Title Promoter Affiliations Abstract "Brexit as a trigger? The impact of Brexit on migration - the causal effects, the specific mechanisms, the future trends and policy implications" "Sunčica Vujić" Economics "Britain's referendum vote to leave the European Union (EU) seemingly came as a shock to the public. ""Voting Leave"" can be interpreted as a trigger of society's dissatisfaction with the state of the economy and the EU's role in it, which resulted in emotional responses and action from the British and foreign nationals. In the months following the referendum, there was an observed increase in the number of citizenship and permanent residence applications from the EU citizens living in the United Kingdom (UK), and a change in migration patterns to and from the European Union. Motivated by the observed societal response, this project aims to establish (i) whether the Brexit referendum vote caused observed changes in migration patterns (or merely exacerbated a previous trend), (ii) what were the specific mechanisms behind it, (iii) which heterogenous effects can be identified, (iv) what was the role of the (social) media reporting as a transmission mechanism, and (v) what are the expected future migration trends and policy issues. Using an array of robust empirical (econometric) techniques, we will consider these changes for the UK as a whole and its regions and investigate whether the effects are temporary or long lasting. Further analysis of other influential factors such as labour market and socio-economic characteristics of the locality, ethnic and national diversity of the area will complement the main results. An extended period of analysis will allow us to (i) assess robustness of the main findings, (ii) evaluate the effect of earlier and subsequent ""shock"" events in the UK (e.g., the announcement of the referendum, triggering of Article 50, the COVID-19 effect, and actual UK exit from the EU in January 2021), which will be important for assessing the relative strength of the Brexit referendum effect and (iii) analyse the effect of the Brexit referendum vote as well as the complete Brexit process on migration policies and trends in the UK and in Europe. Proposed research will be of interest to academics in the fields of economics, sociology and social policy, demography, social geography, and political studies and will further contribute to it." "Patterns and trends in growth of beech and oak. Does biodiversity improve the resilience of forests to environmental change?" "Bart Muys" "Forest, Nature and Landscape, Division of Forest, Nature and Landscape" "Forests deliver invaluable ecosystem services and products to humanity. The provision of forest biomass is one of the important ecosystem services delivered by forests. Woody biomass is used as building material, for the production of industrial products and bio-energy. In addition, woody biomass is an important carbon dioxide sink, therefore forests are seen as a climate mitigation strategy. However, recent studies link climate change (e.g. increased occurrence of drought events) and emissions (e.g. nitrogen and carbon dioxide) with changes in tree growth in forests. Changes in forests will have consequences for the delivery of these forest ecosystem services.In this thesis we aim to get more insight in recent change in beech and oak growth and its drivers in order to guarantee the delivery of forest ecosystem services in the future. For this purpose, retrospective tree growth data obtained from tree-ring width measurements on tree cores are used. The year-to-year growth variability but also the growth fluctuation on longer time scales (i.e. 50 year or longer) is studied. For the study of long-term tree growth trends multilevel mixed models are used. These models allow us to answer the question if a tree, independent of its size, grows faster, slower or similar compared to x years ago and link the change in growth to changes in the environment (i.e. climate or emissions). In a second stage the effect of biodiversity on the growth response pattern to drought (only for beech) and on long-term tree growth trends in beech and oak is evaluated. As biodiversity is known to result in a higher ecosystem functioning, biodiversity effects might have a positive effect on the production function of forests and mitigate negative effects of climate change and increased emissions on forest growth. The overall goal of this research is to understand the future of forest production under climate change conditions and broaden the knowledge of biodiversity effects on forest functioning.This research is focused on the growth of beech (Fagus sylvatica) and oak (both Quercus robur and Quercus petraea) trees, important broadleaf tree species, growing in Belgium. Two study areas were set up, one in the South and one in the North of Belgium. In the study area in the South of Belgium Quercus petraea and Fagus sylvatica are studied. The study area in the North of Belgium was designed in this way that the studied Fagus sylvatica and Quercus robur trees grew in neighborhoods of different tree species diversity (i.e. from monocultures to neighborhoods up to three tree species).In a first step, a newly developed method to measure tree-ring widths based on CT scan images was evaluated. The additional measurement of wood density makes this newly developed method