Projecten per jaar
Persoonlijk profiel
Expertise
Free De Backer is an associate professor in arts education at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where she leads the Department of Educational Sciences and co-leads the Brussels research centre for Innovation in Learning and Diversity (BILD) - a research group specializing in understanding the structural and systemic changes needed to enhance education and participation.
Her research explores the intersections of art and care, disability aesthetics, and arts education and participation across diverse learning environments. Her work spans both fundamental and applied research, emphasizing transformative frameworks that drive social change. Adopting an interpretative and critical-emancipatory approach, she examines how individuals and communities in vulnerable situations experience and engage with learning, with the aim of increasing access, participation, and the quality of learning. In an era of rapid societal change, research seeks not only to deepen understanding but also to contribute to emancipation, positioning research as a catalyst for social action and social change. To this end, she employs a diverse range of research methods.
Free De Backer oversees multiple research projects, such as audience research at art centres and music halls (e.g. Ancienne Belgique in Brussels) focusing on inclusivity and a sense of belonging, youth-centred research on the climate crisis through the arts, and interdisciplinary research on cremation practices aimed at fostering compassionate communities.
Free De Backer is also co-supervisor of the Compassionate Communities Centre of Expertise. This centre of expertise studies the role of the environment in shaping practices and experiences of serious illness, caregiving, dying, and grieving through interdisciplinary research and innovation. In addition to her roles at the university, she is an appointed VUB representative on the Council School of Arts RITCS (Royal Institute for Theatre, Cinema & Sound) at Erasmushogeschool Brussel, member of the general assembly of Kurt Defrancq Stichting, and a board member of De Veerman, an art educational organisation based in Antwerp. Free De Backer served as president of the non-profit organisation ADJ for ten years (2013-2022).
Vingerafdruk
Verdiep u in de onderzoeksgebieden waarop Free De Backer actief is. Deze onderwerplabels komen uit het werk van deze persoon. Samen vormen ze een unieke vingerafdruk.
- 1 Soortgelijke profielen
Samenwerkingen en hoofdonderzoeksgebieden uit de afgelopen vijf jaar
Recente externe samenwerking op landen-/regioniveau. Duik in de details door op de stippen te klikken of
-
FWOTM1340: Sonische relationaliteit: empathie opwekken voor de ernstig bedreigde Europese aal in het Scheldeestuarium
Nijsten, L. (Mandataris), Ruchel-Stockmans, K. (Administrative Promotor) & De Backer, F. (CoI (Co-Promotor))
1/11/25 → 31/10/29
Project: Fundamenteel
-
EUPOM166: RESCALE: Werknemers omscholen door de verbinding tussen actoren op de arbeidsmarkt en het onderwijs te stimuleren
Lombaerts, K. (Administrative Promotor), De Backer, F. (CoI (Co-Promotor)) & De Greef, M. (PI (Promotor, Principal Investigator))
1/03/25 → 28/02/27
Project: Toegepast
-
IRP24: Studie van de veelzijdige rol van de omgeving in het beïnvloeden van het omgaan met ernstige ziekte, mantelzorg, sterven en rouwen via interdisciplinair onderzoek en innovatie in Compassionate Communities (COCO_ENV)
Cohen, J. (Administrative Promotor), Dury, S. (Administrative Promotor), Van den Block, L. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Pivodic, L. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), De Donder, L. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Dierckx, E. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Smetcoren, A.-S. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Snoeck, C. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), De Backer, F. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Lombaerts, K. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Spruyt, B. