Isabelle De Coen

Isabelle De Coen coordinates international academic diplomacy. She holds an MA in East Asian Languages and Cultures – Sinology from Ghent University (2003), complemented by a postgraduate degree in Chinese language from Fudan University in Shanghai. Her professional journey began at the Belgian Consulate General in Shanghai, after which she was appointed as policy advisor on China to the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs. 

In 2010, Isabelle joined Ghent University as the coordinator of the China Platform, where she played a key role in strengthening and expanding the university’s collaborations with Chinese universities and research institutes. Her work fostered deeper academic exchange, mutual research initiatives, and long-term institutional partnerships. 

Since 2016, Isabelle is the coordinator for academic diplomacy at Ghent University. In this capacity, she manages and enhances the university’s relations with embassies and diplomatic representations both in Belgium and abroad. She manages the university’s involvement in royal state visits, economic missions, and high-level academic delegations, fostering international partnerships in research and education.