Available now at www.bebeer.app, this app aims to become the essential companion for craft beer lovers and those curious to discover local brews.

An interactive map to explore more than 5,000 breweries

Designed for mobile use without downloading, the web app makes it easy to locate thousands of breweries and access their news, events and, of course, their beers. Available in four languages (French, Dutch, English and German), it also proposes a brewing calendar and an interactive map to plan your hoppy getaways across Europe.

A European network of brewing communes

At the same time, beBeer is launching a European network of Brewing Cities and Communes, accompanied by a new label for municipalities that promote their brewing heritage. This label, awarded on the basis of 10 objective criteria, distinguishes communes on a scale of one to three hops – similar to the flower-filled communes – according to the richness and diversity of their brewing ecosystem.

An initiative serving local areas

The project is based on a strong territorial approach: it aims to connect brewers, promoters, local elected councillors and beer lovers around a common tool. For local authorities, it is a lever for visibility, tourist appeal and economic development. For brewers and other players in the sector (specialised bars, guilds, hop producers, festivals, museums…), it is a dynamic and participatory showcase. ‘This is not an ISO label, but concrete recognition of a region’s brewing intensity. Sometimes we are unaware of the brewing treasures hidden in our own city,’ explains Pascal Goergen, founder of beBeer.

A call to communes and local councillors

Several European communes have already been contacted for this first phase. The first labels are expected by October. Elected councillors are invited to become beBeer ambassadors, acting as a link between their commune and the local brewing world.

An open and committed community

beBeer is not just an app. It is a complete ecosystem built around three platforms:

• www.bebeer.app: the mobile-first web app
• www.bebeer.org: the project’s showcase website
• www.bebeer.eu: the community of beer lovers

Free, intuitive and collaborative, ‘beBeer in your pocket’ is for everyone: beer lovers, professionals, visitors and elected councillors. The aim? To promote European brewing culture, one pint at a time.

The post beBeer in your pocket: a new era for European beer tourism appeared first on Brussels Express.

During this 5-day training course, the heart of Europe became a hands-on classroom for aspiring lobbyists and policy professionals. Under the theme « Mastering EU Influence: Practical Lobbying and Networking in Brussels, » this unique program was organised for the fourth time by EPHEC lecturers Pascal Goergen and Katrien Bostyn, with support from the EU’s Erasmus+ programme.

International weeks like this one, typically five days long and hosted by European universities, are designed to bring together students from partner institutions around a central theme. This year’s focus – Lobbying and Networking in the EU – was both timely and ambitious.

The week began with a “field visit” inside the EU Quarter. Students set off on a scavenger hunt of sorts, identifying major EU institutions and associations, and even spotting key players by the badges they wore. The tour included insider visits to the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the Committee of the Regions, each offering interactive presentations by experts working inside the institutions.

But perhaps the highlight came with a special visit to the iconic Press Club Brussels Europe. There, students attended exclusive talks from seasoned lobbyists including Paul Cartuyvels, Executive Director at Bouygues Europe, and Inma Valencia, Director of the Cantabria Regional Office. A networking lunch followed, giving participants a rare opportunity to connect with professionals in an informal setting.

For many, the experience was more than just educational—it was transformational. “I’ve always dreamed of working in EU institutions,” said one participant. “This week brought me closer to that goal.” Even for local students from Brussels, the experience proved revelatory. “I walk past these buildings every day,” another shared, “but I never realized what really happens inside.”

The academic challenge of the week revolved around a creative case study: crafting a lobbying strategy to promote a regional cheese in Brussels’ complex institutional landscape. Students were grouped across cultures and disciplines, encouraging rich collaboration. A dedicated workshop on intercultural communication gave them the tools to navigate team dynamics and work effectively together.

Despite the tight timeline, the students’ final presentations on the last day revealed sharp insights, strategic thinking, and above all—a newfound confidence in navigating EU influence.

For EPHEC and its European academic partners, the event marked another successful edition of a growing tradition. For the students, it may have been the first step into the corridors of European power.

The post Mastering EU Influence: 60 Students Embark on a Brussels Lobbying Bootcamp appeared first on Brussels Express.

In a city like Brussels – Europe’s political capital and a hub of international cultural projection – every event has the potential to amplify a region’s visibility well beyond its borders. Aware of this, the Office has promoted cultural initiatives with high symbolic value that strengthen Cantabria’s presence at the heart of Europe.

One of the most recent and noteworthy initiatives was the performance of the Coral Voces Cántabras, which traveled to Brussels as part of its centenary celebrations to offer a moving double concert. The Cantabrian ensemble first performed a selection of sacred music in the majestic Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula, followed by a concert of traditional Cantabrian music at the renowned Musical Instruments Museum (MIM).

During this commemorative event, a rabel – a traditional string instrument – specially crafted for the occasion, was donated to the MIM, symbolizing the region’s rich musical folklore. The instrument now joins the museum’s collection of more than 8,000 instruments from across Europe and beyond, including others from Cantabria.

