travelling.
This not only contributes to their personal
development and maturity, it also makes
them popular in industry. What is important
is that we keep the inflow under control.
Because not everyone starts at
the same level, we organize a
crash course in chemistry, bio -
chemistry and technology to fill
in any gap in prior knowledge”.
New consortium
FOOD4S stands for Sustainable
Food Systems Engineering.
“The new name is more than just
a sign”, says Prof. Van Impe.
“In first instance, it refers to a
new curriculum with which we
want to keep a close eye
on developments in the field.
For example, we have chosen to
work with a new consortium
with an even larger group of
international partners. After all,
nutrition is a global issue and
with more partners involved we
can offer a larger number of
international internships and
master’s theses”.
18

“In FOOD4S we follow a two-track route. A technological track
and a more computational direction. Partners with the necessary
expertise and know-how have been attracted for both tracks.
We assume that 2/3 of the students opt for ‘innovative
technology’ and 1/3 for the computational track. The possibility
of switching during the study will also be provided for. What both
tracks share with each other is the research orientation. After all,
you are only full-fledged academic graduate if your education is
based on research”.
Traineeship
What is already retained is the so-called ‘professional competence
module’. This is a complete practical semester in industry.
Prof. Van Impe is well aware of the organizational and practical
consequences of this decision, especially if the number of
students continues to increase. “Finding an internship that meets
our high requirements for 50 or even more students is no mean
feat, especially as the content of the internship has to be different
from the subject of the master’s thesis. In addition, internships
require an intensive and efficient follow-up and quality control.
We know from experience that students learn more in a small
company than in a big one. In the consortium, we now follow the
rule: four to six months for the master’s thesis and as far as
possible, the same duration for the internship”.
Scholarships
For sixteen years, the programme has been receiving European
funding, which in itself is quite exceptional. After 2020, the
consortium will itself provide scholarships for students. What is
also retained in FOOD4S is the service to the students. “It has
been agreed with our partners that we will continue to invest in
competitive grants in order to maintain the attractiveness of our
programme for non-EU students as well. FOOD4S will continue
to be an international master par excellence in the coming years”,
concludes Professor Van Impe.
Hilde Lauwereys, Yves Persoons
www.iiw.kuleuven.be/english/biftec
THE FUTURE OF AUTONOMOUS
INLAND SHIPPING
“ One could no longer question whether autonomous
vessels will one day sail on our inland waterways,
but one should question when this will happen”,
declared Prof. Peter Slaets (Group T Leuven Campus) during
the 1st International Symposium on Autonomous Inland
Shipping in 2016. On 7 October 2019, the 4th edition of this
symposium focused on several autonomous demonstration
projects realized in Belgium, China, Norway and Switzerland.
The 2019 Symposium was organized by the Intelligent Mobile
Platform (IMP) of KU Leuven in cooperation with De Vlaamse
Waterweg nv and the Port of Antwerp in the impressive Port
House in Antwerp.
IMP is a multidisciplinary and multicampus research group
with a focus on intelligent design and control of the mobile
platforms of the future. The application domains are
autonomous inland shipping, robots for health and low cost
indoor localization. The underlying technologies used by IMP
are aerodynamics, hydrodynamics and visual light positioning
(VLP). The IMP team consists of four professors, one senior
staff member and four PhD researchers. On 13 November
2018, the team demonstrated the first Belgian autonomous
vessel on the Yser river in Diksmuide.
Experimental experiences
While the previous symposiums mainly revealed the
enormous potential – both economically and ecologically –
of autonomous inland shipping, the 4th edition focused
on the experimental experiences gathered by various auto -
nomous shipping demonstration projects. About 25 scholars,
researchers and representatives of companies and
governmental organizations from 6 different countries
explored how the research results can be linked to the
requirements of industry and the policy of local and national
authorities. Among the main discussion topics were: what
can we learn from current autonomous ships? Why are we
not seeing autonomous vessels everywhere and how in the
near future a paradigm shift can be realized to reduce the
transportation cost and enhance the ecological quality of
inland waterway transport.
Yves Persoons
CONNECTING
19