interesting. No significant differences between tree-ring widths measured with the CT scan and the conventional LINTAB measuring method were found. We conclude that tree-ring widths measured on CT scan images can be used to model long-term changes in tree growth.Next, we demonstrate that wood density and radial growth have different long-term trends for both beech and oak. This finding indicates that wood density needs to be taken into account in studies on the carbon sequestration capacity of forests. Overall an increasing long-term trend in aboveground biomass was found for both beech and oak trees growing in the study area in the South of Belgium.When we look at the effect of biodiversity, we see that beech trees growing in diverse neighborhoods have higher growth compared to beech trees growing in monocultures, even in dry years. Based on carbon and oxygen stable isotope measurements, we can conclude that the stomatal conductance of beech trees growing in diverse neighborhoods was not impacted greatly during drought years compared to beech trees growing in monoculture neighborhoods. The effect of diversity on oak tree growth was found to be negative. This negative effect of diversity on oak growth can be explained by the shade tolerance of the studied species in mixture, with oak having the lowest shade tolerance, and the observed higher competition on oak growing in diverse neighborhoods. For beech and oak trees growing in the study area in the North of Belgium an increasing long-term growth trend was found. The shape of this long-term growth trend was found not to be influenced by diversity, however a lower year-to-year growth variability was found for both beech and oak trees growing in diverse neighborhoods.Overall, a 20th century growth increase was found for beech and oak in the study areas located in the North and South of Belgium. Drought and water availability shortages, especially when occurring during the growing season, were found to affect beech growth negatively. Nevertheless, until now drought and water availability shortages did not result in beech growth decline in the studied areas, however this might change in the future. Diversifying forests can be a good management strategy to alleviate these negative effects of drought in beech. Oak growth was found to be affected negatively by late frost and positively by water availability. Further research on long-term growth trends along an environmental gradient and on other tree species is needed to further improve our understanding of the effect global change has on tree growth. In addition, there is a need to further develop our knowledge on how diversity influences the long-term growth trends in other climatic conditions in order to understand how biodiversity can influence the effect global change has on tree growth." "Globalization, Agency and Art Nouveau: a comparative study on the development of Japanese department stores and on the role they played in the promotion of decorative arts and textile trends (1880-1930)." "Dimitri Vanoverbeke" "Japanese Studies, Leuven" "The end of the nineteenth century brings forth the birth of department stores and the development of large-scale consumer culture in Japan. That Western department stores and their organisational and promotional systems had a major influence on the formation of department stores in Japan, has been confirmed in research. However, a thorough comparison between Western and Japanese department stores in order to retrace these influences has not been conducted yet. Therefore, this research endeavours to clarify the global interactions and influences in the background of the formation of Japan’s department stores, more concretely in their promotion of decorative arts and textile trend during the beginning of the twentieth century. Through taking up Art Nouveau as a case study, the foreign influences on the promotion of the decorative arts and trends in textiles by department stores is clarified. Main questions within this research are as followed: How were decorative arts and textile trends (illustrated by Art Nouveau) integrated and promoted in Japan’s department stores? Which role did the American/European department stores play in this process? France is often seen as the center of trends, was this the case for the development of department stores in Japan? How about the influence of French Art Nouveau on Japanese artists?This research makes use of a comparative methodology in order to clarify the dynamics of influence in the formation of Japan’s department stores and their promotion of decorative arts and textile trends. Structurally, this research has the following themes: 1. The influence from the West on department stores; 2. Art Nouveau promotion by department stores in Japan and the West; 3. The introduction of Art Nouveau in Japan; France as the center of the movement?In the first section, Mitsukoshi and Takashimaya are taken on as representatives of Japan’s department stores through case studies. Mitsukoshi’s Takahashi Yoshio (高橋義雄) and Hibi Osuke’s (日比翁助) respective trips to Wanamakers in the USA and Harrods in England make up the starting point for this research. The section clarifies parallels in the stores’ organisational and promotion systems concerning the decorative arts and trends in textiles. In the case of Takashimaya and its promoter Iida Shinshichi (飯田新七) the 