The Minister of Economy, Finance, Regional Funding and European Funds of the Government of Cantabria, Luis Ángel Agüeros, attended both concerts and emphasized the significance of the event: “This recital, held in celebration of the choir’s centenary, aims to showcase Cantabria’s musical traditions as part of Europe’s broader musical heritage, highlighting our regional folklore in a symbolic venue such as the Museum of Musical Instruments, which houses over 8,000 instruments from around the world—including some from Cantabria, like the rabel.”

This concert was supported by the ministry led by Agüeros through the Directorate-General for European Funds, as part of a strategy to promote Cantabria’s cultural heritage within the European context.

Founded in 1924 by musicologist and folklorist Matilde de la Torre Gutiérrez, the Voces Cántabras Choir gave its first performance that same year in Cabezón de la Sal, the town where it originated. Over the course of a century, it has maintained a broad repertoire encompassing sacred music, zarzuela, opera, spirituals, habaneras, and of course, traditional Cantabrian songs. It has received numerous accolades, including the Gold Medal for Cultural Merit from the Cabezón de la Sal City Council, and has performed at international venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall.

Over the years, the Cantabria Office in Brussels has supported a wide range of cultural events that highlight the region’s artistic diversity and deep-rooted traditions. In 2004, the Government of Cantabria and the Association of Campurrian Rabel Players organized a concert of traditional Cantabrian music at the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) in Brussels, during which a handcrafted rabel campurriano was donated to the museum. 

Two years later, in 2006, the Peña Labra Choir performed at the Cantabria Office during the EU’s Regional Open Days, presenting a repertoire of choral pieces that reflected both classical influences and local folklore. In 2010, two further initiatives reinforced Cantabria’s cultural presence in the Belgian capital: the exhibition “Visions of the End of Times: Beatus of Liébana and the Beatus Manuscripts”, held at the Instituto Cervantes and accompanied by a concert of ancient music that evoked the spiritual atmosphere of the Middle Ages; and a vibrant performance at the MIM by the youth ensemble Retales Casi Sinfónicos, whose eclectic mix of Spanish guitars, strings, woodwinds, accordions, and lyrical voices showcased the creativity and energy of a new generation of Cantabrian musicians.

Another major milestone was Cantabria’s prominent participation in the 2019 Folklorissimo Festival, held at the iconic Grand Place in Brussels. Spain was the guest of honor that year, and Cantabria stood out with over 100 artists and groups showcasing the region’s cultural, musical, gastronomic, and tourist identity. The “Virgen de las Nieves de Tanos” group represented traditional Cantabrian music during the festival’s main event, while the “Cantabria Infinita” stand offered tastings of local products and promotional materials.

For Inma Valencia, the objective is clear: “Cantabria’s culture has found in Brussels a powerful stage from which to be heard. It’s not just about being present in the political or economic forums of the EU, but also about sharing our traditions, our music, and our roots with international audiences.”

In short, Cantabria’s external action in Brussels demonstrates how culture can serve as a strategic tool for regional diplomacy. Thanks to the ongoing work of its Office in the European capital, Cantabria continues to carve out its place at the cultural heart of Europe.

The post Brussels as a European Cultural Showcase: The Role of Regional Representation Offices in Promoting Regional Culture appeared first on Brussels Express.

The European Semester, an instrument for coordinating the economic and social policies of EU Member States, has seen its influence grow over the years. It has become the EU’s main policy framework, guiding investment and reform priorities for each Member State. However, despite its growing impact on national policies, this process remains largely unknown to the public and to local and regional stakeholders. The CEMR report highlights a major paradox: while the recommendations of the European Semester often concern the competences of sub-national governments, the latter are rarely consulted or involved in the decision-making process.

National recommendations with local consequences

Initially conceived as an economic tool, the European Semester has expanded to encompass areas such as fiscal policy, employment and sustainable development. The resulting country-specific recommendations (CSRs) can cover a wide range of areas, often falling within the remit of local and regional authorities. They include issues such as the state of public finances, the pension system reform, Education and innovation, Employment measures, the implementation of cohesion policy and the recovery plan, the Green and energy transition.

A centralised process that ignores the local realities

Despite the direct or indirect impact of the European Semester on local and regional governments, they are generally not consulted when recommendations are drawn up. This lack of involvement is all the more problematic given that local and regional authorities are often on the front line when it comes to implementing public policies. Their skills and resources are directly affected by decisions taken at European level, whether in terms of investment in the energy transition, employment policies or public services.

Concrete examples of lack of coordination

Several case studies show the consequences of this lack of dialogue between levels of governance:

• In Spain, the national government used the recommendations of the European Semester to include a budget surplus for local authorities in its own budget, without prior consultation.
• In Germany, European directives led to the exclusion of broadband infrastructure projects from cohesion funds, without any consultation with the local authorities concerned.
• In Austria, recommendations on limiting public spending have a direct impact on local budgets, without local authorities having been able to express their point of view.
• In Belgium, risks have been identified by associations of local authorities concerning potential savings that could be made on their allocations by the federal and regional levels, without consultation.
• In the Czech Republic, the lack of coordination between the European Union, the national government and local authorities has an impact on the ability of the latter to benefit from European funds, particularly small municipalities.

