The K.U.Leuven has a new Rector: Mark Waer. Wa have asked him some questions on his ideas about internationalization and development and we offer our international students the answers…

VOICE - How are you planning to attain the 20-20-20 goal? How will you attract more students to the  K.U.Leuven while you encourage more Leuven students to go abroad?
WAER: I consider that the most important element to attract students to Leuven is to have excellent groups. Foreign students get attracted by these strong groups. For instance, for a master, and obviously also for a PhD, they will come if they can do it in a group where there is outstanding research. To motivate students to go outside, first of all we count on the Erasmus system, which should be further promoted and supported. I also think that it will be more important to look for some more structural collaborations with foreign universities. It may be very attractive to look for more visiting professors, also on the master level. What we know from other universities who have a similar experience is that if you do this systematically, very frequently students will follow these professors to the university they are coming from.

VOICE - Do you think that all universities have a quality high enough for the K.U.Leuven to send its students to?
WAER:We need to have guarantees that the universities we send our students to are of equal quality. The faculties have a responsibility there, but I think that, in the long run, there will be a need for some sort of quality insurance in the European Educational Space. Of course, not everything can be done at the same time. At present, the idea of the Erasmus and the principle of stimulating students to go abroad is a very good one. I also believe that a very strict quality control has to come right now as well.

VOICE - Quantity or quality?
WAER: The ideal thing is to combine them both and it is very dangerous to say that quantity is more important than quality. First of all, there is the quality of the study environment. On the other hand, there is also the quality of having the experience, to have an open mind, to go abroad... And there my personal feeling would be that if one goes abroad for six months, even if the quality of the educational system might not be perfect, the mere experience to be there, to live in another environment and to realize that the quality that we have in Leuven is outstanding, of great value. Nonetheless, the ultimate goal is of course to have a high number of students abroad as well as a high level of education there as well.

VOICE - In establishing research relationships with Third World countries, should Human Rights play a role?
WAER: That is a difficult issue, of course. From our level, I think that we have to influence these universities and these countries, where we can, if there are problems with Human Rights. On the other hand, we must realize that our power on that level is limited and that, in the long run, our influence to change particular attitudes towards Human Rights may be very important by working on the individual level. When our researchers are there, they may discuss on a personal level and, by doing so, some people might start to look at things in a different way. Bringing them over here could work too. If they see how it works here, they can progressively start to change their mentality. Blocking every exchange until a situation has changed might rather provoke isolation. And I am in favour of always trying to maintain relationships.
VOICE - In your program you state that you would increase the budget for development co-operation up to 0.47% and in the long turn even up to 0.7%. Will you fulfill that next year already?
WAER:Yes. I have to sit down with the general manager to see how the budget is, starting August 1st, of course. I am convinced that it will not be a major problem to do it, though.

VOICE - And even up to 0.7% within the time of your mandate as rector?
WAER: Yes. An increase of 50% will bring us to 0.45. After two years another increase of 50% will bring us to 0.7%.