Programme

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Sunday 15 June 2025

8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Luggage drop-off
Early arrivals can store their luggage at the reception desk before checking-in at 4:00 pm

Reception Desk

4:00 pm

Check-in for early arrivals
!!! The parking lot of Drongen Abbey is unavailable on Sunday 15 June due to the annual fair in Drongen. You can use the free parking lot of Drongen station instead (see: practical information)

(take away dinner is included in reservations for early arrivals)

Low Countries Team Desk (The Clock, hallway next to the main enrance)

7:00 pm

Leisure time
Informal get-together, opportunity to purchase drinks

B2

10:30 pm

Entrance gate is closed
The entrance gate is open between 6:30 am and 10:30 pm. Before 6:30 am or after 10:30 pm you cannot enter the domain, only leave. Participants arriving after 10:30 pm, are asked to contact the organizers timely

Monday 16 June 2025

8:00 – 9:00 am

Breakfast
(included in reservations for early arrivals)

Dining room 4

12:30 pm

Lunch
(included in reservations for early arrivals)

Dining room 4

2:00 pm

Check-in

Low Countries Team Desk (The Clock, hallway next to the main entrance)

4:00 pm

Coffee break

Hallway B

4:15 pm

Welcome Address
by Erik De Bom (Acting Director, UCSIA) & Marieke Fernhout (University Chaplain, Radboud University Nijmegen / CEUC Board Member)

Neo-Gothic Chapel

4:45 pm

Keynote lecture 1:
Mental Health Amongst Students: Understanding the Current State of Affairs

by Ronny Bruffaerts (Associate Professor of Psychiatry, KU Leuven)
Read more →

Neo-Gothic Chapel

5:30 pm

Response
by Martijn Steegen (Head of University Parish, KU Leuven)

Neo-Gothic Chapel

5:45 pm

Q&A
moderated by Serena Margaret Saliba (Researcher, KU Leuven)

Neo-Gothic Chapel

6:15 pm

Reception

Silent Garden & the adjacent hallway

6:45 pm

Dinner
Dining room 4

8:30 pm

Communal singing
with Xenia Geysemans & Ken Hendrickx (University Chaplains, University of Antwerp)
Read more →

Neo-Gothic Chapel

9:30 pm

Leisure time
Informal get-together, opportunity to purchase drinks

B2

10:30 pm

Entrance gate is closed
The entrance gate is open between 6:30 am and 10:30 pm. Before 6:30 am or after 10:30 pm you cannot enter the domain, only leave. Participants arriving after 10:30 pm, are asked to contact the organizers timely

Tuesday 17 June 2025

8:00 am

Breakfast

Dining room 4

9:00 am

Mindfulness session
with Marbella Pérez Peña (Research Asssistant, UCLouvain)
(optional attendance)
Read more →

B1

Christian morning prayer
with Günther Sturms (University Chaplain, TU Delft)
(optional attendance)

Ruusbroec Chapel

9:30 am

Reflection on Wellbeing in Higher Education
Participants reflect in small groups on the current challenges and opportunities concerning wellbeing and chaplaincy in higher education

A4

11:00 am

Coffee break

A4

11:15 am

Departure by bus
(Take away lunch included)

Main gate, Drongen Abbey 

12:30 pm

Excursions

Antwerp
Expo ‘Compassion’ in Museum MAS and visit to ‘Zomaar een dak’, the chaplaincy service of the University of Antwerp
Read more →

Flanders Fields (Ypres)
Tour through the Ypres Salient
Read more →

Neeltje Jans (Veere)
Visit to the Deltaworks and boat ride on the the eastern Scheldt
Read more →

4:30 pm

Return to the Drongen Abbey by bus

7:00 pm

Dinner
Dining room 4

8:30 pm

European market
Read more →

A4

10:30 pm

Entrance gate is closed

Wednesday 18 June 2025

8:00 am

Breakfast

Dining room 4

9:00 am

Departure to Leuven by bus
Read more →

Main Gate, Drongen Abbey

10:30 am

Arrival in Leuven
Coffee Break

The Great Beguinage Leuven

11:00 am

Opening Address
by Luc Sels (Rector, KU Leuven)

Saint John the Baptist Church (The Great Beguinage Leuven)

11:15 am

Keynote lecture 2:
Professional Flourishing in Chaplaincy: Lessons from Health Care Chaplaincy
by Anne Vandenhoeck (Assistant Professor of Health Care Chaplaincy and Diakonia, KU Leuven)
Read more →

Saint John the Baptist Church (The Great Beguinage Leuven)

