GB33 in Oslo: key outcomes for Belgium

The 33rd meeting of the GBIF Governing Board (GB33) took place in Oslo, Norway, from 29 September to 1 October 2026, hosted by the University of Oslo Natural History Museum and the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre.

New leadership for the Governing Board

Martin Kalfatovic (Smithsonian Institution, United States) was elected Chair of the Governing Board. The meeting also marked the end of André Heughebaert’s term as 2nd Vice-Chair of the Governing Board. As founder of the Belgian node, André has represented Belgium on the Executive Committee in recent years, and continues to chair the committee recruiting GBIF’s next Executive Secretary.

A Belgian voice in the Science Committee

Jurate De Prins (Flemish Entomological Society) was elected 3rd Vice-Chair of the GBIF Science Committee.

Work programme and strategy

The Board approved all items put to the vote. These include the 2027 Work Programme and Budget, which cover the final year of the current 2023-2027 Implementation Plan. The Board also adopted the Strategic Framework for 2028-2032, organised around three priority areas: people, impact through content, and infrastructure and services.

Also at GB33

The 4 winners of the 2026 Ebbe Nielsen Challenge were announced during the meeting, and one of them is the OBIS team behind the OBIS Species Distribution Models.

GBIF turns 25

GB33 coincided with GBIF’s 25th anniversary, and a dedicated session looked back at 25 years of GBIF, from its founding to the global network it has become.

Belgium, one of GBIF’s early participants, will mark its own 25 years of biodiversity data mobilisation on 19 October 2026 at RBINS in Brussels. Participation is free but registration is mandatory: see the programme and registration page.