20
STUDENTS IN FOCUS

ENGINEERING STUDENTS
FROM KU LEUVEN
WIN WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE 2019
On Thursday 17 October 2019, the Agoria Solar Car Team of KU Leuven won the
Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia. The team arrived first after a hectic
five-day race in Adelaide. This victory was a triumph for KU Leuven, the Faculty of
Engineering Technology and for Belgium, because it was the first time that a Belgian
team has become world champion in this demanding competition.
In the 15th edition of the World Solar
Challenge, 44 teams from 22
countries competed against each
other is Australia. The assignment was
to cover a distance of 3,331 km from
Darwin in the north to Adelaide in the
south with a self-built solar car.
Eight time, good time
The students of the Faculty of
Engineering Technology did not
start the big adventure
unprepared.
In 2019 it
was the eight time
that a KU Leuven
team participated in
the race. “During this
period we have
accumulated a lot of
experience and know-how
that has been transferred from team to
team and that has now paid off”,
Willem-Jan Claes, leader of the team,
explains. “Of course, we have made
numerous improvements in terms of
reliability and endurance. In this way,
we came to the start with the fastest
and most efficient solar care we have
ever built. But this no guarantee that
you will win. After all, the world
championship in Australia is no ordinary
race, it is a real challenge. You not only
compete against the other teams but
you also have to fight against the wind,
the desert, sandstorms and the
omnipresent risk of accidents. The car
of our Dutch colleagues from Twente
crashed due to a sudden gust of wind.
And the car of our friends – and
eternal competitors – from TU Delft
caught fire just before the finish.
The pilot was really lucky to have
survived the accident.”
“Remarkable in this edition was
how long the favorite teams stayed
in one’s neighbourhood “, Willem-
Jan continues. “That was different
in the previous years. It made the
championship even more exciting.
Precisely because the solar cars were
very similar and the teams used similar
racing strategies , they had to ask the
best of their cars. A few teams went
over their limit, and had to face the
conse quences. Thanks to the many
test drives, we exactly knew our limits
and how we could finish without
accidents”.
More than racing
The engineering students have been
working day and night on their
Bluepoint for more than one year.
They designed and built everything
themselves, from the battery over the
solar panel to the body. “You start with
a full battery, but once on the road
you can only charge with the sun”,
Willem-Jan says. “This applies also
to the batteries of each of the team
members. Everyone must remain 100%
motivated and focused. Every negligence
or unnoticed detail is punished”.
How glorious the achievement of the
KU Leuven team might be, we should
certainly also keep in mind that the
students aspire more than winning a
race, even if it is the world champion -
ship. The students are mainly concerned
with raising awareness among the public
and young people in particular about
renewable energy and sustainable
technologies. “We are entrepreneurial
engineers”, Willem-Jan confirms.”
Engineers with a vision. We have
shown the world that Belgium and
our university are at the forefront of
technological innovation”.
Yves Persoons
www.solarteam.be
CONNECTING
21

