The Flemish institute for technological research ( nl, Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek or VITO), is an independent

Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...

research organisation that provides scientific advice and technological innovations that facilitate the transition to a sustainable society, and this in the areas of energy, chemistry, materials, health and land use.

Organisation

VITO is a public limited company incorporated under the decree of 23 January 1991. This decree was replaced by the decree of 30 April 2009. VITO is part of the policy domain of the Department of Economy, science & Innovation (EWI) of the

Flemish government The Flemish Government ( nl, Vlaamse regering ) is the executive branch of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region of Belgium. It consists of a government cabinet, headed by the Minister-President and accountable to the Flemish Parliament, a ...

. VITO works partly with its own resources (contract research, patents), partly with grants from the Flemish government, so that government commissioners from the Department of Economy, science and Innovation (EWI) are also part of the Board of Directors. Civil Engineer

Dirk Fransaer Dirk Jozef Alfons Fransaer (born 9 August 1958 in Dendermonde) is a Belgium, Belgian engineer and director of the Flemish Institute for Technological Research in Mol, Belgium. He graduated as a civil engineer at the University of Ghent (Ghent) in ...

has been Managing Director of VITO since 2001. Also part of the Board of Directors: Director Research & Development: Walter Eevers, Director Human Resources & General Services: Agnes Bosmans, Director Finance: Rob Fabry, and Commercial Director: Bruno Reyntjens. The head office of VITO is located in Mol (Belgium). VITO also has offices in

Berchem Berchem () is a southern Districts of Antwerp, district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. Berchem is located along the old ''Grote Steenweg'' (Dutch language, Dutch for 'Big Paved Road') that has connected ...

Genk Genk () is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality located in the Belgian Provinces of Belgium, province of Limburg (Belgium), Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the town of Genk itself. I ...

Ostend Ostend ( nl, Oostende, ; french: link=no, Ostende ; german: link=no, Ostende ; vls, Ostende) is a coastal city and municipality, located in the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerk ...

Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in ...

and

Kortrijk Kortrijk ( , ; vls, Kortryk or ''Kortrik''; french: Courtrai ; la, Cortoriacum), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Regio ...

. The international offices are located in

Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

and

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

. VITO is active in 40 countries and has around 850 employees with 43 different nationalities.

Objectives

* Accelerate the transition to a competitive, clean and secure energy system in Flanders and the world * Introduce short material cycles to set up ecosystems throughout the world for

circular economy A circular economy (also referred to as circularity and CE) is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. CE aims ...

* Radically reduce the consumption of fossil-based feedstocks and energy within the Flemish chemical sector * Facilitate innovative, preventive and affordable healthcare, underpinned by measuring instruments and data * Stimulate sustainable use of space and water, with links to health, agriculture and more

Collaborations

VITO cooperates with companies, either directly or in partnership with industry networks such as the spearhead clusters and business organisation. In Flanders and by extension internationally. VITO also works closely with European scientific communities and international institutions.
EnergyVille

Cleantech Flanders

Vlakwa

Revenue

In 2017, VITO had a revenue of 172 million euros.

Sources

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External links