"Scholen van Morgen", the public-private partnership (PPP) programme to modernise Flemish school infrastructure, is proud to have won the "ULI Europe Award for Excellence 2023" and "ULI Global Award for Excellence 2023".
These prestigious awards, presented by the Urban Land Institute (ULI), reward real estate projects from all over the world for their exceptional character.
A double victory that inspires the industry
These two awards testify to the ongoing commitment to our clients and the significant social impact of the project led by the AG Real Estate teams. The double victory of "Scholen van Morgen" in the "ULI Europe Award for Excellence 2023" and "ULI Global Award for Excellence 2023" is not only a recognition of the scale and the effectiveness of this project, but also a benchmark and a source of inspiration for the entire real estate and urban planning industry in Europe and around the world. It highlights the ability of this public-private partnership to create, in record time, modern, sustainable and energy-efficient learning environments that contribute to improving education and the well-being of future generations. Clarissa Alfrink, Managing Director Germany of UNStudio and member of the ULI jury confirms: "It was a privilege to get to know the teams responsible for the “Scholen van Morgen” programme at AG Real Estate and the incredible impact this programme is having on the education system in Flanders. I left Antwerp inspired and hopeful that other public vehicles can learn from the measures taken to build more than 180 schools. Once again, congratulations on a job well done! A well-deserved award".
A tribute to the exceptional commitment of all involved
Serge Fautré, CEO at AG Real Estate, and Philippe Monserez, Chief Design & Build and Innovation Officer at AG Real Estate and Director of the "Scholen van Morgen" programme, comment together: "These two awards are not only distinctions for an exceptional project, but they are also a tribute to the commitment of all those who have contributed (and continue to contribute) to the success of "Scholen van Morgen". From the Flemish government and administration to private partners, architects, construction teams, teachers, pupils and the education community as a whole, or everyone involved in the project, every individual party has played a crucial role in creating innovative and sustainable learning environments. Without their commitment and perseverance for the common good, we would never have succeeded in completing this colossal adventure over more than 10 years! We have only one word: THANK YOU".
A unifying adventure
Public-private partnerships are essential to the growth of our society. Both our parent company AG and its main shareholder Ageas recognise the importance for everyone's future of active, interdisciplinary collaboration between public authorities and private players. Hans De Cuyper, CEO of Ageas, comments: "The 'Scholen van Morgen' programme is a concrete example of how an insurer can transform the investment of its policyholders' pension savings into sustainable public infrastructure, thanks to an active partnership between a professional insurer, a renowned property developer and the government. With each new school opening, it was heartening to show parents and grandparents how their pension savings were contributing to a better education for their (grand)children. A project that should serve as an example to many countries and infrastructure projects. The whole team deserves these awards and I'm proud to be a supporter of our children's education".
Various previous awards
In addition to the ULI Europe Award for Excellence 2023 and the ULI Global Award for Excellence 2023, Scholen van Morgen has previously been honoured with several awards, including the EPRA Outstanding Contribution to Society Award, the Publica Award for the Technology category, and the PropTech Innovation Award for the most socially impactful project. The programme was also a finalist in the Best Alternative Project category at the 2023 MIPIM Awards. Finally, let's not forget all the nominations and awards for individual projects either, including the ARC22 in the Netherlands and the RES Award 2023 in the category Best (Semi-) Public Development for the Campus Kunstkaai project in Antwerp.
About Scholen van Morgen
"Scholen van Morgen” is a Belgian public-private partnership (PPP) project aimed at improving and modernising school infrastructure. Launched in 2010, it is a joint initiative of the Flemish government and a number of private partners, including AG Real Estate and BNP Paribas Fortis. AG Real Estate has taken on the entire management of the project and will remain active for more than 30 years in the maintenance and monitoring of the whole.
The main aim of the "Scholen van Morgen" project was to build and renovate 182 school buildings with a total surface area of 710,000 m² and to create a better-quality learning environment for 133,000 pupils and their teachers. The emphasis was on creating schools that meet contemporary educational needs.
