1. PLATO ACADEMY
September 29th, 2010

2. PROGRAMME
09.00:  Welcome
09.15:  Introduction workshops ‘Current Economic Tendencies’ by
Prof. Dr. Koen Schoors, Universiteit Gent
10.00:  Strategic Importance of current economic tendencies on SME Management  by biaan Van Vrekhem - Accord Group Belgium
10.30: Business cases on:
Demography (Accord Group Belgium - Fabiaan Van Vrekhem),
Green economy (CBR - Philippe Haegeman)
BRIC & globalisation (Ahlers - Bart Gruyaert)
Crisis in the financial system (Ghent University - Prof. Dr. Koen Schoors)
ICT (Nascom, Jo Martens)
Information & communication technology (Nascom - Jo Martens)
12.00: Lunch
Welcome (welcome + practicalities). As the master of ceremony today. Tomorrow this will be my colleague Arne.
Welcome to the first PLATO Academy session. Warm welcome to you coming from many places all over te world. We have PLATO guests from UK, Ireland, South-Africa, Egypt, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine and Serbia. Many of you travelling a long time to come here. Our PLATO team appreciates and is very gratefull for that. Thank you! It is a first session, we’re dreaming to have this organised next year in another PLATO guest country. But this is something that the coordinators will discuss tomorrow.
This brings me to the programme, that I would like to present to you as some changes occurred. First some practicalities: local transport/catering/company visits/hotel.
Programme.
So, let the ceremony begin and I would like to remind you of one PLATO ground rule: the more you offer, the more you get!

3. Programme 13.00 Workshops 15.00: Break 15.30: Conclusion
Demography, yellow room
BRIC & globalisation, blue room
Crisis in the financial system, purple room
Green economy, red room
ICT, green room
15.00: Break  
15.30: Conclusion                     
16.15: Bus to Ghent
17.00: Guidance tour through Port of Ghent
20.00: Dinner at Castelnou
21.30: Transfer to Hotel

4. Programme 07.30 Pick-up at hotel and departure to to VIB
08.30 Presentation Flandersbio
08.50 Presentation VIB
09.10 Presentation Cropdesign
09.30 Departure Electrabel
10.15 Arrival Electrabel Herdersbrug
10.45 Presentation + Guided tour
12.00 Departure to Zebrastraat
12.45 Arrival at Zebrastraat / Lunch

5. Programme
13.00 B2B Meetings
(there will a shuttle bus every hour to the hotel)
17.00 Departure to hotel
17.30 Arrival at hotel
18.30 Departure to ICC
19.00 Start PLATO 20
20.45 Networkreception + walking dinner
21.45 Departure to hotel
22.00 Arrival at hotel

6. CONCLUSION