Clear demands for greater involvement

The CEMR report stresses the urgent need to reform the European Semester to ensure that local and regional authorities are better taken into account. The CEMR makes a number of recommendations, including

• Recognition of the essential role of local and regional authorities by the European institutions.
• Systematic consultation of local and regional government representatives in the validation of country-specific recommendations and in the preparation of national reform programmes.
• Establishment of regular exchange of experiences on the impact of investments and reforms resulting from the European Semester.
• Integration of territorial and governance impact assessments in the country reports, analysing the different levels of government involved in implementation.
• Taking account of the competences and resources of sub-national governments when defining objectives and proposed measures.
• Promotion of fiscal decentralisation and financial autonomy for local authorities.
• Introduction of a « golden rule ’ to preserve and encourage local and regional public investment in the long term.

Through this very practical approach, illustrated with concrete examples, this report shows that the European Semester, in its current form, is a centralised process that too often ignores the reality and specificities of the territories. It is crucial to rethink the way it works, so that local and regional authorities are seen as partners in their own right, and not simply as implementing decisions taken in the European bubble in Brussels and the national capitals. A multi-level approach and enhanced dialogue are essential to ensure the effectiveness and relevance of European public policies, and to respond to the challenges that European citizens face on a daily basis. The recommendations made by the CEMR offer a roadmap for achieving more inclusive and effective European governance.

The post The European Semester: When Cities and regions are not taken into account appeared first on Brussels Express.

Name: Inma Valencia
Nationality: Spanish 
Profession: Director of Cantabria’s Representation Office in Brussels 

Inma Valencia, Director of Cantabria’s Representation Office in Brussels, is a leading figure in the field of European relations. A law graduate from the University of Cantabria, she went on to specialise in European Affairs. Her solid academic background has given her an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of the European Union and public policy.

Following her studies, Inma began her career as a lawyer, first at a prestigious law society in Brussels and then working for the Consejo General de la Abogacía Española, the representation of Spanish lawyers to the EU. She quickly rose through the ranks thanks to her expertise and dedication. In 1998, she was appointed Director of the Cantabria office in Brussels, a strategic position that allows her to defend her region’s interests with the European institutions. 

Inma has also served as Director General of Economy and European Affairs in her region, overseeing the management of the ERDF Operational Programme 2007-2013, negotiating the 2014-2020 ERDF programme, acting as the Managing Authority for the SUDOE Territorial Cooperation Programme, and serving as a member of the Committee of the Regions where she was a ver y active member. She also managed the Presidency of the Atlantic Arc Committee for 4 years when Cantabria chaired this organisation. 

As Director of the Brussels Office, Inma plays a crucial lobbying and networking role. She works tirelessly to promote Cantabria’s projects and initiatives, facilitating access to European funding and international partnerships. Under her leadership, the Cantabria office has succeeded in building strong relationships with key players in the EU, bringing many economic and social benefits to the region.

A concrete example of this success is Cantabria’s participation in the CPMR (Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions) and other important EU regional networks. Thanks to Inma’s efforts, Cantabria has been able to fully integrate into these networks, leading to fruitful collaborations and funding for innovative projects in the region. This integration has strengthened Cantabria’s position as a leader in several sectors at European level.

Working in the European bubble of Brussels means that the region can benefit from a whole range of European funding, from regional policy (ERDF) to research and innovation, to name but a few. Inma Valencia: ‘In practical terms, the presence of the regional offices in Brussels offers them a whole range of opportunities. I can give you just a few examples of concrete achievements for my region. Firstly, access to European funding. Our presence in Brussels has made it easier to obtain European funding for various regional projects, enabling the development of infrastructure and local initiatives. What I can also highlight is the strengthening of partnerships. My role as a regional networker has enabled me to establish strategic partnerships with other European regions and institutions, which has led to joint projects and exchanges of good practice. The example I would take is the GALACTEA PLUS project, which is part of the Enterprise Europe Network and supports Cantabrian SMEs in their internationalisation’. 

Inma Valencia’s role is also one of monitoring, representing and defending the interests of her region. ‘This mission of representing and influencing European public policy is THE most important part of my job, because it’s been ongoing from morning to night for the past 25 years’, she tells us.

Based just a stone’s throw from the Schuman roundabout, the Cantabria office not only hosts working meetings, but is also a stopover for regional politicians, various administrative departments and delegations from Cantabria. All this work helps to raise Cantabria’s profile on the European stage, attracting investment and economic opportunities.

Inma Valencia is recognised not only for her professional skills, but also for her sociable and communicative nature. She is appreciated for her collaborative approach and her ability to inspire trust. Her leadership and experience make her an invaluable asset to Cantabria, ensuring that the region continues to prosper and develop on the European stage.

