The Marc and Nora Van Montagu Fund
MARC AND NORA VAN MONTAGU FUND
Prof. Marc Van Montagu has dedicated his career to science with the strong conviction that promoting knowledge and technology is vital for addressing global societal challenges such as climate change or hunger in a sustainable manner.
With the Marc and Nora Van Montagu Fund, IPBO intends more than ever to pursue the vision and mission of Marc Van Montagu by undertaking science-based actions for addressing the UN Sustainable Development goals. The fund aims at supporting projects and partnerships with Africa that take into account the local needs and the socio-economic circumstances. Therefore, the fund supports research and capacity-building projects focusing on developing Africa's sustainable agriculture and food systems
With your support of the MNVM fund, you will support direct action in the following projects
The Open Doors Fellowship Program
The Open Doors Fellowship Program (ODFP) for women researchers in Africa is a holistic program that shall target women researchers in Africa to help them acquire the necessary hard and soft skills to strengthen their placements within their hosting institutions and, ultimately, avoid the dropout before their consolidation stage. Creating an awareness culture within their hosting institutions about recruiting women, supporting them along their tenure track, and adapting policies is also paramount to prevent women's drop out from STEM research and ensure the next generation of mentors and role models for the younger generation of scientists.
The Kringloop labs initiative
The Kringloop Labs Initiative intends to give laboratory equipment a ‘new life’ to create new research and education opportunities in Africa.
High-end research laboratories (public or private) In Belgium and Europe regularly replace their still fully functional laboratory equipment to make room for improved models or newly appearing technologies. This rapid turnover often generates shelving/storage of underused equipment. Thus, with this equipment collected in Belgium, we will establish fully functional research and teaching facilities in African research centres and high education institutions. These research platforms shall serve as training platforms but can also serve as service platforms for the regional scientific community. The lab establishment will be accompanied by an extensive training package for education and research. With the established Kringloop laboratories, IPBO will set up a long-term collaboration with the newly created platforms and set up a sustainability plan. During five years, IPBO will monitor the implementation and evolution of the pre-established sustainability plan.