On 25 November 2015, HRH Princess Léa of Belgium visited the University of Luxembourg together with a diplomatic, economic and academic delegation.

The visit took place in the framework of Luxembourg’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The visit was organised by the International Diplomatic and Consular Society (CIDIC) in collaboration with the Federation of Regional Actors in Europe (FEDRA). The diplomatic, economic and academic (DEA) missions are organised every six months with the aim of establishing contacts and building partnerships and business opportunities between businessmen, diplomates and academics.

The mission was supported by the Directorate-General Growth of the European Commission, the Luxembourgian government, notably the Ministry of the Economy and the Luxembourgian Embassy in Belgium, and the Belgian government represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Belgium Embassy in Luxembourg.

Companies such as Mithra Pharmaceuticals, CRS Packaging and Delfood were represented during the visit as well as Vrije Universiteit Brussels.

Academic component

The mission had a focus on the economic and academic leading sectors, in particular biomedicine and secure and reliable information, communication and technology systems. These sectors are among the strategic research areas at the University of Luxembourg.

The delegation visited Belval Campus in the morning. A welcome ceremony was hosted by:

• Prof. Franck Leprévost, Vice-President for organisation and International Relations;
• Prof. Rudi Balling, Director of the Luxembourg Centre for Systems (LCSB);
• Dr Erica Monfardini, Director of operations at the LCSB.

The delegation, presided by HRH Princess Léa of Belgium, continued its visit at the LCSB and the biomedical incubators. The delegation also visited the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security Reliability and Trust (SnT) located on Kirchberg. There, the Princess was welcomed by Prof. Björn Ottersten, Director of SnT, and was informed on the latest developments in the research done at this interdisciplinary research centre.

Slideshow photo caption: HRH Princess Léa of Belgium—holding the flower bouquet—with members of the DEA delegation and University of Luxembourg staff upon her arrival on Belval Campus.

© Michel Brumat / University of Luxembourg 2015