The post Portrait: Inma Valencia, a ‘regional lobbyist’ at the service of her region: Cantabria appeared first on Brussels Express.

Since 2022, the municipality of Grez-Doiceau, 28 kilometres south of Brussels in the Walloon region, has been working with other municipalities in Europe to create a European cultural route on the theme of Saint George and the Dragon. In August 2023, a delegation from the municipality travelled to Beesel (Netherlands) to meet representatives of other towns celebrating St George and the Dragon across Europe. In addition to the host town of Beesel, the partner municipalities are Furth im Wald (Germany), Montblanc (Spain) and Monçao (Portugal). Together with Grez-Doiceau, they have ratified a letter of intent to set up this European network around Saint George and the dragon.

What is a European cultural route?

It’s a programme launched in 1987 by the Council of Europe, which aims to demonstrate that the heritage of different European countries contributes to the common heritage. Today, there are 47 cultural routes, each promoting a common cultural heritage between different countries, around a specific theme, such as the ‘Pilgrim’s Way to Santiago de Compostela’, the ‘Viking Route’, the ‘Route of the Impressionists’, etc. Discover the list of existing European cultural routes here.

Cultural routes are networks that promote fundamental European values such as democracy, human rights, diversity, cultural identity and mutual exchange across borders. To be registered as a European Cultural Route, the network must meet a number of criteria, including: highlighting a European cultural and heritage legacy, bringing together at least 3 Council of Europe member countries, highlighting European values, drawing on scientific research, contributing to cultural and educational exchanges for young people and promoting sustainable tourism through innovative projects.

Why Saint George and the Dragon?

The theme of Saint George and the dragon is an important cultural heritage from Europe’s past. It is represented in numerous traditions throughout the continent, and the symbolism of the battle between good and evil is recurrent. By registering this heritage as a European Cultural Route, the local authorities are seeking to highlight this legacy of tradition and sharing, as well as promoting European diversity and tourism.

Meeting in Monçao, Portugal

After Beesel in August 2023, a meeting was held this year in Monçao with partner municipalities, with the aim of making progress towards this forthcoming bid. The meeting also provided an opportunity to pool the similarities and convergences between the different traditions in the cities and communes in the network. They also have their own specific characteristics, depending on the country or town where the festivities are celebrated. Although the battle between Saint George and the dragon remains a central element, each town has its own legend and organises a wide variety of activities.

What next?

Each cultural route must have a legal personality to manage and coordinate the network. To this end, an association called ‘Saint-Georges and the Dragon’ is being set up. Issues such as branding and communication still need to be addressed before the various municipalities can submit a joint bid to set up this European cultural route. The bid is due to be submitted in 2026. 

The post On the way to creating a European ‘Saint-George and the Dragon’ cultural route appeared first on Brussels Express.

On Sunday, vaccinations were carried out in Italy, Spain, France, Poland, Austria, Croatia, and Greece.

Other EU countries including Portugal, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Lithuania began vaccinating their populations on Saturday.

In Belgium and Luxembourg, vaccinations will start tomorrow, December 28.

Non-EU countries including the UK, Switzerland, and Serbia have already launched their vaccination campaigns.

The EU has so far secured over two billion doses of vaccines for its 450 million citizens and residents.

Priority access to vaccines will go to healthcare workers, people over 60 years of age, those whose state of health makes them particularly at risk, and essential workers outside the health sector.

Other priority groups include workers who cannot socially distance, vulnerable socio-economic groups, and other groups at higher risk.

Meanwhile, a new and more contagious variant of the coronavirus continues manifesting in Europe and around the world.

First identified in the UK, the new variant has appeared in other European countries including the Netherlands, France, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The post EU activates vaccination drive amid threat of new coronavirus variant appeared first on Brussels Express.

Today, the Association is proudly celebrating its 20th year of activity, with ever-evolving goals and ambitions for the upcoming future. In the past two decades, it has relentlessly broadened its curriculum in Europe and its Neighbourhood, with over 60 currently ongoing projects in EU member States, the Western Balkans, the Mediterranean, the Eastern Partnership and Central Asia for a total of over 40 countries, 15 Local Democracy Agencies, 3 Operational Partners, over 350 members and 5 more offices – one of which in Brussels.

Alda* is, in fact, particularly active in Belgium, with its Brussels office serving as a focal point for the promotion of participatory democracy and active citizenship at the European level, as well as for the development of new synergies in cooperation with local members.

The Belgian network is currently composed of 12 associates, including the 4 municipalities of Ypres, Zoersel, Etterbeek and Grez-Doiceau and 8 civil society organisations. Among the latter are a few important cross-memberships, too, as collaboration agreements have been established with those associations with which Alda* shares a common mission: it is the case of the Diesis Network, of the European Projects Association AISBL, and of the Association of Cities and Regions for Sustainable Resource Management ACR+.

