Yesterday I joined the reception at the Belgian embassy to meet with the delegation of the University of Ghent, where I graduated as master in electronic engineering in 1973. As such I must be probably the oldest alumnus here in Beijing. Most of the participants at the reception were Chinese alumni, as the University starts to be well known in China and receives a lot of attention. The University along with the Province of East Flanders have a long track record here in China, fostering relations with several well-known Chinese universities.
I was very pleased and honored to meet with the new Dean, Prof. dr. Anne De Paepe. Last year I had met her predecessor, also in the Belgian embassy.

I am proud of my Alma Mater. If I scored some unusual successes here in China I should say thanks. Indeed the most important thing I learned in my engineering studies: to learn, never say you can’t handle something, always sit down and look with a fresh mind into “impossible” problems.
Also pictured are, among others: Prof. Dr. ir. Guy Smagghe, Prof. dr. ir. Patrick Van Damme and Vice Governor of the Province of East Flanders Geert Versnick. And of course our ambassador, H.E. Michel Malherbe, our perfect host as usual.
I was born in Ghent, went there to school and to the university.
As reported by … ir. Gilbert