VUB and the University of Antwerp have launched the Knowledge Platform Diversity, Urbanism & Citizenship, a unique collaboration between the two universities, which will be located in Mechelen. This new platform focuses on important social issues such as urbanism, super-diversity, radicalisation and polarisation, social stability and citizenship. It will bring together scientific research and experiences from the professional field and translate them into concrete policy recommendations, manuals and training courses for integration officials, police forces, education and civil society organisations, among others.
The platform’s first activities include bringing together knowledge about buddy networks for the integration of newcomers, guidelines and experiences of diversity for professional groups such as police and nursing staff, and online radicalisation and deradicalisation. Subsequently, education and training activities will also be set up, in collaboration with a wide range of partners.