The Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences (RAOS; , ARSOM; , KAOW) is a
Belgian federal academy that contributes to the progress of scientific knowledge about overseas regions. It is located in
Uccle
Uccle (French language, French, ) or Ukkel (Dutch language, Dutch, ) is one of the List of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the southern part of the region, it ...
, Brussels, and is one of
Belgium's numerous academies.
History
The academy was founded in 1928 as the Royal Belgian Colonial Institute (''Institut royal colonial belge''). It was renamed in 1954 as the Royal Academy of Colonial Sciences (''Académie royale des sciences coloniales''). Its interests were initially restricted to the
Belgian colonial empire
Belgium controlled several territories and concessions during the colonial era, principally the Belgian Congo (modern DR Congo) from 1908 to 1960, Ruanda-Urundi (modern Rwanda and Burundi) from 1922 to 1962, and Lado Enclave (modern Central E ...
and particularly the
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo (, ; ) was a Belgian colonial empire, Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960 and became the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville). The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Repu ...
until decolonisation. In 1959, it was renamed the Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences (''Académie royale des sciences d'outre-mer'') and broadened its geographical remit to include
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara. These include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the list of sovereign states and ...
,
Latin America
Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...
,
Asia
Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
, and
Oceania
Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...
. The academy organises a wide range of activities, including publications, academic conferences, and annual competitions.
The Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences is divided into three Sections:
* Section of Human Sciences
* Section of Natural and Medical Sciences
* Section of Technical Sciences
Competitions, scholarships and prizes
The Academy organizes yearly competitions with specific topics for each of its three Sections. Scholarships are also granted every year as part of the Fund, which aim is to contribute to the training of future agricultural engineers or veterinary surgeons by giving them the opportunity to go for a training period in a developing country.
Finally the Academy awards the following three-year prizes:
* The
Lucien Cahen
Lucien is a male given name. It is the French form of Luciano or Latin ''Lucianus'', patronymic of Lucius.
People
Given name
*Lucien, 3rd Prince Murat (1803–1878), French politician and Prince of Pontecorvo
*Lucien, Lord of Monaco (1487–1 ...
Prize for Geology (2012).
* The Yola Verhasselt Prize for Tropical Geography (2013).
* The
Fernand Suykens
Fernand is a masculine given name of French origin. The feminine form is Fernande.
Fernand may refer to:
People Given name
* Fernand Augereau (1882–1958), French cyclist
* Fernand Auwera (1929–2015), Belgian writer
* Fernand Baldet (1885â ...
Prize for the study of ports (2013).
* The Jean-Jacques and Berthe Symoens Prize for Tropical
Limnology
Limnology ( ; ) is the study of inland aquatic ecosystems.
It includes aspects of the biological, chemical, physical, and geological characteristics of fresh and saline, natural and man-made bodies of water. This includes the study of lakes, ...
(2014).
Publications
Works produced by the society include:
*
* ', 1948-2015; 11 volumes (Also called ''Biographie Coloniale Belge'')
* Bulletin des Seances. 1930-
online
* Commission d'Histoire du Congo. (Publications.) 1953-1958.
* Livre blanc: Apport scientifique de la Belgique au developpement de l'Afrique centrale. 1962-
* Memoires
online
** Memoires de la classe des sciences morales et politiques. 1933-
** Memoires de la classe des sciences naturelles et medicales. 1931-
** Memoires de la classe des sciences techniques. 1930-
See also
*
Belgian overseas colonies
Belgium controlled several territories and concessions during the colonial era, principally the Belgian Congo (modern DR Congo) from 1908 to 1960, Ruanda-Urundi (modern Rwanda and Burundi) from 1922 to 1962, and Lado Enclave (modern Central Equ ...
*
Société Belge d'Études Coloniales
The Société d'Études Coloniales () was a society that promoted the creation and maintenance of Belgian overseas colonies which was established in 1894. For some years it was headquartered in the in Brussels
Brussels, officially the Br ...
(est. 1894)
*
Colonial University of Belgium
The Colonial University of Belgium (, ) was an institute of higher education located in Antwerp. Founded in 1920, the institute was established to prepare students for a careers as colonial functionaries in the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi. ...
(est. 1920 in Antwerp)
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Scientific organisations based in Belgium
Science and technology in Belgium
Organisations based in Belgium with royal patronage
1928 establishments in Belgium
Belgian colonial empire