Diepenbeek 2026 – Programme

You can download the programme in this link: coming soon

IN-PERSON WEEK
March	Day of Week	When?	Where?	What?	Additional information
23^th	Monday	08:30 – 08:45	Large auditorium at Technology centre KU Leuven Diepenbeek	Arrival & Coffee Reception
		08:45 – 09:00		Prof. Anton Ginzburg, Introduction into BIP 2026
		09:00 – 10:00		Prof. Anton Ginzburg, “Fossil-based commodity polymers – polyolefins”
		10:15 – 11:50		Prof. Louis Pitet, “Sustainable polymers”
		11:30 – 13:30	PXL	Lunch Break
		13:30 – 14:30	Large auditorium at Technology centre KU Leuven Diepenbeek	Prof. Thomas Rödel, “Ecological balance of Bio-Polymers e.g. Bio-PE”
		14:30 – 15:30		Prof. Anna Jakubiak-Marcinkowska, “Adjusting the properties of polymers through special additives”
		15:45 – 16:00		Coffee break
		16:00 – 17:00		Prof. Pieter Bielen, “Chemical recycling of polycondensates”

IN-PERSON WEEK
March		Day of Week	When?	Where?	What?	Observations
24^th		Tuesday	09:00 – 10:00	Large auditorium at Technology centre KU Leuven Diepenbeek	Prof. Jose Alberto Mendez Gonzalez, “Rethinking Plastics: Biodegradable Futures”
	10:00 – 10:15				Coffee Break
	10:15 – 11:15				Prof. Mohamed Naceur Belgacem, “Surface, Interfacial and adhesion in composite materials”
	11:30 – 13:00
	13:00 – 14:00				Prof. Púria Esfandiari, “Composite Materials: How they can change our way of living”
	14:00 – 15:00				Prof. Quim Tarrés, “Mechanical recycling of polymers and polymer composites”
	15:15 – 16:15				Prof. Valentina Fernandes Domingues, title tba.

IN-PERSON WEEK
March	Day of Week	When?	Where?	What?	Observations
25^th	Wednesday	08:30 – 11:30	Polymer processing and analysis lab Technology centre KU Leuven Diepenbeek	Lab component
		11:30 – 13:00

IN-PERSON WEEK
March	Day of Week	When?	Where?	What?	Observations
26^th	Thursday	09:30		Bus to C-Mine Genk
		10:00 – 11:30		Excursion into old mines.
		11:30 – 13:00		Sandwich lunch and bus to Borealis in Beringen.
		13:00 – 14:00		Borealis: Workshop “How can I build my petrochemical plant?”
		11:50 – 13:30		Borealis: visit to 1) Polypropylene polymerisation plant; 2) Mechanical recycling plant
		17:00		Bus to Diepenbeek
		19:00 – 20:00		Dinner

IN-PERSON WEEK
March	Day of Week	When?	Where?	What?	Observations
27^th	Friday	9:00 – 9:20	Large auditorium at Technology centre KU Leuven Diepenbeek	Preliminary presentation Group 1
		9:20 – 09:40		Preliminary presentation Group 2
		09:40 – 10:00		Preliminary presentation Group 3
		10:00 – 10:15		Coffee break
		10:30 – 10:50		Preliminary presentation Group 4
		10:50 – 11:10		Preliminary presentation Group 5
		11:10 – 11:30		Evaluation and recognition awards
		11:30 – 13:00		Lunch

ONLINE SESSIONS – AFTER IN-PERSON WEEK
April	Day of Week	When?	Who?	What?	Link
30^th	Monday	09:30 – 12:30 GMT	All partners	Final presentations
30^th	Monday	09:30 – 12:30 GMT	Supervisors	Group assessment