Mediahub Brussels to support media sector

The first of a planned annual Mediahub Brussels Conference took place in the capital today, as Flemish media minister Sven Gatz and VUB rector Caroline Pauwels officially launched the new Mediahub Brussels concept.

Mediahub Brussels, which will be part of VUB’s media, innovation and technology department, will bring together actors working in various forms of media, including start-ups, established firms and researchers. The university will also launch a new English-language postgraduate degree in Media Economics.

A recent study conducted by VUB showed that Brussels is Belgium’s media hub, with 39% of the country’s media companies headquartered in the city. Together, they’re good for 16,000 jobs.

“Mediahub Brussels will focus on collecting and sharing knowledge, achieving growth from there,” said Gatz. “We want to offer companies that are active in the media, mediatech and IT sectors the opportunity to better face challenges posed by our rapidly changing and ever-internationalising media landscape.”

VUB is providing the lion’s share of the funding for Mediahub Brussels, with an investment of €900,000. Gatz’s office is contributing €500,000. A variety of branches will be addressed by the new initiative, including news media, radio and TV broadcasters, audio-visual producers, photo agencies and the advertising and marketing sectors.

“Our new post-graduate degree is already in demand,” said rector Pauwels. “We have pre-registrations from more than 20 countries, including China and India. The media sector is evolving so fast that there is a great need for immediate training that is flexible in nature. It also offers the chance for those already working in the sector to discover the latest developments and integrate them into their companies.”

Photo courtesy Sven Gatz