12:00 am

Response
by Xenia Geysemans (University Chaplain, University of Antwerp)

Saint John the Baptist Church (The Great Beguinage Leuven)

12:15 pm

Q&A
moderated by Martijn Steegen (Head of University Parish, KU Leuven)

Saint John the Baptist Church (The Great Beguinage Leuven)

12:30 pm

Lunch

The Great Beguinage 16 (Room opposite the Church)

2:00 pm

Workshops at the University Parish (departure at 1:30 pm)
or
Visit to UZ Leuven (departure at 1:30 pm)
or
Guided tour of Leuven

3:30 pm

Coffee break

University Parish KU Leuven

4:00 pm

Workshops at the University Parish
or
Guided tour of Leuven

5:30 pm

Leisure time
Dinner (at participant’s own expense)

Leuven

8:30 pm

Return to Drongen Abbey by bus

10:00 pm

Leisure time
Informal get-together, opportunity to purchase drinks

B2

10:30 pm

Entrance gate is closed

Thursday 19 June 2025

8:00 am

Breakfast

Dining room 4

8:30 am

Meditation session
with Dardan Bastiaan (University Chaplain, Leiden University)
(optional attendance)
Read more →

B1

Christian morning prayer
with Xenia Geysemans (University of Antwerp)
(optional attendance)

Ruusbroec Chapel

9:00 am

Parallel workshop session 1: Professional Flourishing for Chaplains

  1. Chaplains as Third Space Practitioners: Why Our Positionality Gives Us Transformational Power by Jeremy Clines (University of Sheffield)
  2. Enhancing Wellbeing in Pastoral Care: A Practical and Interactive Approach by Tomas Folens & Sofie Verbeke (KU Leuven – KULAK)
  3. Keeping Your Light Bright and Avoiding Burnout by Linda Michaels (Beacon Hospice / Framingham State University)
    Read more →

C3 – B1 – C4

10:30 am

Coffee break

A4

11:00 am

Parallel workshop session 2: Building Resilience

  1. Try Out an Existential Health Discussion Group by Karin Borg & Eva Kolterjahn (Uppsala University)
  2. ‘Wie schrijft, die blijft’: If You Write, You Will Stay Around by Jasja Nottelman (University of Groningen / Hanze University College)
  3. Tree of Your Life Workshop: Finding Inspiration and Resilience by Reflecting on Your Past, Present and Future by Margit van Tuijl (TINT Eindhoven)
  4. Exploring the Place of Poetry as a Part of a Holistic Chaplaincy Approach to Student Wellbeing by Andrew Willson (Imperial College London)
    Read more →

C3 – C4 – B1 – B2

12:30 pm

Lunch

Dining room 4

2:00 pm

Keynote lecture 3:
Students as Game Changers: Student Wellbeing Through Participation
by Martijn Janse (President of Lieve Mark Foundation / Doctoral Researcher, Leiden University)
Read more →

A4

2:45 pm

Response
by Dardan Bastiaan (University Chaplain, Leiden University)

A4

3:00 pm

Q&A
moderated by Günther Sturms (University Chaplain, TU Delft)

A4

3:30 pm

Coffee break

A4

4:00 pm

General assembly

A4

5:30 pm

Leisure time

6:30 pm

Reception

Silent Garden & the adjacent hallway

7:00 pm

Conference dinner

Dining room 4

9:00 pm

Leisure time
Informal get-together, opportunity to purchase drinks

A4

10:30 pm

Entrance gate closed

Friday 20 June 2025

8:00 am

Breakfast

Dining room 4

8:30 – 10:00 am

Check-out

Reception desk

9:00 am

Meditation session
with Karma Djinpa Tartchin (KU Leuven Lifestance Network)
(optional attendance)
Read more →

B1

Christian morning prayer
with Marieke Fernhout (University Chaplain, Radboud University Nijmegen)
(optional attendance)

Ruusbroec Chapel

9:30 am

Keynote lecture 4:
Spiritual Care at Universities. A Position Paper
by Hans Schilderman (Professor of Empirical and Practical Religious Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen)
Read more →

A4

10:30 am

Response
by Tomas Folens (Head of the University Parish, KU Leuven-KULAK)

A4

10:45 am

Q&A
moderated by Günther Sturms (University Chaplain, TU Delft)

A4

11:00 am

Coffee break

A4

11:30 am

Closing ceremony
Panel moderated by Günther Sturms (University Chaplain, TU Delft)
Closing address by Christine Schardt (Chair, CEUC Board)

A4

12:30 pm

Lunch

Dining room 4

1:30 pm

End of the programme