STUDENT IN FOCUS
AMAZING
OLIN
“My semester at Olin College of Engineering was for sure the highlight of
my study in engineering technology at KU Leuven. I believe universities,
professors and students have so much to get out of this new educational
concept. I am very grateful to Group T Leuven Campus to give me such an
opportunity”, declared Gwendal Plumier after his return to Leuven.
“I can recommend all my fellow students to go there and enjoy the Olin
way of teaching and learning”.
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering is a young under -
graduate college in Needham (Massachusetts). In the
engineering community it is famous for its dynamic, small
size, project-based curriculum. In 2019 Olin College appeared
again in Princeton Review’s list of to colleges. Olin made the top
ten in 6 different categories, including ‘Professors get High Marks’
and ‘Best Classroom Experience’.
Warm welcome
“I found Olin College on my institute’s website, where there is a
list of partner universities by country”, Gwendal continues. “As I
always dreamt to study in the United States, I applied for Olin.
Since I believe that engineering includes much more than just
mathematics and scientific courses, I was immediately fascinated
by the Olin approach, experimenting with new forms of engineering
education. I chose three project-based courses, which is a learning
method not widely offered at Belgian universities”.
From the first day on campus, Gwendal felt warmly welcomed
to the Olin community. “Consequently, I met many students very
quickly. I really liked the suite life with fellow students. It has
offered me the opportunity to become familiar with American
culture and way of life”.
Project-based learning
“Much of Olin College’s curriculum is built around hands-on
engineering and design projects”, Gwendal tells. “One of my
projects, for instance, consisted of developing a tether that would
allow a runner who is blind to communicate with his guide in
trails and road runs. Long discussions with my team mates,
prototypes and many trials resulted in a successful device and a
manual enabling visual disabled people and their surroundings
to build their own tether”.
“I also had the chance to work with
design programs from the Adobe
Creative suite, as well as sciencesrelated
material such as electron
microscopes”.
Classes are often taught by two
professors side by side. A so called
‘Ninja’ – this is a student – is at your
disposal for assistance if needed.
You can take integrated course blocks
that teach engineering, calculus and
physics by exploring the relationships
among the three subjects. At the beginning of the first year,
students receive training in Olin’s machine shop for project-based
work. For example, if you take the course ‘Design Nature’,
you are required to design and build mechanical toys based
on biological systems, such as the click beetle’s jumping
mechanism”.
“Another major advantage of studying at Olin is that you can
make free use of all kinds of equipment, varying from professional
cameras to textile screen printing machines. The university library
is open 24 hours a day and activities are organized there every
Wednesdays to share different knowledge with your fellow
students. From photoshop to programming, you will learn from
everyone around a nice pizza”.
Learning by doing and vice versa
“Classes often take a do-learn format, with the application of
concepts being taught before the formal introduction of the
underlying theory. Other distinctive features of the Olin’s academic
culture are freedom and trust.”
22

Gwendal Plumier
“Students often take exams on their own time, without the
supervision of proctors. I did not have to take any exams, I was
evaluated on my projects and on a daily basis. Preparation was
needed for every class. In general, the academic atmosphere is
highly informal”.
Entrepreneurship
“Furthermore, Olin has an expansive view of entrepreneurship”,
Gwendal continues. “Throughout the curriculum the teaching of
engineering is connected to entrepreneurship encouraging
students to put the customers and their needs at the forefront
of everything they undertake. During my stay at Olin I had the
opportunity to follow a course on ‘Entrepreneurship &
Opportunities’ at Babson College, ranked the most prestigious
entrepreneurship college in the United States”.
Students’ life
Gwendal discovered soon that learning is not limited to the
class room. “As Olin College constitutes a bid and sound
community, learning happens everywhere: in group experiences,
faculty-led classes, student-led independent studies and
co-curriculars where students from different majors work
together. Learning also happens in student clubs and
organizations – ranging from highly structured engineering
competition teams to service organizations, social clubs and
sport teams – in exploring the boundaries of knowledge and
innovation working on research projects with faculty membersand
– last but not least – by pursuing new ideas and passions
through independent studies. Believe me, learning in all of these
contexts is really fun. It let students work on things they are
excited about. These activities inspire creativity and equip
students to use what they’ve learned. At the end of each
semester, student work is celebrated at the Olin Expo, a real
happening where students share the project they are most
excited about. All this makes the workload quite intense, but at
the same time it’s challenging you permanently. In short, the Olin
experience has exceeded all my expectations”.
Yves Persoons
CONNECTING
23

STUDENT IN FOCUS
ENGINEERING EXPERIENCES 5:
DESIGNING AN INNOVATIVE
EMBEDDED PRODUCT
In Engineering Experiences 5, the 3th year bachelors in
Electronics and ICT Engineering Technology of Group T
Leuven Campus were asked to design an innovative
embedded product. To successfully complete this
assignment, students had to bring all their technical
knowledge, professional skills, talents and creativity together.
In addition, all teams had to be composed internationally
and many projects were company-initiated. At 29th May 2019,
the teams presented their concepts during Demo Day.
At the Demo Day the visitors were
stumped by the variety and the
creativity of the results that were
demonstrated. “The projects were based
on either a company-initiated proposal or
on internal proposals from our research
groups”, project coordinator Prof. Luc
Van Deurzen explains. “We know from
experience that when external assignments
are involved, the student teams become
more motivated. After all, there is a real
customer with specific requirements
regarding quality, usability, financial
conditions and the transfer of the results.
Moreover, companies involved may ask
for confidentiality and intellectual properties.
All this makes the products a true reflection
of how things work in engineering practice”.
Training device
The following companies acted as a
contractor/client: the Fire & Emergency
Medical Assistance Service of the
Brussels-Capital Region; the centre for
drug addicts De Spiegel, Juvo, AWB
Schots, Veloské and the Agoria
Solar Team.
For the Brussels Fire Brigade, the
students designed a training device that
alerts the user for potential dangerous
situations. During the training sessions,
the instructor has to be able to adapt
or influence the readings of his device,
in order to simulate different situations
without creating real life dangers. This was
realized by wireless controlling/influencing
the monitoring device or a dummy device
that alerts the same users’ experience as
in a real world.
Team ‘Wireless Sensor Monitoring with Drones’
24

