Research institutions disseminate their results within the scientiic community and are judged by their colleagues on the basis o the indings thus presented. They also have a moral duty to convey their indings to the general public in comprehensible orm.Companies publicise their products and/or services and pass on “knowledge” about their activitiesand indings via advertising campaigns. Some publications (like annual reports and balance sheets) areintended or a speciic public or serve a very closely deined purpose.Interest groups place advertisements, go around with petitions and stage demonstrations or happenings to attract the media’s attention and showcase their points o view.Government departments have a ar less urgent need to present their expertise and activities or achievements in their policy area to the interested layman (apart rom the mandatory annual reportor the “initiated”). Nor do they have to present their products and services. And their views arenormally expressed by the responsible politicians.In the uture, the Department o Economy, Science and Innovation (
Departement Economie,Wetenschap en Innovatie
, or EWI) wants to communicate regularly about trends and developments inpolicy in the area alling within its remit. For instance, EWI sta will summarise (oreign) reports andexplain important (European) decisions and initiatives and their consequences; map out a theoreticalcontext and background; present the respective Flemish institutions active in the policy area inquestion; and introduce readers to a leading light in the appropriate ield. The choice o subjects willlargely depend on current topics being covered within EWI’s domain. In time, (oreign) guest authorswill also be involved.On behal o all my colleagues I would like to wish you many happy hours o reading.I urge you above all to give your reactions to this new initiative atwww.ewi-vlaanderen.be/reageer .
Your response may even be included in the readers’ section.
Peter SpynsGeneral Editor
These famous words triggered a controversialnew literary movement in Dutch letters in the1880s. Without harbouring any literary preten-sions, this new magazine also aims to ring in a‘new sound’.
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