School of Thinking
Instructors
VUB researchers and affiliated experts teaching at the Postgraduate School of Thinking in the Year Upsilon (2023/24).
Prof. Francis Heylighen
Prof. Jean Paul Van Bendegem
Dr. Sayfan Borghini
Prof. Gerard de Zeeuw
Dr. Karin Verelst
Dr. Weaver D.R. Weinbaum
Dr. Cadell Last
Iwona Sołtysińska, M.A.
Mag. Stefan Blachfellner
Lotte van Lith, M.A.
Prof. Edward Nęcka
Balthazar Roy Tirosh, M.D.
Dr. Clément Vidal
dr. Maciej Świeży
Dr. Marta Lenartowicz
Dr. Meredith Root-Bernstein
Paul Wouters, M.A.
Katarina Petrović
Orion Maxted, M.A.
Organization
Center Leo Apostel (CLEA)
The School of Thinking programme is organised by CLEA: a transdisciplinary research centre at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), which focuses on bringing together the different scientific, social and cultural disciplines. CLEA was founded in 1995, under the impetus of the Belgian philosopher Leo Apostel. Apostel saw the purpose of CLEA in integrating the results of the different disciplines so as to counteract the apparent fragmentation of ever more specialised approaches, and in attracting a variety of talented researchers from the humanities, social sciences, physical sciences and engineering to work together in an a-disciplinary academic environment. CLEA is internationally recognised as a unique, transdisciplinary research centre with a steady output of high-quality innovative publications. The main focus of CLEA research programme is transitions between ‘different layers of reality’ (e.g., quantum, physical, chemical, biological to cognitive and social), general metasystem transitions, creative processes, processes of self-organization and emergence.
Management
The programme is managed by the team:
- Programme Director: Dr. Maciej Świeży;
- Workflow Chairman of The Fellows: Gys Godderis, M.A;
- Educational Council (Onderwijsraad): Prof. Francis Heylighen (Chair), Dr. Marta Lenartowicz, Dr. Weaver D.R. Weinbaum, Prof. Jean Paul Van Bendegem, Prof. Yoni Van Den Eede, Lotte Van Lith, Iwona Sołtysińska, Jailee Rychen, Jessie Eggers, Sacha Moens, Herwig Nulens, Joris De Kelver, Veerle Meurs, Nathalie Degraide, Gys Godderis, and Dr. Maciej Świeży.
Fellows
Former students affiliated with the School of Thinking programme in the 2020/21 academic year. The Fellows carry out a collaborative workflow aimed to advance their expertise in selected heuristics and frameworks of thinking.
Click here to find the program and more information about the Fellows
Veerle Meurs
Luc De Proost, M.SC, IR.
Gys Godderis, M.A.
Luis Schoeberl, M.B.A.
Pierre Cock, IR., M.B.A.
Dirk Van Helder, M.Sc.
Geert Vandamme
Nathalie Degraide, M.A.
The Sequel
The Sequel is a safe space for (co)thinking ‘after’ the Delta (2021-2022) Cohort of School of Thinking. It constructs an ‘in between’ area for mental and physical exploration (‘permanent temporality’). In other words, a limitless yet structured thinking space, where minds can build on each other (Cohort Delta’s nickname is ‘Brick Club’). These builders have established friendly, strong, and complex relationships during their Delta-year which they want to cultivate and explore in the future. Click here to learn more about The Sequel.
