Input from VARIO in the final report of the VRT Stakeholder Survey

Last autumn, VARIO participated in the VRT (public broadcasting company in Flanders) stakeholder survey in preparation for the new management agreement with the Flemish Government. This agreement outlines the main guidelines of how VRT will operate between 2026 and 2030. The final report has now been delivered and published. For its input, VARIO used its recommendations from its advisory reports 23 and 26, respectively on the STEM Agenda 2030 (dated 2021) and the Science Communication Policy Plan (dated 2022). Various key points from these recommendations can be found in the final report, including the importance of critical thinking for a well-functioning society and a more active focus on science, innovation, and entrepreneurship throughout all VRT programs. For this, VARIO advocated a clear performance benchmark in the management agreement. Media literacy, fostering trust in news, and combating fake news go hand in hand with attention to science communication, and showing the importance of critical reflection based on facts and scientific knowledge. Like VLAIO (Flemish Innovation Funding Agency), VARIO emphasizes in the report the need for more alignment with STEM education.

Finaal rapport VRT Stakeholderbevraging (maart 2025)
VARIO Advies 23: STEM Agenda 2030 (oktober 2021)
VARIO Advies 26: Beleidsplan Wetenschapscommunicatie 2022-2030 (februari 2022)