Team ‘Smart Gun’
The Belgian Bicycle Group Veloské asked the students to develop
a new light system integrated in the frame of an e-bike. The device
should include lights that automatically interacts with traffic as
well as with the rider’s situation (acceleration, stopping, turning
left and right). Moreover, it has to be connected with bicycle
helmets with leds and equipped with a rearview that alerts cyclists
if something is approaching. Finally, there should be a crash and
a theft alert on the smart phone.
Smart gun
For the multidisciplinary therapeutic practice De Spiegel in Leuven,
the students built a new scoreboard for visualizing the progress of
the residents. The old-fashioned scoreboard had to be replaced
by an interactive, IoT (Internet of Things) version, electronically built.
By storing the data, the progression could be monitored on the
smart phone and made accessible through a website.
Team ‘Mowing Machine Data Monitor’
The eye-catcher of the Demo Day was undoubtedly the ‘smart gun’.
In this project, soldiers are confronted with some scenarios (such
as a terrorists’ attack) in a virtual environment. Data can be captured
and used to improve the preparation of real operations. Sensors
are attached to a replica of a weapon for registering the soldiers’
reaction. All data are captured and wirelessly communicated to a
pc/server where they can be consulted for an after-action report.
In this way, the instructors are able to discuss the results of the
training session with the user.
Yves Persoons
Team ‘Wheather Satellite Receiver’
CONNECTING
25

ALUMNUS IN FOCUS
BEYOND ENGINEERING:
THE STORY OF LIU CHANG
Liu Chang was not just a master’s student
in Electronics Engineering Technology on
Group T Leuven Campus. She was also a
unique example of the China-Belgium industry
and university collaboration. Moreover, she is
remembered as a gifted artist, who surprised
the audience of the ‘Group T goes classic’
concert with a masterly performance of Franz
Schubert’s Fantasia for piano fourhanded.
“ My study at Group T Leuven Campus was sponsored by
the Chinese car company Geely”, Liu Chang explains.
“It is a multinational automotive company whose head -
quarters are located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, not far
from Shanghai. Geely has acquired
Volvo cars in 2010 and soon at the
Volvo plant in Ghent the first Chinese
cars will be produced for the European
market. Geely’s human resources
department is more than ever looking
for promising engineering talent, offering
Chinese students scholarships to study
abroad but also offering internships to
Belgian students in China. As a matter
of fact, I was a real-case example.
Thanks to the company, I was able to
study at KU Leuven and realise my
dreams”.
Interacting
After her arrival in Leuven, Liu Chang
studied Dutch and French at the
language institutes ILT and CLT of KU Leuven. “I know how
important languages are in Belgium and in the European Union.
I love interacting with people from different back grounds, meeting
and studying new cultures and customs, meanwhile promoting
and spreading Chinese language and culture as well. Engineering
as such may sometimes be narrow-minded, but culture on the
contrary makes you feel open-minded, comfortable and full of
creativity. For example, I enjoy more dealing with people than
with codes, machines, chips or electrical circuits”.
“Engineers should become
more open-minded not only
for technology but also for
culture, realising that one
is no longer a person of
a certain nationality or
background, but a world
citizen.”
Bridge
Liu Chang’s mission as a ‘cultural engineer’ is to build a bridge
between Asia and Europe. “For Europe, since I play the piano,
I have an knowledge of classical music, its composers, arts and
history. Since I love reading, learning languages and with my
three years living in Leuven, I know many European writers and
their works, which help me understand better the European
society and people. What is more, I am always ready to meet
and try things that are new to me. For Asia, I want to be an
ambassador of Chinese language and culture. By the way, did
you notice my dress today? It’s a Qi Pao , a traditional Chinese
fashion dated back to the nineteen twenties, especially popular
in Shanghai. It was the dress of that time and ladies then wore
it everyday. I took four Qi Pao’s to Europe to show a beautiful yet
impressive aspect of Chinese culture to my friends here”.
“But Asia is more than China. For example, I am also interested
in Japanese culture. I studied Japanese for one year when I was
in China and I am a big fan of Japanese
literature, movie and painting”.
World citizen
“It is a pity that even now in the 21th
century, students are still used to form
their own small groups without
intending to integrate with each other”,
Liu Chang says. “I am more of an
adventurer tending to break through
the so called ‘comfort zone’. From my
three years' living in Europe, I have got
good friends from Portugal, Greece,
Italy, Iceland, England, Ireland, Canada
and Belgium. It is such a great treasure
for me. Engineers should become
more open-minded not only for
technology but also for culture,
realising that one is no longer a person of a certain nationality or
background, but a world citizen. Then they will see the similarities
instead of focusing on the distinctions. That is how I understand
‘beyond engineering’”.
Yves Persoons
26

