After more than a decade of shaping the public voice of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), communications director Ann Van Driessche is preparing to step down on 1 March 2026 — leaving behind a legacy defined by ambition, bold storytelling, and a push for institutional self-belief.
Known for her fast-paced leadership and sweeping campaigns, Van Driessche reflects on an 11-year journey marked by high-profile projects and cultural shifts inside the university. From global campaigns to the recently launched Women Shaping Science initiative, she leaves at a moment she considers both symbolic and unfinished.
Her final campaign shines a spotlight on gender equality in academia — an issue she says remains subtly embedded even in progressive environments. “It’s rarely about big, obvious things,” she notes, pointing instead to everyday dynamics where women are judged differently or given less space. The campaign aims not to accuse but to normalize female leadership in science and keep institutions alert to hidden biases.
Colleagues often describe Van Driessche as a whirlwind — someone who set high expectations and demanded growth. She acknowledges that her pace could be overwhelming but insists it was rooted in belief. “I wanted people to discover their potential,” she says, emphasizing that challenge and trust must go hand in hand.
Her tenure was also defined by large-scale academic openings staged across iconic Brussels venues, from grand cultural halls to pandemic-era multi-location formats. While stressful, she recalls these moments as symbols of collective pride — proof that communication can unite a university community.
In recent years, Van Driessche led campaigns centered on free thinking and liberal-humanist values. She argues universities must remain spaces where disagreement is possible. “Free thinking also means accepting opposing views,” she says, warning that intellectual openness may be the most difficult freedom in today’s polarized climate.
She also championed the idea that communication is not cosmetic but essential. Without telling its story effectively, she believes, even the most groundbreaking research risks invisibility. Her “VUB Tomorrow” platform was built on that philosophy — structured storytelling in an age of information overload.
Perhaps her most personal mission was changing what she calls the university’s “Calimero mindset” — a tendency to underestimate itself. In her view, institutions can remain humble without underselling their strengths. That message, she hopes, will outlast her tenure.
“A MarCom department that isn’t under fire is often irrelevant,” she says with a laugh, acknowledging the frequent criticism communications teams face. For her, scrutiny was proof of relevance — and motivation to keep improving.
Retirement, however, does not signal disappearance. Van Driessche plans to slow down, reconnect with family, and explore creative pursuits ranging from ceramics to tailoring. After years of deadlines and public campaigns, she says she wants to rediscover stillness — and movement, even dancing.
Whether she will return to the world of marketing and communications remains uncertain. For now, she is focused on closing one chapter fully before opening another.
Her final message to the university is simple yet resonant: gratitude and confidence. After years of driving visibility and ambition, she leaves with a hope that VUB will continue telling its story loudly — and believing in its own strength.
source:Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
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