The idea of organizing a Science Center Academy derived from the repeated requests received by Technopolis® for advice and coaching in preparing, starting up and running science centers. The Academy was a great success, provoking many positive responses.

After the successful project of 2002, the 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2009 Science Center Academy were given an enthusiastic reception too.

At each Academy, during 3 days, the Technopolis® management and several foreign experts introduced the participants to the art of starting up, building, expanding and running a science center. As the number of participants is limited, there was ample opportunity for personalized advice and direct contact with experts and fellow participants.

In between the sessions the students could visit the exhibition hall to experience personally how theory is successfully put into practice in Flanders. The students also had the privilege of being allowed to take a peek behind the scenes of the Flemish hands-on centre.

Past Academies were attended by – in total – over 80 students representing young, start-up science projects from all over Europe and beyond (USA, Spain, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Belgium, France, Italy, Egypt, Saudi-Arabia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, ...). A pick at random from the many reactions we had:

I did enjoy the days at the Science Center Academy very much! Besides the enormous amount of information that was provided, I see the networking effect as one of the biggest results from that Academy (Alexander Wacker, phaeno, Wolfsburg, Germany)

The conference was excellently organised and is highly valuable for any science center initiative. Strongly recommended! (Paula Jackson, Science Center für Kinder Berlin, Germany)

It was really interesting to meet all of us in a so well organised seminar. Thanks a lot to organizers and to all participants! (Céline Staebel, Le Vaisseau, Straatsburg, France)

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. It has been great (Isabel Maria Serna Barquero, Ceutimagina, Ceuti, Spain).