Liu Chang
CONNECTING
27

28
ALUMNI IN FOCUS

LI QIAN:
PRE SALES ENGINEER
Li Qian started her engineering studies at Beijing Jiaotong University
in China. In 2007 she decided to study at Group T Leuven Campus to
become a Master’s degree in Electronics Engineering. It was not an
obvious decision to make but it determined the course of her further life
and career. Li Qian is now Pre Sales Engineer at the head quarters of
the high-tech company PEC in Leuven.
“ Campus Group T was my first experience
abroad”, explains Li Qian. “Everything was
new: the people, the food, the traffic, then
weather, the scenes, the student life, you name it.
But – and it needs saying – everything fell into
place quickly. I could count on a good support of
the International Office and helpful professors,
assistants and fellow students. After all, Group T
Leuven Campus was and is familiar with
international students, especially with those who
come from China.”
Li Qian has no regretted her decision for one
moment. “ Leuven is a hospitable and friendly city
where I felt at home quickly. Still, engineering
education is fundamentally different from I was
used in China: more practical, more attention to
teamwork and learning by doing. The Engineering
Experiences are a good example of that. Working
together on open assignments with an everincreasing
degree of complexity and independence.
At Group T Leuven Campus this will turn you to
an entrepreneur of your own learning process”.
Engineering services
“My company started in 1984 in Leuven as an
engineering services business, realizing complex
automation projects, including mechanics,
robotics, electronics and software. Now PEC
has management groups in Germany, Hungary,
the United States , China and Japan”.
“At PEC, we believe that innovation means more
than just developing products and solutions”,
Li Qian says. “I am working with customers
worldwide to create new processes and to assist
them in setting up successfully volumes, quality
and performance. Twice a year I travel to China
to meet potential clients and to explore new ways
of working with technology suppliers and business
partners. And – last but not least – to see my
family”.
Yves Persoons
CONNECTING
29