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), De Moortel, D. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Bekers, E. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Aernouts, N. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Ryckewaert, M. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Van Droogenbroeck, F. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Beeckman, K. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Brosens, D. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), De Gieter, S. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Vanderstichelen, S. (Medewerker), Quintiens, B. (Medewerker) & Bakelants, H. (Medewerker)
1/11/24 → 31/10/29
Project: Fundamenteel
-
NSIS1: Brussels Interdisciplinair onderzoekscentrum over Migratie en Minderheden
Adam, I. (Administrative Promotor), Trauner, F. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Smets, K. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), De Kimpe, S. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Breuls, L. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Lambert, B. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Winter, A. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Smis, S. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), De Hert, P. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Henrard, K. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Vosters, R. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Sepp, A. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Lechkar, I. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Verhaeghe, P.-P. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Bircan, T. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Van Belle, E. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Nagel, M. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), Brosens, D. (CoI (Co-Promotor)), De Backer, F. (CoI (Co-Promotor)) & Consuegra, E. (CoI (Co-Promotor))
1/11/24 → 31/10/29
Project: Fundamenteel
-
EUPOM153: Erasmus+ Key Action2: Een klimaatrechtvaardige en kunsteducatieve benadering van jongerenwerk (SEEDLING)
Crois, E. (Administrative Promotor), De Backer, F. (CoI (Co-Promotor)) & Vandermeersche, G. (CoI (Co-Promotor))
1/03/24 → 28/02/26
Project: Toegepast
-
Art Mediation as Public Practice
Nachtergaele, S., De Middeleir, L., Verschelden, G., De bisschop, A. & De Backer, F., 2025, art, media, design education+: Inclusive articulations and practices. Reynders, D. (uitgave). Owl Press, blz. 57-73 17 blz.Onderzoeksoutput: Chapter › Specialist › peer review
-
Boundaries of Goodbye: Navigating Legislation and Practice in Crematoria
Frère, A., Snoeck, C. & De Backer, F., 25 aug. 2025, Utrecht University. Utrecht: Utrecht University, blz. 56 1 blz.Onderzoeksoutput: Meeting abstract (Book)
Bestand37 Downloads (Pure) -
Chasing Happiness? The meaning of wellbeing-oriented cultural heritage interventions in museums and cultural heritage institutions
Dewinter, H., Goethals, T., De Backer, F., Vandermeersche, G. & De Wilde, L., apr. 2025, In: Cultural Trends. 23 blz.Onderzoeksoutput: Article › peer review
-
Establishing an Accompanying Approach in Social Sciences and Humanities: a Conceptual Embedding in Second-Person Ethnography
Crois, E., Vandermeersche, G. & De Backer, F., 2025, In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. 30 blz.Onderzoeksoutput: Article › peer review
4 Downloads (Pure) -
Exploring teacher competences for establishing an ‘open classroom climate’ in primary education
Pyls, M., Kavadias, D., De Backer, F., Faddar, J. & Lombaerts, K., 1 mrt. 2025, In: Citizenship Teaching & Learning. 20, 1, blz. 81 - 101 21 blz.Onderzoeksoutput: Article › peer review
Datasets
-
Determinants of self-regulated learning practices in elementary education
Thomas, V. M. (Researcher), Lombaerts, K. (Data Manager), Peeters, J. (Data Collector) & De Backer, F. (Researcher), Zenodo, 25 jan. 2025
Dataset
-
Non-disabled performing artists’ views on disability aesthetics and their collaborations with performers with a disability
