The Department of Economy, Science and Innovation has recently redefined its mission and vision. In order to accomplish the main target of developing Flanders into one of the most progressive and prosperous regions in the world, the main focus revolves around six strategic objectives, with special attention for issues such as sustainability, knowledge creation and knowledge valorisation, as well as a solid international reputation in the field of research and innovation. Download our corporate brochure.

On 20 September 2010, the website of the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation, www.ewi-vlaanderen.be , received the Anysurfer label. The Anysurfer label is a quality label for websites that are accessible to all - including people with a functional disability. Going online is usually most problematic for the visually impaired and the blind as well as for elderly people. Anysurfer, however, monitors accessibility for internet users with motor and audio disabilities. Acquisition of the Anysurfer label also implies that the website of the Department complies with the requirements described in the ‘Accessible Web’ project of the Flemish Government, through which it seeks to make all its websites and web applications accessible to persons with disabilities. For more information on the label visit www.anysurfer.be.

The EWI focus workshop ‘An attractive Flanders for international researchers’ took place on Tuesday 12 October 2010. A panel of speakers and their audience brainstormed about ways to increase Flanders’ attraction on foreign researchers. Those who weren’t able to attend the workshop as well as participants who want to relive the event can view the speakers’ presentations and a summary of the debate on the website of the EWI Department.

The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union is entering its last two-month period. Meanwhile, the EWI Department can look back on three top conferences for which it can claim both fundamental and practical organisation. The report and presentations of the conferences ‘Knowledge-Based Bio Economy towards 2020’ and ‘EurOCEAN 2010’ can be viewed at their respective sites www.kbbe2010.be and www.eurocean2010.eu . The SET-Plan Conference has yet to take place on 15 and 16 November. This conference primarily seeks to inform a large group of stakeholders (researchers, industry, policy-makers and the financial community) about the progress of the implementation of the European SET-Plan, with a focus on the launch of two European initiatives: the European Bio-Energy Initiative and the Sustainable Nuclear Initiative. More detailed information can be found on www.setplanconference2010.be.

In September 2010, the Flemish Government launched its ‘Flanders Inspires International Visitors Program’. The program seeks to present Flanders’ assets to international guests. The programme is one of the instruments for implementation of the Flemish strategy on public diplomacy and fits in the framework of the Flanders in Action project. The two initial programmes ‘Entrepreneurship & Innovation’ and ‘Education, Public Sector & Culture’ took place in September. In the scope of the following programme ‘Economy, Technology & Foreign Policy’, organised in the week of 25 October 2010 , the EWI Department welcomed on the 25th of October Mr Pawel Swieboda, Director of Demos Europe – Centre for European Strategy, Warsaw (Poland) and Mr Mikel Anton Zaragoitia, director de Internacionalizacion Gaiker, Basque Country (Spain).