4th, a focus on Takashimaya’s participation in World Fairs and overseas export are used as a framework to retrace the Western influences on the store and its promotion techniques.In the second section, the promotion of Art Nouveau in the Mitsukoshi department store are taken up as a case study. A rhetoric analysis of Mitsukoshi’s promotional magazines 『時好』 and 『みつこしタイムズ』clarifies the specific schemes used for promotion at the store. Further, these schemes are compared with rhetorical schemes used in the magazines Harper’s bazar and La Nouvelle Mode (available at Bunka Gakuen University) in order to retrace possible influence. Another comparison with earlier Japanese magazines 『婦人雑誌』 or 『都の華』 clarifies whether the rhetoric schemes in 『時好』 and 『みつこしタイムズ』 are inherently Japanese or results of foreign influence. This rhetoric analysis is further accompanied by a visual analysis of Art Nouveau’s representation within the promotional magazines, and a graphic analysis of posters and postcards promoting or using Art Nouveau in both Japan and the West.In the third section, this research endeavors to bring a nuance into the general conception of France as the main center of influence of the Art Nouveau movement (and trends in general) for Japan. First, the usage of the term Art Nouveau in Japanese: its origin, meaning and interpretation; is retraced. Secondly, case studies of Art Nouveau artists and designers who have travelled to Europe and the USA, are conducted in order to retrace sources of influence. Were these sources in France (Paris) or somewhere else? The following artists and designers are taken up as case study: Asai Chu, Takeda Goichi, Natsume Soseki, Fujishima Takeshi and Kamisaka Sekka.Through these arguments this research endeavours to propose a new, nuanced view on the promotion of the decorative arts and trends in textiles by department stores and the development of Art Nouveau in Japan." "Quality and equity of educational systems worldwide: trends over time and determining factors" "Wim Van Den Noortgate, Bieke De Fraine, Sarah Gielen" "Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Kulak Kortrijk Campus, Methodology of Educational Sciences, Educational Effectiveness and Evaluation" "Education has an essential role in societies, showing both individual as well as social benefits. Therefore, countries worldwide aim for quality and equity of their educational system(s). In this dissertation, we mapped trends over time of educational systems’ quality and equity and explored some possibly determining (classroom) factors. Because there is no consensus on the definitions and on appropriate indicators of quality and equity, both concepts were confined in this dissertation. Achievement in various domains (i.e., math, science, and reading literacy) was used as an indicator of educational systems’ quality, including mean achievement as well as achievement levels of the bottom and top 10% achieving students. Equity was defined in this dissertation as the non-existence of a relation between student achievement and background characteristics.In the first section, we shed light on the trend over time of quality and equity in primary educational systems (Grade 4) worldwide. Data of TIMSS 2003 and 2011 of 17 educational systems are used with regard to math and science achievement (Chapter 1). Data of PIRLS 2006 and 2016 of 29 educational systems are used to map these trends with regard to reading literacy achievement (Chapter 2). Mapping these trends over time simultaneously for different educational systems provides us benchmarks to evaluate a system’s quality and equity, both in light of its own previous outcomes as well as in light of other educational systems’ outcomes. Results across educational systems indicate an overall increase of math and reading literacy achievement, whereas the level of science achievement remains stable. In each of the three subject domains, the general trend across educational systems indicates that systems are evolving towards more social inequity as time passes. However, results also reveal large differences between educational systems. Results in this first section may serve as a starting point for educational systems to monitor, explain, and improve their educational quality and equity.In the second section of this dissertation, we investigate factors which may explain educational systems’ quality and equity, making use of data of TIMSS 2015 (Grade 4). With classroom practices - and in specific the opportunities to learn given to students in day-to-day teaching practices - being one of the prime explanations for student achievement (after correction for student background) - this section investigates the relation of two major classroom factors with educational systems’ quality and equity: instructional quality (Chapter 3) and textbooks (Chapter 4). First, instructional quality – consisting of three dimensions, i.e., classroom management, supportive climate, and cognitive activation - and its relation with quality and equity was investigated within the educational systems of Flanders (Belgium), Germany, and Norway. Results indicate that some dimensions of instructional quality serve as a catalyst in increasing achievement in education systems. Furthermore, no significant moderation of instructional quality in the relation between student background factors and