Brochure endowed chairs at KU Leuven

YOUR ENDOWED CHAIR AT KU LEUVEN

1. What is an endowed chair? p. 4

2. Benefits for your company or organisation p. 6

3. Why collaborate with KU Leuven and UZ Leuven? p. 8

4. How do you set up your own endowed chair? p. 10

5. Endowed Chairs in figures p. 12

6. A beneficial dialogue p. 13

Inauguration extended QbD Chair for Precision Oncology Research in Glioblastoma. © Michael De Lausnay t

We do not live in an era of change, but in a change of era. As a socially engaged citizen, you have been reflecting on sustainable solutions to societal challenges. You are not alone. We too are taking up the mantle of responsibility.

For 600 years, patrons have supported KU Leuven's forward-looking education and groundbreaking research. Thanks in part to them, we have grown into a beacon of knowledge. A crucible where ideas are forged, theories tested and breakthroughs achieved.

Rapid evolutions in an increasingly complex world confront us with pressing issues that can only be faced by working together and being inventive. A challenge that extends far beyond the walls of our lecture halls.

This is precisely the strength at the heart of endowed chairs, or ‘chairs’: they connect teaching and research with real-world applications.

They create a platform for the exchange of ideas by building bridges between academia and your sector or area of interest. Insights from the lab and the lecture hall therefore find their way smoothly into society, where they increase well-being and prosperity.

This brochure will tell you how you can fund a chair and what benefits you will enjoy. As a donor, you determine the topic in consultation with us. A chair can encourage fundamental research or support educational projects. You can give your own name to the chair or name it after your company, your association or a person you want to honour in a special way.

With a chair you help further progress, for our society and yourself. In one fell swoop, you create priceless social benefit. Let us look for solutions to the great challenges of our time. Let us think out of the box and make pioneering discoveries that will challenge the status quo. No undertaking is too big for us, if we do it together.

Koen Debackere Executive director

KU Leuven Research & Development

Luc Sels Rector of KU Leuven

1. What is an endowed chair?

Through an endowed chair, you as a company, organisation or individual form a sustainable partnership with the University. As a partner, you commit to making a substantial annual contribution of EUR 70,000 to a research project, educational activity or social initiative.

With a minimum term of three years, a chair guarantees in-depth and long-term collaboration. Do you have robust ambitions? Then the duration and amount can be scaled up. This creates room for an even stronger commitment.

Each chair has an chair holder, who is a professor at KU Leuven and leads a team within a specific faculty or research group. Interdisciplinary cooperation is also possible through one of the 16 KU Leuven Institutes, such as the Leuven Cancer Institute, the Institute for Artificial Intelligence or the Digital Society Institute.

As a partner, you have the choice of naming the chair after your company, yourself or the type of research you support. The Brussels Airport chair, the van Paassen-Ospelt chair and the Decent Work and Global Development Goals Chair are just a few excellent examples.

t Professor Verstrepen, co-chairholder of the AB InBev endowed chair in Malting and Brewing. This endowed chair supports educational activities in the field of malting and brewing sciences, and more specifically internationally focused postgraduate education. © Rob Stevens

There are three ways to fund an chair, each with its own advantages:

1. Through a donation. We prepare a letter of intent. Your donation is tax deductible. You will receive a tax certificate.

2. Through sponsorship. We draw up a sponsorship agreement. You will receive an invoice and pay 21% VAT, which is in principle fully tax deductible.

3. Via a grant. You will receive a payment request, but no tax certificate or invoice.

During the term of the contract, the chair holder will keep you up to date on research activities and provide you with an annual report. The staff of the Fundraising and Alumni Relations Office will always at your service.

It is important to note that funding a chair is a form of patronage, not contract research. As a donor or sponsor, you have no control over research objectives, project results or confidentiality of outcomes. The University retains intellectual property (IP) rights. Commercial licences are not at play here and funding does not depend on evaluation reports. Under a chair framework, the researcher remains completely independent. The research team continues to share its findings with the public in order to contribute to society.

TESTIMONIAL MEDTRONIC CHAIRS

“We are honoured to partner with KU Leuven and Leuven University Hospitals (UZ Leuven). Their doctors, professors and health professionals are amongst the absolute best. Our main focus is innovation: how do we ensure that these innovations provide value, stay available and remain affordable for patients? This chair can prove invaluable for a patient. In the past, every breath was a challenge; after surgery, people were often bedridden. Now, even a stay in intensive care is sometimes no longer necessary. That makes this investment worthwhile.”

Karen Troch Senior Strategic Account Manager Medtronic

Certificate signing during the inauguration of the Covidien AG Medtronic Chair Surgical Treatment for Pulmonary Emphysema and the Medtronic chair on Optimizing the Outcome of Bariatric/metabolic surgery. © Michael De Lausnay t

2. Benefits for your company or organisation

Doing good because it benefits people and the planet is your trademark. A chair at KU Leuven can make your vision for the future tangible. Discover everything that makes the chair concept so interesting.

