On February 3rd 2026, the second BPSC event took place in Brussels. Representatives of the participating institutes gathered to translate the proposed community targets into concrete, achievable action points aligned with our shared vision. Feasible activities within the four BPSC working groups were defined: Science Policy & Funding; Collaboration; Education & Early Career Support; and Communication & Outreach.
Events
Broad Support for Increased National Collaboration in Plant Research
As of March 10 2025, Belgium has a national network for plant scientists: the Belgian Plant Science Community (BPSC). More than 100 leading Belgian researchers from prominent research institutions and government agencies gathered at Meise Botanic Garden to shape the future of plant research in Belgium.
The attendees represented a wide range of universities, research institutes, and policy bodies, including KU Leuven, UGent, ULiège, ULB, UCLouvain, VIB, Meise Botanic Garden, ILVO, INBO, Hasselt University, Thomas More, VITO, CRA-W, the Flemish and federal governments, and various practice and trial centers such as Proefcentrum Hoogstraten and Inagro. This broad engagement demonstrates the strong support for the creation of a national community for plant researchers in Belgium.
Belgium has a… Read more
, 