Flemish universities world leaders at corporate sponsorship

Flemish universities attract the most corporate sponsorship money in the world, De Morgen reports today.  A report by the Flemish Interuniversity centre for expertise (ECOOM) has found that private businesses fund 16.1% of all academic research. Flemish university receive more funding from the industry than American and British universities. Most of the corporate funding is invested in economic, medical and engineering research. According to ECOOM, the findings are a "clear and significant sign of the quality and relevance of scientific work carried out in our academic institutions." "The percentage is quite high," said for his part Rik Torfs, rector-elect Leuven University. "I'm not against sponsorship but we must maintain a balance to ensure our independence."