Click here to view a complete list of Alda* members in Belgium.

The Association welcomes expressions of interest by all potential new members, and constantly encourages partnerships to collaborate on projects of European relevance. The Belgian scene is no exception, and indeed Alda* is always implementing projects with Belgian municipalities and civil society organisations beyond its membership pool, too. To mention one of many, the consortium of the Food Wave project – Empowering Youth for Climate Actions sees the partnership of the municipalities of Molenbeek and Bruges towards the aim to increase EU citizens’ knowledge, awareness and engagement on sustainable patterns of food consumption and production for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

As of this month of August 2020, besides, Belgium can now count on an Alda* ambassador of its own! Vice-Mayor of the Municipality of Grez-Doiceau, where he leads citizen participation, civic affairs, population, digitalisation, international relations and partnerships, Mr Pascal Goergen is a perfect fit for this role and its aim to improve visibility and establish relationships with new counterparts and to support the action of the existing Alda* members in Belgium.

Alda* is very much looking forward to continuing and expanding its work in local Belgian communities towards stronger local democracy and community involvement.

Email membership@aldaintranet.org if you wish to know more!

The post Supporting local democracy in Belgium: meet Alda* appeared first on Brussels Express.

The European Week of Regions and Cities is an annual four-day event during which cities and regions showcase their capacity to create growth and jobs, implement European Union cohesion policy, and prove the importance of the local and regional level for good European governance. This year the event will host more than 6000 people and 600 speakers of 70 countries.

The event was created in 2003 when the European Committee of the Regions invited Brussels-based local and regional representations to the European Union to open their doors to visitors simultaneously. One year later the European Commission’s DG for Regional Policy also joined the adventure.

Developing from the initial concept, the event has become a European networking platform for experts in regional and local development. Exchange of good practice in economic development and social inclusion, cross-border cooperation, public-private partnerships, regional innovation and community-led local development have become some of its many topics.

Over the years, the event has grown into the key event on EU Regional Policy. It welcomes some 6.000 participants in October each year (local, regional, national and European decision-makers and experts) for more than 100 workshops and debates, exhibitions and networking opportunities.

In addition to the Brussels-based workshops, local events are run from September to November all over Europe.

The European Week of Regions and Cities and its workshops, debates and networking activities are addressed to:

• members of the European Committee of the Regions, members of the European Parliament and national, regional and local politicians
• European, national, regional and local government officials and experts in the field of managing and evaluating cohesion policy programs
• representatives of private companies, financial institutions and European and national associations
• journalists from European, national, regional and local media outlets
• researchers, PhD or masters students and practitioners in the field of European regional and urban policy

Every year, also a number of side events take place around the event in Brussels. Side event organisers are responsible for their event and its organisation.

Find more information and the whole program of the event here.

The post European Week of Regions and Cities appeared first on Brussels Express.

Name: David Oliva Uribe
Nationality: Belgian-Mexican
Profession: Head of the Industrial Doctoral School – EIT Digital

« Trump’s protectionist policies help me to encourage Latin America to look more towards Europe as the best partner. »

Could you tell us a little about your journey and how you came to be in Brussels?

I’m 44 years old. I was born in Mexico City in 1975, but I’m a Belgian national now. I became a Belgian national in 2016. I went down the path where you show that you have more than five years working here. In addition, although it wasn’t necessary, I had several references from University rectors through my job – my scientific work, but also the work I have done to promote Belgian universities abroad. I help to enhance international cooperation between universities.

I came to Europe in 2005. I was interested in coming because at the time, in Mexico, I was working for one of the most important private universities, the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) and I was involved in education and research. But I was not able to lead my own research because I didn’t have a PhD. Also, Mexico at that time was not really able to carry out research with an impact on society or industry. So, I was very interested to know how the European model works.

I decided to go to Germany where I started my journey in Europe. It was very funny because I didn’t start out doing a PhD. I got a job working in a research centre. I was helping to manage the centre, with a team leader role, but not really working on my PhD. Basically, when I started looking to go there, I talked to the research centre directors and professors, and I said, I’m not only interested in doing a PhD, I’m also interested in how universities and industries can work together and innovate. So I was in Germany when I got that opportunity.

I learned quite a lot there about how German universities really have strong links with industry. I was the leader of a research team working on projects for Airbus, Siemens, Bosch and Volkswagen – very varied, really big as well as small companies. This helped me to understand the various collaborative possibilities.

It was there that I got the chance to be involved in applying for funding from the European Commission for FP7, the framework programme, and it became clear how important it was also to collaborate with the rest of Europe, because for every project you need three countries at least to work together.

Then the time came for me to know more about the European Union and I got the chance to come to Brussels in 2010 for summer training with a professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB).

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0SZNarC-jr/

What were your first impressions of Brussels?