De Backer, F. (Creator) & Verbeke, A. (Creator), VUB Institutional Data Repository, 7 jan. 2025
Dataset
-
Chinese and Western classroom learning environments (CLE) research
Lombaerts, K. (Creator), Cai, J. (Creator), Vandermeersche, G. (Creator) & De Backer, F. (Creator), VUB Institutional Data Repository, 11 mrt. 2025
Dataset
-
Primary School Teachers Perceptions Critical Thinking
Lombaerts, K. (Creator), Lombardi, L. (Creator) & De Backer, F. (Creator), VUB Institutional Data Repository, 11 mrt. 2025
Dataset
-
Multi-isotope and infrared data from Late Bronze Age - Early Iron Age Herstal and Court-Saint-Etienne, Belgium
Frère, A. (Creator), Loeffelmann, T. (Researcher), Veselka, B. (Researcher), Stamataki, E. (Researcher), Sengeløv, A. (Researcher), James, H. (Researcher), de Mulder, G. (Researcher), Claes, B. (Other), De Backer, F. (Supervisor) & Snoeck, C. (Supervisor), IsoArcH database, 11 apr. 2025
DOI: 10.48530/isoarch.2025.009
Dataset
Activiteiten
-
Codename Seedling: Hive Symposium
Crois, E. (Organiser), De Backer, F. (Host) & Vandermeersche, G. (Member)
21 jan. 2025 → 23 jan. 2025Activiteit: Participation in conference
-
GenAI: An Assistant in Feedback and Qualitative Data Analysis
De Backer, F. (Speaker)
21 okt. 2025Activiteit: Talk or presentation at a workshop/seminar
-
De Hoge Rielen/Algemene Dienst voor Jeugdtoerisme vzw (Externe Organisatie)
De Backer, F. (Advisor), Muls, J. (Advisor), Dehaene, B. (Advisor) & Geeraert, S. (Advisor)
2025 → 2027Activiteit: Work on advisory panels for social, community and cultural engagement
-
Mitigating or Deepening Inequality? A Systematic Review of the Role of Schools in Citizenship Education
Pyls, M. (Speaker), Crois, E. (Contributor), De Backer, F. (Contributor), Faddar, J. (Contributor) & Lombaerts, K. (Contributor)
12 jul. 2025 → 16 jul. 2025Activiteit: Talk or presentation at a conference
-
Schools and Citizenship Education: Drivers of Equality or Inequality?
Pyls, M. (Speaker), Crois, E. (Contributor), De Backer, F. (Contributor), Faddar, J. (Contributor) & Lombaerts, K. (Contributor)
25 aug. 2025 → 29 aug. 2025Activiteit: Talk or presentation at a conference
Knipsels
-
Cera Breinreizen dementie Brugge: Het effect van kunst en cultuur op mensen met dementie
16/10/25
1 Mediabijdrage
Pers / media: !!Public Engagement Activities
-
Open brief aan Hilde Crevits en Frank Vandenbroucke: We sterven maar één keer, laten we dat dus goed voorbereiden
Deliens, L., Cohen, J., De Donder, L., Dury, S., Chambaere, K., Quintiens, B., Dheedene, M., Spruyt, B., Hooghe, A., De Backer, F., Lombaerts, K., Vanroelen, C., Bakelants, H., D'Eer, L., Vanderstichelen, S., Van Hove, L., De Gieter, S., De Moortel, D., Crois, E., Smetcoren, A.-S., Theuns, P., Dierckx, E. & Soyez, V.
13/07/23
1 Mediabijdrage
Pers / media: !!Expert Comment
-
VUB study shows that secondary school pupils also experience discrimination. Having a non-Western sounding name can be an obstacle when seeking a job
Martens, C. & De Backer, F.
21/12/21
1 Mediabijdrage
Pers / media: !!Research
Scriptie
-
Cruciale factoren in de zoektocht naar werk als startende acteur.
Sanen, S. ((PhD) Student), Struyven, K. (Promotor) & De Backer, F. (Advisor), jun. 2014Scriptie/Masterproef: Master's Thesis
-
Machtsstructuren en clubcultuur: Een kwalitatief onderzoek naar de machtsstructuren binnen clubcultuur door het oog van deejays
Luijkx, S. ((PhD) Student) & De Backer, F. (Promotor), 2021Scriptie/Masterproef: Master's Thesis
-
Mee met mode: co-creatieve ondernemingscentra als informele leeromgeving.
Nauwelaerts, A. ((PhD) Student) & De Backer, F. (Jury), Struyven, K. (Promotor), 2016Scriptie/Masterproef: Master's Thesis
-
Ongelijkheid tussen leerlingen op vlak van aanwervingskansen: Een verkennend onderzoek in kader van de YOUCA Action Day
Martens, C. ((PhD) Student) & De Backer, F. (Promotor), 2021Scriptie/Masterproef: Master's Thesis
-
Randvoorwaarden voor het opstellen van educatieve programma’s in musea voor ouderen.
Stevens, A. ((PhD) Student), De Donder, L. (Promotor) & De Backer, F. (Jury), De Donder, L. (Promotor), 2015Scriptie/Masterproef: Master's Thesis