On 25-26 February at the Thermae Palace Hotel in Ostend we will bring an inspiring mix of leadership development, scientific discovery, and real-world impact. We are delighted that you will be part of this event. Below, you can find all the practical information.
- Leadership, skills & career development
Insights into leadership at VIB and new opportunities through the VIB.NxT Academy and three hands-on workshops to choose from. - Meet the people driving new science at VIB
You’ll hear from our newest PIs and Expert Scientists, meet colleagues from across centers, and discover fresh perspectives on emerging research directions. - Turning ideas into impact
From ERC success stories to valorization and spin-off experiences, the program highlights how ideas move from bench to breakthrough—scientifically, translationally, and beyond. You’ll also get updates on VIB Technologies and the new Aureus Nova Scientia Prize. - And of course: time to connect
We’ve included plenty of space for informal conversation, including a relaxed dinner at De Grote Post, because some of the best ideas start outside the meeting room.
Program
Wednesday 25 February
- 09:00-10:15 Arrival & registration with coffee
- 10:15-10:20 Welcome
- 10:20-12:00 Leadership at VIB
- Veerle Bogaert (VIB HR)
- Thomas Van Caelenberg (VIB HR)
- Keynote speaker Nathalie Aelterman (assistant professor motivational psychology and co-founder Impetus)
- 12:00-13:30 Lunch
- 13:30-15:10 Meet the new PIs and Expert Scientists
- 13:30-13:50 Joana Pereira (VIB AI)
- 13:50-14:10 Sammy Pontrelli (CfM)
- 14:10-14:30 Olaf Klingbeil (CCB)
- 14:30-14:50 Henne Holstege (CBD)
- 14:50-15:10 Wouter Saelens (IRC)
- 15:10-16:10 Coffee break
- 16:10-16:50 Meet the new PIs and Expert Scientists
- 16:10-16:30 Sebastiaan De Schepper (CMN)
- 16:30-16:50 Polina Novikova (PSB)
- 16:50-17:50 Turning ideas into ventures: From lab bench to spin-off
- Building tomorrow’s promising biotech ventures – a VIB perspective (Griet Vanpoucke, VIB New Ventures)
- + two case studies involving VIB PI’s
- 17:50-18:30 Meet the new PIs and Expert Scientists
- 17:50-18:10 Lars Vereecke (IRC)
- 18:10-18:30 Tom Dendooven (CSB)
- 19:00 Dinner at the Grote Post (Walking buffet)
Thursday 26 February
- 08:00-09:00 Breakfast
- 09:00-10:30 ERC Research at VIB
- 09:00-09:15 Colinda Scheele (CCB, StG)
- 09:15-09.30 Bart De Strooper (CBD, Adv)
- 09:30-09:45 Jan Remsik (CCB, ERC StG)
- 09:45-10:00 Emanuela Pasciuto (CMN, StG)
- 10:00-10:15 Jonathan Maelfait (IRC, CoG)
- 10:15-10:30 Martin Guilliams (IRC, Adv)
- 10:30-11:00 Coffee break
- 11:00-11:10 Aureus Nova Scientia Prize (Christine Durinx/Jérôme Van Biervliet)
- 11:10-11:40 Technologies at VIB
- 11:40-12:10 Impact stories
- 11:40-11:55 Francis Impens (CMB)
- 11:55-12:10 Ive De Smet (PSB)
- 12:10-13:30 Lunch
- 13:30-15:00 Short Workshops on Leadership
- Providing feedback: sharpen one of your most powerful leadership tools (Room Fabiola)
Giving feedback is essential to team development - yet even experienced leaders know how challenging it can be. In this interactive session, we introduce a practical framework to help you deliver feedback that is clear, respectful, and genuinely effective. You’ll work with a professional training actor to practice real-life scenarios tailored to leadership challenges. You’ll walk away with concrete techniques you can immediately apply in your team, along with valuable insights from the actor and your peers on your personal feedback style. - Recruitment in practice: smart strategies to attract and select talent (Room Elisabeth)
Recruitment goes far beyond posting a vacancy. As a group leader, you are shaping the future of your team - and the stakes are high. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to approach recruitment strategically and efficiently. We’ll share best practices, tried-and-tested tools, and lessons learned from HR that make a real difference in finding the right fit. This is also a space for exchanging experiences: bring your own tips, challenges, and insights so we can co-create a practical toolkit tailored to the reality of VIB group leaders. - Peer consultation: learn from each other’s leadership challenges (Room Wellington)
Some leadership questions don’t have straightforward answers - and that’s exactly where peer learning becomes invaluable. In this session, you’ll work with fellow group leaders in a structured reflection format that helps you gain new perspectives on complex situations. Bring a real case from your team or leadership context, and together we’ll explore fresh ideas, alternative approaches, and concrete next steps. By the end, you’ll have actionable insights not only for your own case but also for future challenges.
Talks (Room Fabiola) - Lunch & Breakfast (Room Astrid)
Practical information
Venue
Thermae Palace Hotel
Koningin Astridlaan 7
8400 Ostend
How to get there
Event locations are selected based on criteria such as accessibility, eco-friendly caterer, and partners. That is why we would like to encourage you to make use of public transport when joining our events. This is why only valid public transportation tickets can get reimbursed. Other ways of transportation will therefore not get reimbursed.
If you come by train, the schedules can be found on the Belgian Rail website. The Thermae Palace hotel is accessible from the station on foot or by tram:
- On foot, it will take 25 minutes to walk from the train station to the Thermae Palace hotel
- By tram: The tram stop is next to the train station. You take the tram in the direction of ‘DE PANNE’ Tram stop for the hotel: KONINGINNELAAN (2nd stop after the station). It is 5 min by tram from the station to this stop.
If you come by car, there is parking available right in front of the Thermae Palace. You need to ask for a ticket at the reception when leaving.
Check-in hotel room
Check-in in the hotel room is possible from 15h00 at the reception desk of the hotel.
Check-out is up to 12h00. For late check-outs, you pay a supplement of €50. A late check-out is only possible on the basis of availability. Please return the key card at the reception before Checking Out.
VIB is paying for your room and lunches, but any extras must be paid by yourself.
Photographer
During the first day, a photographer will be present to take some pictures of the talks but she will also be available to take new portrait pictures for those who signed up for this. This will take place during the coffee breaks.
Dinner
Dinner will take place in the 'Panorama Room' on the 4th floor at the 'De Grote Post' in Ostend. This is within walking distance from Thermae Palace (15 min). Only people who registered for the dinner can join the dinner.
Wifi
Internet connection via WIFI (Network: 'TPH Public', Password: 'oostende').
For additional questions, please contact manon.vannuffel@vib.be or katrina.wright@vib.be.