Chair Bicycle

At request of Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters, a new Chair Bicycle will be installed at Ghent University from December 1, with financial and substantive support from the Flemish government. Experts who want to contribute to the bicycle policy in Flanders with their academic work can apply for the vacancy of part-time guest professor. With the new chair, the Flemish government and UGent want to strengthen the ambitious Flemish cycling policy with academic knowledge and insights.

The Chair Bicycle will start on December 1, 2023 within the Department of Geography of the Faculty of Sciences of UGent and will run for three years. The chair includes the appointment of a part-time guest professor of "Bicycle" at the rank of professor (10%) and a half-time scientific assistant.

The supervisor of the chair will be Professor Frank Witlox of the Department of Geography, Faculty of Sciences.

Scientific research for a stronger bicycle policy

The chair aims to produce scientific publications and reports that can contribute to policy choices and social debate on bicycle mobility.
The supervisor will play a role in several relevant training units at UGent and work closely with the many actors involved in cycling policy in Flanders.

“Cycling plays a crucial role in making our mobility system more sustainable. Therefore, Flanders is investing massively in the necessary infrastructure and all kinds of initiatives to further encourage cycling, but a successful bicycle policy must also be able to build on reliable academic knowledge and scientific insights. With this new Chair Bicycle, we want to further strengthen the extensive expertise we already have in Flanders in the field of cycling policy in order to realize our cycling ambitions.”
Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters

The guest professor will conduct scientific research on a number of specific themes, which will be determined in consultation with a supervisory committee. Possible themes include bicycle safety, influencing bicycle behaviour and use, and the development of smart technology to make cycling more comfortable and safer.

Financial support from the Flemish government

For the operating resources of the Chair Bicycle and the salary costs of the guest professor and part-time employee, the Chair of Cycling receives a subsidy of up to 249 999 euros from the Flemish government.