The International Symposium on Frontiers in Microbiology has been de-
dicated to Prof. P. De Somer, whom I succeeded shortly after his death
on 17 June 1985 as Rector of this now more than 560-year old University.
When Prof. De Somer became the head of the University he started to
remodel it, giving our old Alma Mater a more transparent administrative
structure, strengthening its scientific and cultural autonomy, and
establishing close links with the most prestigious national and foreign
institutions. This made De Somer to one of the greatest, if not the
greatest, of rectors in the history of Belgian Universities. He was a
great leader, a perfect organizer, a clever negotiator, and a brilliant
orator. In his speeches one immediately sensed his intuitive cognition
and witty evaluation of the values of life. He knew perfectly well how
to persuade the unwilling and to disenchant the illusionist. Sometimes a
visionary himself, he would not pursue his ideas unless there was a
chance of success. As innovative Prof. P. De Somer was in providing to
this University a new face, or should I say facelifting, as
international is his reputation as the founder, and, since its
inception, only director, of the Rega Institute. Built now more than 30
years ago, the Rega Institute has re- mained one of the world's leading
centers in microbiological research.