About the Belgian Antarctic Program
The Belgian
Science Policy Office (BELSPO) and the Polar Secretariat are the governmental bodies
responsible for leading and managing the Belgian Antarctic Program.
The
Belgian Antarctic Research Program is funded, coordinated and managed by the
Federal Science Policy Office since 1985. BELSPO finances and manages multiyear
research projects at the station and also performs at other logistic
facilities owned by international partners. Emphasis is given on international
collaboration and a multi-disciplinary approach.
The
Belgian Polar Secretariat is the public structure in charge of all aspects of
the Princess Elisabeth Station in Antarctica. It ensures the Station's
financial, administrative and material management and the involvement of
potential partners to achieve its goals: the logistic support and promotion of
scientific activities at the station. The Polar Secretariat is also responsible
for the coordination and implementation of the BELARE (Belgian Antarctic
Research Expedition) campaigns.
The
Princess Elisabeth Station is a summer station erected on the Utsteinen Ridge
(71°57’S; 023°21’E), situated at the foot of the Sør Rondane Mountains,
Dronning Maud Land. It replaces the former Belgian King Baudouin base, built in
1958 at the Dronning Maud Land coast, and closed in 1967. The station is positioned
halfway between the Japanese Syowa Station (684 km) and the Russian
Novolazarevskaya Station (431 km).
In designing and building the Princess Elisabeth Station, the objective
was to use and integrate sustainable and energy saving technologies. The shape
of the station is the result of aerodynamic and energy efficiency studies,
where form follows function.

About the Organizational Structure of the Belgian Antarctic Research Program
BELSPO and
the Polar Secretariat are located in Brussels, under the Ministry for
Science Policy. They work
closely together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of
Environment and the Ministry of Defence for the follow-up of matters related to
the Antarctic Treaty System and the execution of the BELARE campaigns at the
Station.
Our Science Program
The broad
objectives of the Belgian Antarctic Programme are:
·
Maintain and strengthen Belgian expertise,
particularly in those areas of science where Belgian teams are known to be
strong;
· To provide the scientific support necessary for the
development of a Belgian position within Antarctic fora for policy development;
·
Contribute to the rational management of
Antarctica’s environment and natural resources;
·
Assess the consequences at the world scale of major
natural processes occurring in the Antarctic and surrounding ocean.
Calls for
research proposals are issued among all Belgian universities, public scientific
institutions and non-profit research centres. Projects are selected through a
competitive peer review process in which international experts evaluate the
scientific project quality. The project funding provided by BELSPO encompasses
money for salaries, functioning, equipment, subcontracting, campaigns and the
integration of international research partners in the project.
Research
topics and priorities are in full line with European and international research
agendas and include climate and atmosphere, biodiversity, geology and
geophysics, astrophysics, human biology and medical research and data
management.
By
participating in a collaborative way in scientific campaigns organised by other
countries, important and sustainable research collaborations have been established
with international partners. These collaborations are continued in the
scientific work at the station.
Our Contact Details
Postal/Physical Address
Belgian Science Policy (BELSPO)
Avenue Louise 231 Louizalaan
B-1050 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 238 36 78
Postal/Physical Address
Belgian Polar Secretariat
Avenue Louise 231 Louizalaan
B-1050 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 238 35 74