GRD Network

Making Belgium a better place for R&D since 1965

The GRD Network was created in 1965 as the “Groupe Recherche-Développement de Louvain” in order to promote networking and collaboration in the field of public and private R&D. It is a not-for-profit initiative.

The GRD Network is a member-only community, gathering the managers of leading public and private organizations engaged in R&D activities in Belgium and Luxembourg. Its members meet once a month (except in the summer) to foster cross-industry innovations, share experience and best practices, and discuss R&D-related issues (such as digitalization, sustainability, talent management, R&D effectiveness...) during half-day workshops. The workshops are hosted by the members (in turn) and include a networking lunch and a site visit. Membership is upon invitation only.

The objective of the GRD Network is to facilitate the networking and cooperation of large and medium size firms, universities and research centers and therefore improve the effectiveness of public and private R&D initiatives in Belgium and Luxemburg.

Until 2014 the GRD was managed by Prof. Raymond Collard, who turned it into a major hub gathering both leading medium-size and large firms active in R&D and leading universities and research centers. Since September 2014 it is managed by the Louvain Innovation team under the supervision of Prof. B. Gailly from UCLouvain, with the support of the GRD Board.

Since Jan 1, 2015 the GRD has also received the support of the Belgium Industrial R&D (BiRD) association, whose members are now part of the GRD Network.

The GRD Network offers a unique opportunity for its members to:

• Meet key public and private actors from across Belgium and Luxembourg (not only from their own region)

• Identify innovation opportunities across multiple industrial sectors (not only their own cluster/sector) and with the key R&D actors (firms, research centers, universities) – foster cross-industry innovations, particularly with regard to challenges related to sustainability and digital transformation.

• Share and discover innovation-, technology- and R&D-related content, trends, experiences and practices in a trusted and convenient learning environment

• Build new relationships with high-level managers from leading firms, universities and research centers

Please find here our paper about the GRD Network, published in the prestigious Journal of Management.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
Dates and venues: The workshops are held in English on a monthly basis at member’s premises (see programme below)

GRD network workshops 2017

GRD network workshops 2018

GRD network workshops 2019

GRD network workshops 2020

GRD network workshops 2021

GRD network workshops 2022

50^th anniversary of the GRD network at WTCB-CSTC