Your legacy shapes the future
Making your will and bequeathing it to a charity such as Ghent University is a very important and personal choice that you do not make overnight. Your peace of mind is also our priority. Terry and Elien are happy to work with you on this.
Five reasons to choose Ghent University in your will
When you choose Ghent University you are choosing:
- for one or more research or educational topics close to your heart (health, environment, animals, literature, technology,...). Together, we will find the perfect cause for your legacy;
- for personal and warm guidance: you are not a client to us, but a patron to whose wishes we listen and whose expectations we take into account;
- for a charity that does not have to pay taxes on inheritances and gifts;
- for peace of mind and relief: we help you draft your will so that your legacy is executed exactly as you want it to be;
- for security thanks to a charity that has existed for more than 200 years: you can rest assured that Ghent University will still exist when you are no longer around.
Inspiring examples
Would you like to read more about people who decided to include Ghent University in their wills and how they came to this choice? Or how a legacy can make a significant difference to our researchers? Below you can find some inspiring testimonials and click through to read the full story. On durfdenken.be you can find all our legacy stories.
Anja & the animal clinic
Miep, Anja's dog, received excellent assistance from the Ghent University veterinary clinic. Anja contacted Terry and Elien, who assisted her in drawing up her will. Among other things, they advised her to set up a “waterfall system” of people from her network to take care of her dogs when she is no longer there.
I know most of my peers are not thinking about their wills yet. But I am single and have no children. Then you are a little more concerned with that. Part of my estate will go to the veterinary clinic of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Terry and Elien helped me with all the practical considerations. I received a ready-made will draft, completely according to my personal wishes. With that document, I was able to go directly to the notary.
- Anja Peumans -
Mariëlle and the medical skills centre
Dr. Guy De Cloedt, alumnus and former family physician, passed away unexpectedly. His life partner, Mariëlle, assisted to determine the destination of his legacy at the UGent Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Guy felt it was very important that the money goes to the faculty where he himself graduated. Thanks to Terry and Elien, I was able to visit the faculty's skills lab. That's where doctors-to-be practice their skills. I immediately felt it was right. The students at that time were practicing on prosthetics. You could feel their energy in the room. That's when I knew, "yes, this is what Guy would have wanted." I went home with a good feeling.
- Mariëlle De Bom Van Driessche, life partner of the late Dr. Guy De Cloedt -
Bart and the Fund for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases
A lady, who wishes to remain anonymous, contacted Prof. Dr. Bart Dermaut, head of the Neurogenetics lab at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. She had lost one of her close relatives to dementia and wanted to support his research on Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Disorders, both through her future legacy, and with donations during her lifetime.
I promised her I would find out how to go best about it. I knocked on the door of Terry and Elien of the University Fund. They discussed all the possibilities with our benefactress and together we eventually established the Alzheimer's Fund. In the meantime, the Fund already received two inheritances. Such a legacy is always unexpected and gives me a great sense of responsibility as a researcher. These bequests really help to advance our research.
- Prof. Dr. Bart Dermaut -
Why it is best to coordinate with us
Are you considering or have you decided to include Ghent University in your will? Do you have one or more specific Ghent University destinations in mind? Of course you can contact your notary for the drafting of your will, but why would it also make sense for you to coordinate with Terry and Elien about this?
- Your notary is familiar with the legal framework for drafting wills. However, Elien and Terry know that you are looking for more than just the legal guidance. After all, you also want lasting assurance that you made the right choice, and the best way to do that is through personal contact with Ghent University. Terry and Elien convert your wishes into specific, achievable goals within UGent. They help you identify those research projects or domains that match your values and interests;
- Thanks to years of experience and many conversations with people considering including UGent in their wills, Terry and Elien have a good understanding of the very different elements that you and your notary should best consider. They assure you of the right wording in your will, taking into account the complexity of a university like UGent. Thus, your legacy can be effectively executed as you intended.
- Terry and Elien prepare all the information the notary needs to draft the will.
- Terry and Elien explain everything to you in plain language, so you are sure to understand everything and know where you stand for your will;
- You can count on completely non-binding, professional and free advice from our experts, Terry and Elien.
Contact us
If you want to share your plans with us, we would love to hear from you, so we can thank you, keep you informed about the area you want to support and invite you to interesting events. We are happy to accompany you and, of course, do so with the utmost discretion. This can be done in the office, at your home, by phone or by mail.
Terry Ediers (+32 9 264 83 31) & Elien Wanzeele (+32 9 264 33 88)
We will review with you what the next steps will be. If you want to meet at your home, we are happy to come by. If you prefer to come to the Rectory, we can do that as well. It is important to us that you feel comfortable. It is our goal to give you complete peace of mind that your estate is arranged as you wish.
- Elien Wanzeele -