• Your chair promotes scientific insights that fuel innovation and create movement. By helping spur research you help society progress, create wealth and employment, and strengthen the knowledge position of your company or organisation. This keeps you at the forefront of innovation. You will receive annual reports on the progress of the research.

• You will enjoy tax benefits. Your contribution is usually tax deductible if you fund an endowed chair via donation. If you opt for sponsorship, you will enjoy extra visibility by having your name and logo on our website and can recover VAT.

• You will have a front row seat as an important partner of the University:

- You will come into contact with leading academics who are recognised as top experts within their field. They will share their knowledge with your team, whilst our academics get the opportunity to test new insights from the lab against practice. This leads to a fruitful exchange of ideas and experiences.

- By attaching your name to a chair, you strengthen your reputation and brand value. You receive recognition for your contribution, for example when your chair is mentioned in publications, press articles or newsletters. As a sponsor, you enjoy extra visibility through the inclusion of your name and logo on our official website.

Professor Verfaille conducts stem cell research thanks to Ida Vanden Eynde Chair In Stem Cell Systems Biology. t

• You will be part of our larger international community of researchers and professors, students and alumni, opinion leaders and board members. You will be involved in the ins and outs of the University. As a partner, KU Leuven will invite you to events such as the opening of the academic year, the Patron Saint's Day activities, the Corporate Partners Event and special celebrations such as the anniversary year.

• Within the framework of an chair, opportunities will arise to explore other partnerships. We will be happy to put you in touch with our knowledge and technology transfer office (KU Leuven Research & Development), student facilities (KU Leuven Stuvo), the KU Leuven Institutes, our faculties and more. There are also opportunities to collaborate with young talent to tap into new employee potential.

TESTIMONIAL

ATLAS COPCO RESEARCH CHAIR IN SERVICE SYSTEMS

“The great added value of a chair is the connection between academia and business. If you are a business leader with a problem and are looking for a solution, look to t the University. That will open the door for you and your employees to the academic community. The only condition is that you must commit, and especially commit in time.”

Ronnie Leten

Chair of the KU Leuven Patronage Council and former CEO of Atlas Copco

Professors Sabino, Vermeire and Ferrante conduct research on inflammatory bowel disease with support from the Takeda endowed chair. t

Watch the video

3. Why collaborate with KU Leuven and UZ Leuven?

With an endowed chair, you position yourself as a pioneer in forward-looking education and innovative world-class research. The University maintains its pioneering role thanks to our patrons. They make the difference.

KU Leuven is Europe's most innovative university.

So confirms the Reuters ranking. According to the world rankings from QS (61st place) and Times Higher Education (45th place), KU Leuven can also be counted amongst the leading European universities. It owes this in part to its unwavering academic reputation, extensive patent portfolio and international research network.

UZ Leuven ranks amongst the world's best hospitals.

As Belgium's largest university hospital, University Hospitals Leuven (UZ Leuven) sets the standard in medical research. Scientists from KU Leuven and UZ Leuven constantly strive to find diagnostic solutions that strengthen care on all fronts. Working closely together, they unravel hidden disease patterns and practise new, more tailored treatments.

Watch the video

Watch the video

Interdisciplinarity is of paramount importance to us.

It is crucial that scientists from various disciplines combine their knowledge and expertise to combat the major challenges of our time. That is why at researchers KU Leuven and UZ Leuven are constantly looking over the walls of their own domains. This ensures broad support for interdisciplinary chairs that are not tied to one domain or faculty. The KU Leuven Institutes and their associated chairs illustrate this nicely. Our network opens doors to new insights and experiences. As a corporate partner, an international network of 8,268 researchers,

13,613 KU Leuven staff members, 9,397 UZ Leuven staff members, 63,774 students and 311,712 alumni will be open to you. Together, we make top-level research and teaching possible.

With three decades of experience in forming chairs, you are in capable hands. Chairs made their appearance at the University as early as 1993. We now count more than 100 active chairs. The oldest chair dates back to 2001, and is proof of our professional approach and deep knowledge in attracting partners for long-term and fruitful collaborations at the University.

Every chair is unique, and so is our approach.

Our team of expert, experienced professionals is ready to offer you tailor-made guidance that perfectly suits your specific situation.

You can always contact the chair coordinator and legal team that will guide you through the process from A to Z.

TESTIMONIAL

ARVESTA BELGIUM CHAIR OF NUTRIENT FLOWS IN BELGIAN AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE

“By combining our own innovations with the everyday knowledge of our customers, our farmers, we make a difference in how we merge agriculture and the environment. Nature and agriculture must merge to make sustainable food production a permanent possibility. A well-founded analysis of circulation systems and efficient use of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is necessary to facilitate this goal. This chair allows us to realise this goal together with KU Leuven.”

