Barbara Tan currently works on behalf of the University of Antwerp as Policy Advisor Knowledge Transfer for the YUFE (Young Universities for the Future of Europe https://yufe.eu/ ) which is one of the selected European University Alliances funded by the European Commission to test and pilot different cooperation models for European Universities. One of her main tasks within this YUFE alliance is to develop together with colleagues from both the University of Antwerp and the other YUFE universities a common vision and strategy on how to engage with external stakeholders in order to establish a more demand driven approach of Knowledge Valorisation.
Barbara has more than 20 years of experience in various aspects of higher education with focus on research, innovation, science and technology policy. She started her professional career as a researcher at the Center for Social Policy Herman Deleeck, where she published about persistent social inequalities in Flemish higher education. Then she became advisor for education and innovation at the Flemish employers’ organization Voka-Vlaams Economische Verbond for almost 6 years, where she built a wide network of business contacts. Then she returned to the University of Antwerp at the Department of Research, Innovation & Valorisation Antwerp (RIVA) in various functions among which as Valorisation Manager for the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) as the point of contact for researchers in the domain of SSH who need support on the transfer of their scientific knowledge towards companies and other stakeholders. Barbara enabled the launch of various spin-off companies from the University of Antwerp and also holds the certificate of Registered Technology Transfer Professional (RTTP). Barbara is also selected expert in the following EU groups on Knowledge Valorisation:
- the YERUN expert group on Knowledge Valorisation
- the CoP Working Group on” Innovation Diffusion” recently installed by the European Commission
- the EU Committee of ASTP
Expertise:
- spin-off creation
- license-agreements
- contract research, service agreement
- attracting external funding for collaboration with companies
- EU/EFRO funding
- Quadruple helix
- (EU) Policy on Knowledge Valorisation
