Belgian Teacher Programme

Apr 12, 2026, 5:00 PM → Apr 17, 2026, 2:00 PM Europe/Zurich

CERN

Francois Briard (CERN), Jeff Wiener (CERN), Aurelie Lawaree (CERN)

For about 20 years, CERN has organized National Teacher Programmes that bring together secondary-school physics teachers from all its Member States, Associated Member States, and selected Non-Member States. Through lectures, on-site visits, exhibitions, and hands-on workshops, participants are introduced to cutting-edge particle physics, enabling them to return to their countries as ambassadors who inspire the next generation of physicists, engineers, and IT specialists.

While some Belgian teachers have had the opportunity to take part in the French-language Programme, the Dutch-language Programme, or more recently the SSVI Teacher Programme, the 2026 edition will be the first official national programme, in English, since 2013. It represents a unique opportunity to discover CERN together with physics teachers from across Belgium.

The selection on candidates has now been done and candidates will be informed very soon on the outcome.

CERN Belgian Teacher Programme 2026 - Promotional document.pdf

Sun, April 12

Welcome to CERN!

1 Welcome Reception

2 Basics @ CERN

Speaker: Jeff Wiener (CERN)

BETP26_Basics.pdf

3 Programme Objectives

Speaker: Jeff Wiener (CERN)

BETP26_Objectives.pdf

Mon, April 13

Lectures

4 Film Discover CERN

5 Introduction to CERN

Speaker: Francois Briard (CERN)

9:45 AM Coffee break

6 From particles to data: exabyte data processing at CERN

Speaker: Florine Willemijn de Geus (CERN/University of Twente (NL))

from_particles_to_data.pdf

10:55 AM Short break

7 Worldwide LHC Computing Grid

Speaker: Maarten Litmaath (CERN)

12:30 PM Lunch break

Visits

8 CERN Control Centre & Magnet Test Facility Hall SM18

The bus leaves in front of the CERN Hotel (Building 39) at 13:45!

13:45–14:00 Transport from the CERN hotel to SM18
14:00–14:30 SM18
14:30–14:45 Transport from SM18 to the CCC
14:45–15:15 CCC
15:15–15:30 Transport from the CCC to the CERN hotel

Speakers: David Amorim (EPFL), Francois Briard (CERN)

3:30 PM Coffee break

9 Synchrocyclotron & ATLAS control room

The whole group meets outside the Main Building at 16:00!

16:00–16:15 Walk from the CERN Main Building to the SC
16:15–16:45 Synchrocyclotron
16:45–17:00 Walk from the SC to ATLAS
17:00–17:30 ATLAS Control Room
17:30–17:45 Walk from ATLAS to the Main Building

Speaker: Milena Vujanovic (University of Leeds)

Tue, April 14

Lectures

10 Magnets - An essential component of particle accelerators

Speaker: Frederic Savary (CERN)

11 The third long shutdown (LS3) of the CERN accelerator complex

This will be a remote presentation

Speaker: Jean-Philippe Tock (CERN)

10:40 AM Coffee break

12 Introduction to the Physics of Accelerators

Speaker: Frederik Van der Veken (CERN)

13 VIsit of the Large Magnet Facility

Speaker: Frederic Savary (CERN)

12:30 PM Lunch break

Visits

14 Cloud Chamber Workshop & Science Gateway Exhibitions

The whole group meets in the Main Building at 13:45!

13:45-14:00 Walk to Science Gateway
14:00-15:30 Cloud Chamber Workshop
15:30-17:00 Science Gateway Exhibitions

Speaker: Adelina Lintuluoto (CERN)

Film Screening

15 Particle Fever

Film by Mark Levinson (USA), 2013
In English, subtitled in French

Synopis:

Imagine being able to watch as Edison turned on the first light bulb, or as Franklin received his first jolt of electricity…

For the first time, a film gives audiences a front row seat to a significant and inspiring scientific breakthrough as it happens. Particle Fever follows six brilliant scientists during the launch of the Large Hadron Collider, marking the start-up of the biggest and most expensive experiment in the history of the planet, pushing the edge of human innovation.

As they seek to unravel the mysteries of the universe, 10,000 scientists from over 100 countries joined forces in pursuit of a single goal: to recreate conditions that existed just moments after the Big Bang and find the Higgs boson, potentially explaining the origin of all matter. But our heroes confront an even bigger challenge: have we reached our limit in understanding why we exist?

Wed, April 15

Visits

16 Antimatter Factory & Data Centre

The whole group Leaves from the CERN hotel (Building 39) at 08:30!

08:30–08:45 Walk from the CERN Hotel to the Data Centre
08:45–09:15 Data Centre
09:15–09:30 Walk from the Data Centre to the AD
09:30–10:00 Antimatter Factory
10:00–10:15 Walk from the AD to Building 6

Speakers: Francois Briard (CERN), Milena Vujanovic (University of Leeds)

Lectures

17 Research with radioactive ion beams at ISOLDE/MEDICIS

Speakers: Hanne Heylen (CERN), Sven De Man (CERN)

12:30 PM Lunch break

Social event in Geneva

18 Discover Geneva Treasure Hunt

We will provide you with your personal treasure hunt brochure. Please prepare 8 CHF to buy the "Tout Genève 9h" ticket. Once you successfully finish the treasure hunt there will be a delicious cheese fondue waiting for you!

19 Official Dinner of the Belgian Teacher Programme 2026

Although it's the formal dinner of the programme, please wear clothes that you feel comfortable in. The treasure hunt will lead you directly to the

Cave Valaisanne – Chalet Suisse
BD Georges-Favon, 23
1204 Genève
www.chaletswiss.ch

Thu, April 16

Lectures

20 The Standard Model of Particle Physics

Speaker: Frederik Van der Veken (CERN)

10:15 AM Coffee break

21 Detectors

Speaker: Laurent Forthomme (AGH University of Krakow (PL))

12:30 PM Lunch break

Visits

22 CMS

The bus leaves in front of the CERN Hotel (Building 39) at 13:30!

13:30–14:00 Transport from the CERN Hotel to CMS
14:00–15:30 CMS (Service cavern only, the experimental cavern is not accessible in April!)
15:30–16:00 Transport from CMS to the CERN Hotel

Official event organised by Belgian representatives in Geneva

23 Transport to the Belgian Residence

20260416-Official-Reception-Belgian-Residence-Directions.pdf

24 Reception

Reception organised at the occasion of the CERN Belgian Teacher Programme 2026 by Mw Katrien de Pauw, diplomatiek vertegenwoordiger van Vlaanderen in Genève en Mme Sharon Weinblum, Déléguée générale Wallonie-Bruxelles à Genève and hosted by H.E. M. Christophe Payot, Ambassador of Belgium to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva.

Fri, April 17

Lectures

25 FCC Feasibility study

26 Careers and internship opportunities

Speaker: Lore Taillieu (CERN)

10:30 AM Coffee break

27 CERN and the environment

Speaker: Benoit Delille (CERN)

Closing session

28 What's next?

Speaker: Jeff Wiener (CERN)

12:00 PM Certificate & Goodie Bags