ALUMNI IN FOCUS
18 MAY 2019
ALUMNI CHAPTER EVENT
IN ETHIOPIA
INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI
CHAPTERS:
STAY CONNECTED!
OIn 2013, KU Leuven established its first international
alumni chapter in Shanghai, China. Today, the university
has thirteen international alumni chapters. Thailand,
Ethiopia, Vietnam – all established in 2018 – and Beijing are
the most recent additions to the list.
“Alumni chapters are an important asset for KU Leuven”,
says Vice-Rector for International Alumni Policy Peter
Lievens, who is also responsible for alumni policy.
“Internationalisation is very high on the KU Leuven agenda.
Two key aspects of our current strategy are recruiting more
students from abroad and promoting international mobility.
And as more KU Leuven alumni go on to build international
careers, we strengthen our global network”.
During their mission in Ethiopia Professor Sabine
Vercruysse, Vice Campus Chair and Wim Polet, Director
International Office of Group T Leuven Campus organized
a KU Leuven Alumni Chapter Event on 18 May 2019 in Addis
Ababa. Twenty Ethiopian alumni of KU Leuven were welcomed
by Dr. Getu Kahsay Weldu, Professor at Mekelle University and
Chair of the KU Leuven Alumni Chapter in Ethiopia.
International Alumni Chapters are informal local network. They create
opportunities for the alumni to connect with each other and keep
in touch with KU Leuven. The Ethiopian Alumni Chapter was the
first on the African continent. It marks the growing importance of
Ethiopia for KU Leuven.
Along with China, India and the Greater Mekong Area (South-
East Asia) Ethiopa is one of the key countries in the international
strategy of Group T Leuven Campus. Cooperation agreements have
been established with 5 Ethiopian universities. “The cooperation
efforts focus on capacity building, institutional support and the
exchange of staff and students”, Prof. Vercruysse explains.
“Belgian and Ethiopian researchers collaborate on themes such
as ecology, sustainability and health”.
“This where the international alumni chapters come in”,
says Martine Torfs from the Alumni Office at KU Leuven.
“They create opportunities for our alumni to connect with
each other and constitute a direct link with the alma mater.
We also call upon the chapters for cooperation, student
recruitment, academic policy, or to establish links with the
partner institutes and the local economy. But we engage with
our international alumni in other ways as well. We send
newsletters, organize alumni trips or invite alumni to join us
for education fairs in their country. We also reach out to
former PhD students, postdocs, and visiting scholars
because they are members of the KU Leuven community as
well. They are all ambassadors for our university”.
Katrien Bollen
https://alum.kuleuven.be/eng/
“We call upon the chapter for student recruitment and getting in
touch with other potential partner universities as well as with
the local economy”, Wim Polet continues. “As an embassador
of KU Leuven the Alumni Chapter can open new doors to
strengthen and expand our network in this promising country in
full development”.
Yves Persoons
30

From left to right: Prof. Deng Xinghua; Prof. Koen Eneman, Campus Chair; Martine Torfs, Head of the Alumni Office KU Leuven;
Prof. Peter Lievens, Vice Rector of KU Leuven; Prof. Guan Zhongliang, Vice President BJTU; Wim Polet, Director International Office
Group T Leuven Campus; Prof. Zhu Hengjun; Prof. Liu Shaoqing, Director of the Center of International Education BJTU and
Prof. Guo Xuemeng, Secretary General of the BJTU Alumni Association.
ALUMNI CHAPTER IN BEIJING: GROUP T
LEUVEN CAMPUS GIVES THE KICK-OFF
On August 24 2019, the KU Leuven Alumni Chapter Beijing
was officially installed in the Chinese capital. The next day
there was already a first important event: the 20th anniversary
of the Double Degree Programme in Engineering Technology
of KU Leuven and Beijing Jiaotong University. Both ceremonies
were the crowning glory of a quarter-century collaboration
between both universities.
In 2000 the first four Chinese students
graduated from the then University
College Group T in Leuven. They started
their engineering studies at Beijing Jiaotong
University (BJTU) and came after one year
to Leuven to complete their studies. They
were the first to obtain a Double (Flemish-
Chinese) Degree in Engineering Technology.
Meanwhile, more than 250 students from
over a dozen Chinese universities have
followed in their footsteps.
During the memorial ceremony, Professor
Guan Zhongliang, Vice President of BJTU,
emphasized the importance of the double
degree programmes for the universities
involved. “The past 20 years have flown
by, but we are determined to continue this
momentum. The new KU Leuven Alumni
Chapter Beijing will help to ensure that
the informal network of alumni that already
exists will help really come to the fore
by playing an active role in the further
development of the collaboration and the
friendship between our universities”.
In his speech, Vice President Guan
announced a scoop. BJTU is planning to
set up its own European Alumni Association
with Belgium as the hub and KU Leuven
as the centre.
Professor Peter Lievens, Vice Rector
For International Policy of Ku Leuven
immediately accepted the proposal and
promised the initiative full support. “It is
yet another proof that we are on the right
track with our Truly International Strategy”,
the Vice Rector concluded.
Yves Persoons
CONNECTING
31

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