Kris Geysels CFO Arvesta

4. How do you set up your own endowed chair?

Interested in funding an endowed chair at KU Leuven? Follow this roadmap to set up your own chair.

1. You contact our chair coordinator.

During a kick-off meeting, we get to know each other and identify your goals, values and expectations. On this basis, we look for the researcher who is the best match for your vision. They will become the holder of your chair.

2. You define the topic of the chair in consultation with the chairholder. You also determine the amount you wish to donate annually to the project. You choose whether to offer financial support in the form of a donation, sponsorship or grant.

3. Our lawyers draft the chair agreement.

We denote the name, objective and further details in the contract. You can give your own name to the chair or name it after your company, your association or a person you want to honour in a special way.

5. Both parties share the news of the new partnership.

Both parties will communicate the news via press articles, social media and newsletters. We will create a page on the KU Leuven website where interested members of the public can find all the details about the intent behind the chair.

4. The contract will be signed during the solemn inauguration.

This takes place in the presence of the Rector. As a token of appreciation, you will receive a corporate gift in the form of a certificate or a bronze statue.

Certificate signing during the inauguration of the Euroclear Chair on Predictive Process Mining for Financial Market Infrastructure Services. © Johan Van Droogenbroeck u

What should you expect?

• Expert guidance tailored to your needs and ambitions

• Legal advice from our in-house counselors

• An official inauguration in the presence of the rector

• Transparency in the use of funds

• Regular updates on project progress

• Personal contact with the chair holder

• Partnership announcement through official communication channels of KU Leuven and/or UZ Leuven

• Networking opportunities

Is the chair agreement coming to an end?

We would be happy to discuss with you options for extending the chair as well as other interesting opportunities for collaboration.

TESTIMONIAL CSL BEHRING EMIL VON BEHRING CHAIR IN NEUROMUSCULAR AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS

“The innovative nature of CSL Behring has been an inherent characteristic since the beginning of our company: Emil von Behring – company founder and Nobel Prize winner for physiology and medicine in 1901 − knew better than anyone how to translate scientific research into clinical applications. More than 100 years later, this scientific research remains one of the main pillars for delivering on our promise to patients. Our chair in neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders supports Professors Claeys and Van Damme's scientific research. This is how we address unmet medical needs and help save lives.”

Patrick Reygaert CSL Behring General Manager Benelux

5. Endowed Chairs in figures

KU Leuven has a rich philanthropic history and has been receiving donations from patrons since 1425. Chairs have been established at KU Leuven since 1993.

Discover all our chairs at kuleuven.be/endowed-chairs or scan the QR code.

A chair term lasts for at least 3 years.

THERE ARE 102 ACTIVE CHAIRS IN VARIOUS FIELDS.

In 2023, KU Leuven established 8 new chairs and extended 8 existing ones.

A chair costs a minimum of 70,000 euros per year.

As a sponsor, you pay 21 % VAT, which in principle is fully tax deductible.

6. A beneficial dialogue

At the Fundraising and Alumni Relations Office, we look forward to turning your commitment into lasting impact. Our team of experts and legal advisers will work closely with you to create a chair that seamlessly aligns with your vision and values.

Ready to work together to change course? Contact us today and discover how your commitment will lead to sustainable progress.

Would you like to stay informed?

Receive our research stories directly in your (digital) mailbox via the newsletter from KU Leuven Stories and the University magazine Sonar.

FUNDRAISING AND ALUMNI RELATIONS OFFICE

Minderbroedersstraat 5

3000 LEUVEN

tel. +32 16 32 37 39

 giving@kuleuven.be giving.kuleuven.be

“As coordinator of chairs at KU Leuven, I am ready to listen closely to your story. Feel free to get in touch. I'm happy to put my years of experience to work to bridge the gap between your area of interest, your sector and our academic community. Together we will aim to create a perfect match.”

GERT-JAN BAKX

Chair coordinator

tel. +32 16 37 45 93

 gert-jan.bakx@kuleuven.be

TESTIMONIAL CERA/BOERENBOND CHAIR IN COOPERATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

“The Cera/Boerenbond chair has been extended a second time. In this way the Cooperative Entrepreneurship Knowledge Centre is helping to make a difference amongst the many cooperatives looking to further professionalise their operations. We help create that difference through a growing education and training offering and with a research team that now numbers 14 researchers. Our efforts once again demonstrate the great importance of chairs: the resources of Cera and Boerenbond have played a major role in this story as powerful levers for increasing scale and impact.”

Luc Sels

Professor Luc Sels, chair holder

s Rector Luc Sels presents a gift during the inauguration of the extended endowed chair. © Johan Van Droogenbroeck

Innovation manager Kristof Brijs, lab assistant Ian Van Meel and professor Jan Delcour, holding chips, cake and rice respectively. The research team receives funding from the University, the Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek - Vlaanderen (FWO) and through the chair Kellogg established at the University.

© Rob Stevens t