It was very interesting because people don’t necessarily imagine the things going on at Brussels’s universities. They may not be highly ranked although they are doing their best to improve, but they have real jewels in research: very highly renowned scientific researchers. The professor who ran this training course I went on is number two in the world for the research he does in modelling for non-linear systems, which you can apply everywhere. Finding the number two in the world in Brussels!

I spent one month here in the summer of 2010 and got to know the VUB and I found not only him but several professors who are really in the top echelons of research. You could say, I fell in love with the VUB – how they work, how they really want to promote collaboration and how they are very inclusive. It opened my eyes to Brussels as a very international city, a very friendly city, very open. For example, when you compare it to Paris – Paris is very international too but you still see it’s very closed and selfish. And Brussels is more open. Even just the different social days, for example on Thursday in Place Luxembourg or you can go to Chatelain. You can find people working in industry, working in the European Parliament or the Commission, and everybody can hang out with everybody. Nobody will be really ‘posh’ and say, ‘I will not talk to you!’. They really give you a smile, ask what you’re doing, you might find out they’re an MEP. You feel it’s a very friendly city.

By chance, the professor who was giving the training, was very interested in the research I’d started in Germany. While making things for industry was important, I had wanted to do something with a real impact for society and I had found a German neurosurgeon, Doctor Ralf Stroop, looking for a solution for local hospitals to better operate on brain tumours. He asked if I could develop something with him and we started working together. The prototypes were working very well, but very slowly. They were accurate but they took a very long time. So, I took this summer training to gain the knowledge and skills to make it really fast.

I presented this to the VUB professor, Johan Schoukens, and he told me, ‘I will give you a job here if you want to collaborate with me.’ For me, it was a nice opportunity to be in Brussels, to be with the number two in the world, and to continue my European path.

I decided to take the job. He gave me other responsibilities, such as the academic coordination of summer training. We receive PhD students from all over the world, and 17 countries in Europe. This has equipped me with great insight into European environments.

Around that time, I started a strong collaboration with the Mexican Embassy in Brussels and their mission to the EU, because they asked me to start creating professional networks for Mexicans living in Europe. So I created the first one in Germany, then one in Belgium, and I helped to structure the Mexican network in Europe which now has 17 associations in 16 different countries.

The main idea is to enhance collaboration between European countries and Mexican institutions and people. Previously Mexico’s focus had been the United States. But many things have happened to change that. First of all, we sent a strong message that Europe and the EU is a very good partner to work with. Education in Europe is stronger, richer, more inclusive. And this has changed the way Mexico views collaboration. 15 years ago, 90% of Mexican scholarships to go abroad were to the United States. Now, 65% of scholars want to come to Europe or are in Europe. So we changed that completely.

When you say Europe is stronger, richer, in terms of education, how does that fit with the impression people have of, for example, MIT in the States, their big name universities and all the private money that goes into those institutions? There’s a narrative that says that sort of approach drives innovation and research in a way that doesn’t happen here. But you think that Europe has a stronger academic offer than America?

Europe has a stronger academic scene and a completely different perspective on innovation, which is the social impact side of things. This is totally different from the vision of the United States. The US has a stronger, economy driven model of innovation. Money is the most important thing there, multiplication of investment. Creating value, economic value. But it’s not always thought-through: what are we placing into the market?

In Europe, on the other hand, there is a strong commitment to saying, ‘What we invest as public funds, plus what we win from private investors, drives innovation and yes, will generate economic benefits, but the tangible outputs are things that are good for society. Products that will improve health, improve the quality of life, that will give you a safer job.’ And when you look at these, the financial side has not been the aim. Of course, we have a gap, which we need to rebalance. We need to generate more successful companies. But still, we don’t need to change that social impact mission.

Through this collaboration with Mexico, I had more and more contact and attended events at the EU, so I really observed a lot of what’s happening in Brussels. At the time when I got my first offer of work with a European organisation, I had become a Belgian national and I was invited to work with the European University Association, the EUA. It’s the biggest university lobbying effort in the world. They gather universities in all European countries. They had on the association’s board the rectors conference of 30 countries, so it’s really global.

At the EUA, I was in charge of the Council for Doctoral Education, where I had contacts with 230 universities in 30 countries in Europe – not only the EU – so I became involved with policies and how we develop better opportunities for researchers. This has given me a great perspective to understand institutions, to understand what they do. But at the same time, I’ve never stopped collaborating with Mexico. That’s how and why I started bringing more and more ideas to Mexico and Latin America, from Brussels: how to do things that will promote development but with social impact. This is what Brussels can bring and I have been a big promoter of Brussels in Latin America. With Brussels you can reach every single part of Europe – you cannot imagine! I have meetings with the Helsinki office who are just downstairs. Through those windows there (pointing) you have the Association of Norwegian Universities. If I want to reach Russian universities, they have an office near Place Luxembourg. So, every single place in Europe can be reached in Brussels.

