Liaison office in Brussels: New contact person for TUM in the heart of Europe
TUM Global, News, TUM Brussels |
Astrid, you arrived at the beginning of January 2024 and hit the ground running. How were the first few months in your new job?
I’m excited to contribute to TUM’s European endeavors. The portfolio is quite big, as TUM addresses the entire Knowledge Square with its European activities: Research, education, scientific innovation, and social interaction. And, of course, engaging with the European Commission and other stakeholders represented in Brussels will be a big part of my responsibilities.
Many things are organized through the EuroTech and EuroTeQ Alliances, and the team in Brussels and at TUM work closely together, so I am onboarded well to the many activities. It also helped me a lot that I spent two full weeks at TUM in January and immersed myself in the university culture.
What are you most excited about, and what is your biggest challenge in your new role?
TUM is a vast and complex institution. My top priority is getting to know my new university and understanding its structure and culture. This way, I can best spot attractive opportunities and represent TUM in Brussels. The TUM Global team and TUM ForTe are already very engaged and constantly providing information and connections to researchers, staff, units, and the entire ecosystem.
It is a privilege to follow many different political, international, and European agendas and see how these policy fields connect with each other and change over time. As a generalist, you need to know a little about a lot; that is what I am trying to do. When I hear something new, I think: "Oh, this might be relevant for this person." I like that way of working!
The most exciting thing about this job is supporting how research, innovation, and education from TUM can contribute to solving the highly salient strategic priorities of the European Commission – and TUM has a lot to offer!
What are the most important topics for 2024? Are there opportunities for the TUM family to be part of a "European experience"?
Yes, absolutely. Many activities are ongoing, and EuroTech and EuroTeQ Alliances offer many activities for students, researchers, and non-academic staff, even outside the university.
EuroTech focuses on creating opportunities for TUM to engage in the European political scene through different events. It is about getting the TUM community in the same room as the Commission, Members of the European Parliament, and top researchers and industry from all over Europe. The goal is to showcase new research and innovation and steer the policy regarding what the European funding programs should look like.
EuroTech has many initiatives aimed at connecting the six EuroTech universities. We offer practical and financial support to researchers to create successful Horizon Europe proposals. Our Visiting Researcher Programme allows researchers to get to know their counterparts across our campuses. Our European Venture Programme grants EuroTech start-ups exclusive access to entrepreneurship expertise and networking resources. For both programs, application processes are short and straightforward.
Currently, TUM is also organizing the European Talent Academy with key partners Imperial College London and Politecnico di Milano. The focus lies on building a European network with a sound basis for applying for European funding opportunities.
EuroTeQ drives our educational agenda. From May, students can apply for online or blended courses at the partner universities through the EuroTeQ Course Catalogue. The Course Catalogue is the perfect addition to the Erasmus+ program for physical stays abroad. At the same time, EuroTeQ's challenge-based learning format, the Collider, will be in full swing this spring. Student teams and challenge givers can currently apply to work on real-life problems and then compete on a European level.
And, of course, the 2024 European Parliament elections are coming up this June, and we encourage everyone to participate and share their vote for a prosperous, open, and diverse Europe.
Tell us a bit about Astrid outside of work. What do you enjoy in your free time?
I have joined a running club in Brussels called “Brussels Run Crew”. It's an excellent way to get to know the city; it's social, and about getting to know new people, and of course, the run always ends with a sneaky little beer.
I also love watching professional cycling and have been to see the Grand Tours and the Spring Classics. I plan to do that much more now that I live in Belgium, where they are very into cycling. And who knows, I may even try to go for a little bike ride in the nice areas surrounding Brussels myself.
I subscribe to numerous podcasts that follow my daily routine. In the morning, I listen to the news, EU or international politics, or a deep dive into a specific field. In the afternoon, I listen to overviews of my favorite TV shows or analyses of the dramas in the world of cycling of which there will undoubtedly be quite a bit of again in the 2024 season.
Thanks for the interview, Astrid. We are thrilled that you are part of the TUM family now.
If you are interested in TUM's European activities, please do not hesitate to contact Astrid Sloth Kristensen directly.
Find more about EuroTech Universities Alliance and EuroTeQ Engineering University, apply for research funding offers, or join an educational activity. There is something for everyone!