Teach the Future has already been active in Belgium on a more ad hoc bases. Since 2015 Maya van Leemput has been in our network of advocators. And Marc Franck (in 2017) & Michael van Lieshout (in 2018) have also been collaborators.
Now we are proud to share that Thomas D’hooge and Maya van Leemput are the official enthusiastic Belgian hub coordinators. Read on to get to know them and their plans to get futures thinking into Belgian classrooms.
Thomas D’hooge is currently employed as a professor at VIVES University of Applied Sciences in Belgium. He has both a coordinating and teaching role within courses on 'emerging technologies' and 'futures thinking'. In addition, he is mentor and coach for a lot of projects for entrepreneurial students.
Why do you want to be part of Teach the Future (TTF)?
“In Belgium Futures Literacy is unexplored terrain. TTF does not only have a proven track record, an extensive library with tools, games and teaching materials, but they also have build an international network of experts and like-minded people. If we really want to make Belgium more future literate, it’s only possible with the help of TTF.”
What are your dreams for Teach the Future Belgium?
“It’s quite simple: we want every child and student in Belgium (and beyond) to learn about the future. Not only will it help them in their professional career, I also believe that if everybody understands futures a little better, we can really start building a preferable future today. Futures literacy should be obvious for everyone. The goal of TTF Belgium is to make ourselves redundant.”
What are your first concrete actions?
”Currently I am already teaching the future at VIVES University of Applied Sciences. Last year my students made free teaching materials about the futures, this year I challenged my students to create a website that explains the future to teens. Together with them I tried to make impact by making Futures Literacy accessible for everyone. On the short term I really want to build and expand the local community in Belgium, a network of people with shared vision and complementary skills. Together with them, and TTF Global, we can and will have a profound impact!
Maya van Leemput is a futures researcher and multi-media maker. She works at the research center ‘Open Time | Applied Futures Research’ of the department People & Society at Erasmus Brussels University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Maya is also a UNESCO Chairholder on Images of the Futures and Co-creation. In partnership with photographer Bram Goots she runs a long-term independent project for exploring images of the future, combining conversation-based approaches and visual ethnography with multi-media co-creation.
Why do you want to be part of Teach the Future (TTF)?
“I want to be involved in TTF because I believe we are all learners and teachers and the future is one of the most important subjects we can learn or teach. I have been involved in quite a few shared activities and grant applications in collaboration with TTF Europe and this was always a great experience.”
What are your dreams for Teach the Future Belgium?
“I hope our hub's appeal resonates sufficiently to create momentum and traction for the idea of teaching the future in Belgium. It would be good to see an increasing number of learning institutions pick up the idea and actually start teaching the future. My dream is that Belgian kids and grown ups develop futures awareness and futures literacy through out their learning trajectories.
What are your first concrete actions?
”Thomas D’hooge and I are already putting our heads together to forge our plans. One of the first things I will certainly do is to start giving guest lectures in teach-the-teacher education, to begin with at my own institution, but also in other existing teacher training programmes.”
Living in Belgium and want to join forces with Thomas and Maya and get futures thinking into Belgian classrooms? Feel free to send them an e-mail.