It’s a city where you can achieve your personal goals too. I lived a wonderful life here as a single person. I got married here with a German and we have a daughter and she was born in Brussels, raised here, educated here and we are very happy here. You can combine a good quality of life while still being in the most interesting and active region where you discuss the future of European development.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpE79iEFht6/

Those are very positive comments about Brussels. How would you compare those experiences with Germany or indeed, Mexico City? Would you draw any comparisons?

It’s different. I was in Hanover in Germany. Many German cities are still not really international. German companies see ‘internationalisation’ in terms of ‘how can we place things into foreign markets’, not ‘how do we integrate these things into our environment?’. In Belgium, in Brussels, it’s the latter. There, in Germany, you can see, everybody really pictures you as a foreigner. Here, the definition of ‘foreigner’ is gone. Actually, sometimes you feel that it’s the Belgians who feel foreign sometimes in Brussels! That’s the difference.

I joined EIT Digital. There are certain external organisations that depend on the European Commission called European Union Bodies. EIT is one of them, the European Institute for Innovation and Technology. The headquarters are in Budapest, and EIT has a mission to boost innovation in Europe. They are divided into different Knowledge Innovation Communities (KICs) and one of them is EIT Digital, which is in charge of the digital transformation of Europe. There is also EIT Climate, EIT Energy.

EIT Digital decided to put the headquarters in Brussels but we have offices in 17 different cities, including one in Silicon Valley. I joined EIT Digital last year to be the Head of the Industrial Doctoral School, so for me it’s a really dream job. In fact, every job I’ve ever had has been a dream job for me. But why do I enjoy this job? Because first we are talking about bringing innovation to Europe in the domain of digital transformation – where we are not the world leaders yet, and we have everything it takes to become the strongest. And for me, now I feel I’m really working for Europe and for Brussels.

Secondly, I have the opportunity both to promote programmes that will see companies and universities working together, and to communicate with young talent and tell them: doing research is something not only university-based, but also collaborative which gives you the opportunity to boost your career, to have a better position in your professional life and to develop solutions that will have an impact on society.

One of the things that is really a problem in Europe, is the fight for talent. Talent management is a huge topic. Talent retention. For example, Nordic countries have ideal places to work but nobody wants to go there. So they have even placed offices in Brussels to understand how to become more attractive. And we can retain talent if we show them the value of European companies.

So our mission in the industrial doctorates is to shape new talents, to shape new professionals for Europe who believe in European companies. We also have international companies with a great commitment to Europe, although we put emphasis on European ones. They can create and nurture their own companies, and we can provide them with the best ecosystem for innovation. We can connect them to all the programmes we are working on with the Commission’s vision. It just so happened with the change of Presidency, that the new Commissioner for Innovation and Youth, (Mariya Gabriel), was the Commissioner for Digital and this has helped to infuse digital research and education into all other agendas like climate and societal inclusion.

So we really want to expand the way we work: bring in more universities, more industries working together and inspiring young talent to believe that we can achieve a very powerful digital transformation. We already have around 120 participants in the Industrial Doctorate, but we’ll expand it to 300 – where we provide part of the scholarship funding and a complete international training in innovation and entrepreneurship. Actually, I would add that part of the training we provide, can take part here in Brussels so students can grasp how, through understanding Brussels and the EU, they can also reach many things.

Can you talk a little more about your own research work and give us an example of how research in the digital technology and biotech space can really have an impact on people’s lives?

Basically, where digital technologies can help is to do more complex tasks, because now we have the capacity to do it with artificial intelligence, numerical methods and powerful computers that can allow us to obtain better results. This has been, for instance, my focus with the ‘intelligent scalpel’ I designed: to develop technology that is accessible for all hospitals, that can be very precise and safe, and allows the surgeon to take the decisions, because he or she should take the decision. Human decision-making is really relevant for health. You should never take out the human approach from health and well-being.

With Doctor Stroop we aim to make an instrument that a surgeon will use to evaluate areas of the brain where he knows there is a tumour. The instrument will very thoroughly analyse the tissue being touched and confirm the surgeon’s judgement. Just through touch, the instrument starts making micro-vibrations using more than 4000 frequencies simultaneously. It’s like spectrum photography of how the tissue is vibrating. We analyse how the tissue vibrates and we extract complex models to decide if the tissue being touched is healthy or tumorous.

This requires material science as we decide on intelligent materials but these materials are only intelligent alongside digital technologies. We need to process a lot of information and calculations very quickly. Before, in Germany, we could do this in one minute per point, which is way too long! Waiting one minute for each bit of tissue analysis would mean the surgery would take ten days. Now, after working in Brussels with Professor Schoukens, we’ve managed to complete that task in 400 milliseconds per point. So really, you can just touch the tissue and see the result straightaway.

We are in the final phase of human trials and we hope to take it to market in a couple of years. But our aim is not really thinking about money, rather offering a solution that can be placed everywhere. That’s part of what I appreciate being here in Brussels, where many people here have that commitment. We believe that bringing things to society is the goal and as we come from different societies, so we try to ensure that the solutions match needs in different places.

