Belgian Federal Science Policy Office


The Belgian Federal Science Policy Office, known by the acronym BELSPO, is the federal government body responsible for research policy in Belgium. It designs and implements research programmes and networks and manages the participation of Belgium in European and international organisations. BELSPO supervises Belgian federal scientific organisations.

History

Formal political and administrative coordination of the Belgian science policy was begun with the creation of the first government organisations in 1959. These included the Interministerial Commission for Science Policy and the National Council for Science Policy. In 1968, the Science Policy Office was established as a Belgian State administration.
BELSPO was previously known as the Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs, which name was changed following the Copernic reform of Belgium's federal administration.

Federal scientific and cultural institutions