20 people with links to Ghent University were selected at random. They tell us what 2020 meant to them, what they will carry over to next year and above all: what they hope for in 2021. Kurt Boelens graduated from Ghent University in business psychology in 1987.
Parastou grew up in Belgium after she fled Iran with her family at the age of five. She completed her university studies in England, where she also started working as a lawyer. After nine years in Liverpool, she returned to Belgium this year with her husband, as well as her cat and dog! In September she started the ManaMa International Business Law.
The lockdown accelerated the plans to study again for Sofie. Without the long list of ‘to dos’ in the evenings and weekends, she can focus much better.
Babs Isenbaert is doing her second bachelor in psychology. She would also like to help people in the future.
Céline Vaneeckhaute is an alumnus from Ghent University, and meanwhile professor of bioscience engineering at Laval University in the Canadian city of Quebec, where she has been living with her husband for years. She tells us what 2020 meant to them, what she will carry over to next year and above all: what she hopes for in 2021.
For Pieter Verbeke, a student at Ghent University, 2020 was mainly focused on work placements. He is currently doing the educational masters in physics and astronomy, and is already teaching part-time in secondary education.
Nicolaas Lumen is a ‘product of Ghent University’ in every way. In 2002, he graduated in medicine, and these days he is a professor in urology. Nicolaas hopes to quickly return to a normal life in 2021, so that we can come and go as we please once more.
Ragad Haj Ali is doing her first bachelor in pharmaceutical sciences, but has already been through a lot in her life. Meanwhile, she is proud to have the opportunity to study at Ghent University. She remains positive, despite the many challenges.
Pascal Vandaele is a functional analyst in the Gismo Team at DICT (department of Information and Communication Technology). He tells us what 2020 meant to him, what he will carry over to next year and above all: what he hopes for in 2021.
We are nearing the end of this strange and special year, 2020. Time to reflect on the status quo. 20 people with links to Ghent University were selected at random. For the last two years, Annelies Van Isacker has been a job coach at Divergent, an organisation within Ghent University which helps to guide people with their reintegration in the workplace.
For Yanis Peters, 2020 was the year he found love: he finally embarked on his great passion - maths - at Ghent University. And he also found true love, when corona brought him and his girlfriend together.
Yannick Christiaens is educational supervisor at the Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Product Design. He takes us to the product development studio at Campus Kortrijk.
