OpenLobby.EU
Explore

Ghent University

UGent

Ghent University, 90th in the Shanghai Ranking, is one of the leading institutions of higher education and research in the Low Countries with more than 50,000 students, incl.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Kris Van Dijck (Member of the European Parliament) and Katholieke Universiteit te Leuven and Université libre de Bruxelles

17 Nov 2025 · ECF - FP10

Response to European Research Area (ERA) Act

8 Sept 2025

Please see the attachment.
Read full response

Meeting with Birgit Sippel (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

2 Apr 2025 · Facilitation Directive

Response to Veterinary medicines – list of essential substances for equine species

31 Jan 2025

Dear Sir/Madam, I would like to provide a detailed clarification with supporting scientific literature about the use of diazepam compared to midazolam. 1. **Solubility and Administration**: Midazolam is water-soluble, unlike diazepam, which requires a solvent containing propylene glycol and ethanol. This causes pain and irritation upon intramuscular administration. Midazolam avoids these issues and is rapidly absorbed intramuscularly, making it suitable for uncooperative animals. 2. **Drug Compatibility**: Midazolam can be mixed effectively with other drugs, such as in the 'triple drip' (alpha2-agonist, ketamine, and midazolam) commonly used for equine anesthesia. Diazepam, when mixed with other drugs, shows broad incompatibility (Murney 2008, Australian Prescriber), making it unsafe for such combinations. 3. **Suitability for Foals**: Benzodiazepines are needed in foals for safe sedation, as alpha-2 agonists can cause bradycardia. Midazolam has a shorter half-life and is metabolized faster than diazepam, a critical factor considering the underdeveloped liver function in neonates or young foals. Diazepam possesses active metabolites that prolong sedation, which is not ideal in immature animals (Norman et al. 1996; Hubbell et al. 2013; Schenk et al. 2021). 4. **Licensing and Safety**: No diazepam formulation is licensed for horses, while midazolam is, confirming its safety and reliability in this species. Using midazolam in non-food-producing horses and diazepam in food-producing horses can create confusion for equine veterinarians. Regarding the reference to Jarrett et al. (2018), the study's findings suggesting better recovery with propofol and ketamine versus midazolam and ketamine should be cautiously interpreted due to: - The study's small sample size of only six horses. - Lack of blinding for the anesthetist. - The results are based on experimental conditions without concurrent procedures. - All horses being anesthetized twice, typically benefiting the second session in terms of recovery, potentially skewing results (Platt et al. 2018). Notably, the midazolam dose in the study was double the licensed amount, further complicating the findings. Midazolam is part of the anesthetic protocol for nearly 20,000 equine cases over three years in the latest Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Equine Fatalities, highlighting its essential role and reliability. It should not be dismissed based on limited data from a single, small-scale study. Given the outlined advantages over diazepam, retaining midazolam on the list is crucial. Sincerely, Glenn Van Steenkiste
Read full response

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities

18 Sept 2024 · Social sciences in European framework programmes

Meeting with Kathleen Van Brempt (Member of the European Parliament) and European Trade Justice Coalition (formerly S2B Network)

11 Sept 2024 · Trade policy priorities

Response to Interim Evaluation of Digital Europe

9 Sept 2024

Ghent University (UGent) would like to provide the following feedback on the Digital Europe Programme (DEP) in relation to Horizon Europe (HEu) and Erasmus+; 1. We would like to request closer cooperation between DEP, Horizon Europe, and Erasmus+ to create synergies and streamline opportunities for participants from academia and other sectors. 2. We would also like to signal that the current DEP rules for participation are not ideally suited for universities. As a result, we suggest integrating future DEP calls that are open to universities into the Horizon Europe work programme under "Digital Industry and Space" for research-focused calls, or into Erasmus+ for education-focused calls. This would allow for more suitable and efficient participation of universities in the programme.
Read full response

Meeting with Pernille Weiss-Ehler (Member of the European Parliament) and Central Denmark EU Office and Aarhus University

3 Jun 2024 · WMM KIC

Meeting with Michael Bloss (Member of the European Parliament) and Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) and

2 May 2024 · Green Industrial Deal

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Mar 2024 · Science and research policy

Meeting with Sara Cerdas (Member of the European Parliament)

30 Jan 2023 · Preparatory call for European Reference Networks of Transition of Care event

Meeting with Raül Hernández Sagrera (Cabinet of Commissioner Ylva Johansson)

8 Jul 2021 · Migrant children

Meeting with Carlos Moedas (Commissioner) and

18 Jun 2019 · Research collaboration with Africa

Meeting with Carlos Moedas (Commissioner)

7 Mar 2016 · Global Health Challenges