Panel organizers: Sylvain Dieltjens & Priscilla Heynderickx

Today, the world of academia (communication studies, bachelor programmes in applied linguistics, master programmes in business communication, etc.) and the business world seem to discover each other's merits and therefore start to collaborate more. On the one hand, the business community is interested in the theoretical or methodological input of students during their internship programme. On the other hand, the academia seem to be more interested than before in the professional skills and the professional input they can get from the business community. For example, spokesmen of both profit and non-profit organizations and experts of the business world are more regularly invited on the university campus for workshops or lectures. Companies are establishing their own formation centres and instruction programmes, generally in collaboration with the academic world.

In this panel we will focus on the interaction between the business community and the academia.

1) are there common goals?

2) can they realize a win-win relationship?

3) how can we stimulate the mutual understanding and interest?

4) what does the business community expect from the academic world?

5) what does the academic world expect from the business world?

6) how can we concretize the academic skills on the work floor?

7) Feedback groups (klankbordgroepen): a concrete example of collaboration between two worlds

Contact: Sylvain Dieltjens or Priscilla Heynderickx