achievement was found, indicating that all students benefit from the same educational practices. Second, we investigate textbooks’ contribution to quality and equity in Flanders. Results show that in Flanders there is (a) a relation between textbooks and math achievement, across content and cognitive subdomains, and mostly in the lower quantiles of the achievement distribution but (b) no relation between textbooks and (in)equity. Results of this second section may give directions to educational practitioners and policy makers in creating and providing effective learning environments and therefore contribute to countries’ strive towards more educational quality and equity." "A drying Congo basin? Detection and attribution of the hydroclimatic trends in the Congo basin to anthropogenic activities" "Wim Thiery" "Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering" "Recent studies have attributed the unequivocal global warming and associated changes in weather to anthropogenic activities including climate change and land and water resources management. Despite climate change being identified as the key driver of trends in the hydrological cycle for most regions of the world, there are hardly any studies carried out within Central Africa and particularly for the Congo basin. This is a major scientific shortcoming, as the basin hosts both the world’s second largest river and forest which have both undergone recent drying trends. The main aim of this project is therefore to develop robust evidence of the effects of anthropogenic forcings on the hydroclimate within the Congo basin. I first propose to undertake data rescue missions to develop a large historical hydrological dataset for the region to address the challenge of limited observational data. Second, I aim to analyze the observed historical hydroclimatic trends and subsequently detect and attribute the hydrological changes within the basin to anthropogenic or natural factors. Finally, I will constrain uncertainties in the future hydroclimate projections of this region. The output of this research will fill the knowledge gap on the hydrological trends in this region and enable the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures for the basin by local policy makers." "Exploring Trends in the Medicalization of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting, in Kenya: A Dual Perspective From the Demand and Supply-Side" "Sarah Van de Velde" "University of Nairobi, Centre for Population, Family and Health" "Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) refers to all procedures involving the partial or total removal of the external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Numerous national and international initiatives have attempted to discourage the practice, emphasizing its adverse health consequences. The success of these initiatives was only partial; on the one hand, the prevalence of FGC has been decreasing slowly, but the number of girls and women circumcised will continue to rise due to population growth. On the other hand, these campaigns may have encouraged an unintended consequence, that is, FGM/C is increasingly performed by trained health professionals in clinical settings. While this medicalization trend may reduce the health risks related to the practice, it may serve to legitimize the practice as well. The goal of the proposed research project is to develop an in-depth understanding of the social dynamics behind both the declining prevalence trend in FGM/C which coexists with the increasing medicalization trend in FGM/C, applying both quantitative and qualitative research methods. We intend to explore how both trends vary across birth cohorts and how they relate to women's decision-making process concerning their daughter's cut. We deepen this knowledge by also bringing in the perspective of health professionals and to untangle how their motives relate to these co-existing trends in FGM/C." "Risks of new trends concerning materials and objects in contact with food" "Materials and Packaging Research &Services" "Due to constant pressure from consumers and authorities to reduce the use of fossil-based plastic, the FCM industry is forced to develop substitute materials. While these substitute materials need to be environmentally friendly, they also have to be safe for consumers. Indeed, FCM composed of resources extracted from biomass can contain contaminants co-extracted from the raw products (e.g. pesticide residues, metals) as well as process contaminants (e.g. acrylamide) or other components (e.g. nanoparticles). Many of them can be classified as CMR and/or (possible) endocrine disruptors. Alternatively, packaging waste can also be reduced by selling food in bulk. Customers often use their own containers to buy and store the food, which complicates the evaluation of the potential risks. Both trends have in common that they can represent an allergenic risk. While for substitute materials the risk is mostly related to the starting materials, the allergenic risks of bulk sales are oriented to potential cross contamination and accessibility/tracebility of allergen information throughout the supply chain. In this study, the new trends related to FCM and their potential health risks for the consumer will be investigated. First, an in-depth market survey will be performed in order to map all new trends (i.e. substitute materials and bulk sales) already present on the market or in the pipeline. The results will be compiled in a matrix that will serve for the selection of the FCM samples. Next, the (potential) migrants will be identified using both targeted and untargeted analytical methodologies. Also, the presence of nanoparticles will be evaluated by analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Afterwards, the hazard (i.e. CMR and/or endocrine disrupting properties) of the identified migrants will be characterized based on literature data as well as through the use of in sillico tools (e.g. VEGA Toolbox, Derek Nexus). Finally, the allergenicity related to these new trends will be evaluated. The results of this study will support the decision making of the Belgian authorities on the potential risks of these new FCM-related trends." "Using dynamic microsimulation as an integrated modelling framework to assess the impact of individual-level and contextual factors on past and future fertility trends." "Karel Neels" "Centre for Population, Family and Health" "Low fertility levels in European countries since the 1970s have been a major force contributing to population ageing. Several individual-level and contextual factors have been proposed to explain changing patterns of fertility, with increasing education and labour force participation, variation in economic cycles and lack of supportive policies in many countries figuring prominently. With the increase of migration since the late 1990s, the potential impact of migrant populations on aggregate fertility trends has recently received increasing attention. While there has been no shortage of candidate causal factors, no integrated modelling framework has hitherto been developed to investigate the interplay between these factors and to assess the actual contribution of various factors to change in aggregate fertility trends. This project aims to improve our understanding of how educational careers and migration background shape fertility, and how these characteristics interact with each other, but also with varying economic and policy contexts. The project integrates models of entry into parenthood and subsequent family formation into a dynamic microsimulation framework that allows to assess the sensitivity of aggregate fertility trends to variation in economic and policy contexts, while acknowledging the constraining effect of population structures that have been shaped by past demographic trends." "The creation of autonomous public bodies from a European comparative legal perspective: international impulse, national restraint and how to reconcile these trends." "Ingrid Opdebeek" "Government and Law" "The law on the creation of autonomous public bodies in the administrative organization of European states is currently characterized by two trends. On the one hand, international or supranational law obliges or encourages states to create autonomous public bodies. Various national regulatory authorities which find their legal basis in different directives of the European Union on the liberalization of utilities sectors are the most apparent examples of this trend towards the internationalization of the law on autonomous government. On the other hand, one notices an attempt on the national level to restrain the evolution towards autonomous government. The question arose whether and to what extent autonomous government can be reconciled with fundamental constitutional principles governing administrative organization. Attempting to put a brake on the unlimited rise of autonomous public bodies, states have come up with framework regulation, determining the conditions for their establishment. How do these two trends determine the law on autonomous public bodies? To what extent do these trends conflict and – if need be – (how) can they be reconciled? The research studies these questions from a European comparative perspective." "The creation of autonomous public bodies from a European comparative legal perspective: international impulse, national restraint and how to reconcile these trends." "Ingrid Opdebeek" "Government and Law" "The law on the creation of autonomous public bodies in the administrative organization of European states is currently characterized by two trends. On the one hand, international or supranational law obliges or encourages states to create autonomous public bodies. Various national regulatory authorities which find their legal basis in different directives of the European Union on the liberalization of utilities sectors are the most apparent examples of this trend towards the internationalization of the law on autonomous government. On the other hand, one notices an attempt on the national level to restrain the evolution towards autonomous government. The question arose whether and to what extent autonomous government can be reconciled with fundamental constitutional principles governing administrative organization. Attempting to put a brake on the unlimited rise of autonomous public bodies, states have come up with framework regulation, determining the conditions for their establishment. How do these two trends determine the law on autonomous public bodies? To what extent do these trends conflict and – if need be – (how) can they be reconciled? The research studies these questions from a European comparative perspective."