Do you ever feel homesick for Mexico? Do you get the chance to go back?

In the past, before EIT I used to go back five times a year because I had a lot of projects but now EIT absorbs most of my time and my travels are more European. I try to go three times a year. But I don’t feel homesick because now, my family is here. My wife, my daughter. We really feel like une famille bruxelloise. So, Brussels is part of us.

If you were Mayor of one of the Communes, is there anything you would change, if you were in charge?

This is related to your first question. Why am I not homesick in Brussels? Because Brussels is like a small Mexico City. It is charming and chaotic. The only difference is that Mexico City is 30 times bigger because it has 30 million people, but still they are very similar. Very beautiful areas. Very dangerous areas. Chaotic. The traffic. Excellent transportation. Bad planning for street works.

You can get hysterical in Brussels but at the end of the day you don’t want to leave because Brussels offers many things. I think what makes Brussels beautiful is the people. The combined international community really makes Brussels very warm for everybody. You feel it in the schools and your kids. My daughter, for example, who is a Belgian but she comes from ‘foreign blood’ – if she were in a school where she was the only foreigner, as could happen in Germany, she would feel maybe a little bit isolated. But here, almost everybody comes from parents with different origins. Children who were born here have parents who speak different languages and different cultures. But they’re integrated and they generate tolerance since they are growing and being educated alongside others.

What I don’t like, and I think many of us complain about on social media, is the bad planning of street works. I think there are many issues. Security and sometimes the work of the police is not so effective. The streets are not properly prepared for cycling; they were just adapted and it’s interesting that they simply put a line down the traffic lane, but actually there is no room for both! I think the street planning is very bad. I would really change the signage and I think they should move to more one-way traffic, because there are such narrow streets.

Brussels is chaotic in that sense. My wife remarked that even in Mexico City, the traffic works. There are fewer accidents in percentage terms than Brussels. The formula is like this: in Germany, mostly everybody follows the rules, so you know what to expect. In Mexico, actually there are no rules, so you still know what to expect. But in Brussels, half the people follow the rules and the others don’t, so you never know what to expect. I think they could do something with civil education because we come from so many different places that people are not used to the same rules. You don’t know what is about to happen in front of you, so there is always a crash.

Do you have any anecdotes about experiencing Belgian surrealism?

I live in Ixelles and they took a year to repair the Chaussée d’Ixelles and exactly one day after re-opening it, they closed it again to fix something they had forgotten!

The other thing is, why on earth do children have so many holidays when we as workers only have 20 days? They have a lot of holidays. It’s not easy. They have the whole of July and August and then every two months they have another week. It’s impossible. Even if you had 40 holiday days you would never keep up with them.

Do you have any favourite places to frequent in Brussels?

We love to go to Volle Gas restaurant, in front of Ixelles commune. It’s one of my favourites. There is also the Fin de Siècle, which is an excellent restaurant towards Saint-Gery from the Bourse. Very nice, Belgian-style food. They only have the menu on a board, so you have to choose from there. After about 7pm, there’s a queue of people, but it’s nice because as you get closer to the bar you can ask for a drink. And usually when you’ve stopped eating, you have to go, to make room.

We also like to go to the Cinquantenaire Park and Bois de la Cambre. We live very close to the ULB and we are only one street away from Bois de la Cambre, so that’s our back garden.

Another thing I find wonderful in Brussels is the nightlife and all the festivals. So in summertime, even September, you find a lot of things to do. I’ve been several times to the Brussels Summer Festival, and all the local events, like the Fiesta Latina and when they open the beach at the canal.

And of course the beer. And the Christmas Market. Even though I’ve been to quite a few German Christmas Markets, I find the Brussels one really nice. It’s really, really nice. It’s a good one. I think it competes with the German ones. And what I like the most is that they open after Christmas, whereas the German ones close on the 23rd.

You mentioned Belgian food. What’s your favourite Belgian specialty?

Carbonnade. And mussels.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvTuTb5lqu1/

Do you have a personal wish linked to Brussels?

There is the route, the Comic Strip Walk, which I would like to do because I love comics. I only know two of the murals on the walk. And I’ve never been to the Comic Book Museum or to the Magritte Museum.

Just on a different note finally, because I think it would be remiss not to ask you: do you have any remarks about Trump and his policies?

I think it’s curious because of course it’s a bad position, but in terms of me as a Mexican Belgian, his protectionist policies help me to encourage Latin America to look more towards Europe. In terms of the wall (the one he wants Mexicans to pay for!), what he has actually done is place a wall between Latin American and US collaboration. For me this was an interesting moment, because I was then able to really strengthen my message. I also collaborate with other Latin American countries, with Colombia, Ecuador, Costa Rica and Argentina – I help them to find strategic alliances. When they were faced with Trump stopping every means to collaborate, it was a perfect time for me to introduce the message: Europe is your partner.

The post Portrait: Doctor David Oliva Uribe appeared first on Brussels Express.