Belgium: Brussels-Capital Region

map

Introduction

The Brussels-Capital Region is entrusted with the following areas of research: research with an economic perspective, energy policy, engineering works, the environment and transport, as well as research involving other regional authorities. Financial support is granted to companies, universities and research centres.

The region is one of the European hubs of scientific research and advanced technologies. It has adopted a proactive policy based on its natural assets, i.e. the presence of four university centres of excellence and four industrial higher education institutes, three faculties of medicine and university hospitals as well as several public and private research centres. In this highly intellectual context, university research centres are closely linked with the Brussels-based companies involved in the high-tech sector.

Scientific research in the Brussels-Capital Region is mainly geared towards highly specialised sectors and advanced technologies such as information technology, state-of-the art equipment and procedures, electromechanical engineering, biotechnology and life sciences, medical research and environmental protection. In 2001, during the Belgian Presidency of the European Union, the Brussels-Capital Region took up the presidency of the Research Council on behalf of Belgium.

Policy

The Minister-President of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region is in charge of the entire research policy in the Brussels Region.

Agencies

The Research and Innovation Directorate of the Economy and Employment Administration (RIN AEE) promotes the development of new initiatives through grants or interest-free loans; reinforces the existing innovative projects; pursues European programmes for scientific and technical research, such as EUREKA, COST etc. and encourage the Brussels-Capital Region to take part in them.

The Brussels Enterprise Agency (ABE) is home to the Brussels IRC, the Brussels based branch of the European network of Innovation Relay Centres. The Brussels IRC helps companies and research institutes in Brussels to develop innovative projects alongside international partners (technology transfer). By working with a company to build up a technological profile, the Brussels IRC helps the latter to find the partner it is looking for in one of the 33 countries served by the IRC network and provides support until an agreement covering technical cooperation with a European partner has been signed.

Funding

Institute for the encouragement of Scientific Research and Innovation of Brussels.

Organisations

Public research bodies: Public scientific institutions, research centres (fundamental & applied), including University research centres.
list: www.research.be/ListURL/list.asp?KeyID=611&up=617
Technology & Innovation: (Semi)-public centres for technological research, technology transfer and innovation, including sectorial collective research centres.
list: www.research.be/ListURL/list.asp?KeyID=582&up=617

Top of page