’TU/e knowledge is indispensable for Europe’

[VIDEO] Delia Mitcan represents TU/e at the EU in Brussels. Ahead of the European elections in June, she talks about the importance and impact of her work.

Delia Mitcan is ’our woman in Brussels’ where she works a few days a week to represent TU/e interests in the heart of Europe. She refers to herself as the linking pin between the people who make policy and those who bring the knowledge.

She has been working partly in Brussels for a year now and finds it fantastic. Her eyes light up when she talks about her work in the Belgian capital. "It is greabe allowed to be the connecting factor between all the wonderful things being researched at the university in Eindhoven and the policy makers in Brussels."

"Because," she says, "at the university, we research technology to advance society. But we need politics to embrace new technologies and put them on the map. And to be able to develop them further."

Collaboration

She shares her office in Brussels with colleagues from the Municipality of Eindhoven and Brainport. The office is close to the European Parliament (where decisions are made), the European Commission (where policy is made), as well as collaboration partners such as the Dutch embassy and higher education institutions in Europe ( Neth-ER )

She walks a lot, because she’s not in the office very often. "I’m mostly in town meeting the people who are important to the university and drinking lots of cups of coffee," she jokes. Mitcan also organizes meetings to bring the knowledge from Eindhoven to Brussels, as she puts it.

Knowledge as raw material

Mitcan: "Here in Brussels, important policies are made to move Europe forward. And to do that well requires knowledge. In areas such as renewable energy, for example, but also chips and semiconductors, in Brainport we have knowledge that is invaluable."

"Then it is important that politicians and companies here in Brussels can take up that knowledge. And if we can act together on this as a knowledge region, our chances of actually being seen as important are boosted."

The AI Act is an example of how the TU/e institute EAISI has joined forces to contribute to regulation surrounding artificial inteligence.

"In Europe, students can study and do research at all kinds of universities during their studies. This brings them into contact with all kinds of cultures and visions. That broadens their view. " For example, this is done through EuroTeQ.

To Eindhoven

Mitcan also regularly invites policy makers from Brussels to come and see for themselves what is happening on the Eindhoven campus.

"It is so nice to see how people are impressed by all the great things we are doing on our campus and in Brainport. They especially feast their eyes on the research we do aimed at tackling the challenges of the future. But they are also always enthusiastic about how innovative we are in designing our education with Challenge-Based Learning , for example."

14 mei: the European Innovation Debate @TU/e

Leading up to the European elections (from June 6th to 9th), on Tuesday, May 14th, TU/e will host the European Innovation Debate (the debate is in Dutch). Leaders from various political parties will debate topics including the role of geopolitics, (labor) migration, and climate policy in innovation and industrial policy. The debate is organized by TU/e, Brainport Development, and FME, the entrepreneurs’ organization for the technological industry. It will take place in the Corona Hall at Luna. The number of seats is limited, registration is necessary, see the link below.