Orsi Academy - Melle (Ghent), Belgium

Congratulations to Orsi Academy in Melle (Ghent), Belgium for recently earning ACS-AEI Comprehensive accreditation.

Learn about the facility in the interview below with Korneel Vandenbrouke, who is general manager and AEI Administrator of Oris Academy. Vandenbrouke oversees the day-to-day operations of Orsi Academy.

Tell us about your center.

Founded in 2010, Orsi Academy was established to address the global lack of standardized, evidence-based training in robotic surgery. With support from regional and academic partners, Orsi established dedicated training infrastructure for minimally invasive procedures. Over the years, Orsi evolved from a urology-focused training provider into a multi-specialty center of excellence.

In 2013, it launched the world’s first validated training curriculum for robotic surgery, recognized and adopted by ERUS (EAU Robotic Urology Section). By 2016, Orsi became an independent institution, supported by both Ghent and Leuven Universities in Belgium. A new state-of-the-art campus followed in 2018, establishing Orsi as the largest robotic training center in the world.

Today, Orsi offers a wide range of practical training programs for beginner and advanced surgeons, healthcare professionals, academics, and industry partners. These programs are built around scientifically validated performance metrics and a proficiency-based progression approach, ensuring structured, safe, and consistent skill development. Beyond training, Orsi’s innovation arm, “Orsi Innotech,” supports healthcare innovation through research, co-creation, and data-driven insights, empowering safer adoption of new surgical technologies—away from the human patient.

Looking ahead, Orsi Academy’s future goals are centered on facilitating cutting-edge healthcare innovations, optimizing adoption curves through structured training, and ultimately, improving surgical outcomes for patients across disciplines.

What is your center's specialty or strength(s)?

Orsi Academy is a leading center for minimally invasive surgical training, known for its strong ecosystem, cutting-edge facilities, and commitment to educational excellence. Orsi collaborates with top medical societies, academic institutions, and global med-tech partners. Our state-of-the-art, modular facilities are designed to support diverse training and research needs. From private labs to open spaces for co-creation and networking, the campus offers flexibility and confidentiality in equal measure.

Centrally located near Brussels with access to three international airports, Orsi is easily reachable for global participants. We offer training within a wide range of minimally invasive disciplines, including robotic, laparoscopic, endovascular, orthopaedic surgery, and more. Our standardized and research-backed approach ensures high-impact, safe, and effective learning.

What areas (if any) are you looking to expand or improve?

Having reached operational saturation within its existing infrastructure, Orsi plans to construct an adjacent building that will double its current capacity. Orsi aims to create an international network (Orsi International) by scaling its Orsi Academy (Ghent) training portfolio globally, ensuring consistent quality and equal pricing. The goal is to offer standardized, high-quality identical training worldwide.

Orsi Innotech, as a center of expertise and innovation, will advance research and development to improve surgical training and practices by incorporating AI solutions into educational programs. Efforts will be made to shift from live animals and human cadavers to alternative training models. Orsi will strengthen the development of non-technical skills and team training in minimally invasive surgery, including robotics. The primary goal remains improving training effectiveness, leading to better clinical outcomes.

What do you hope to gain from being an AEI? 

Becoming an Accredited Education Institute represents an important step in Orsi Academy’s ongoing commitment to excellence in surgical education. We believe AEI accreditation will allow networking with other leading training centers worldwide, allowing us to share best practices, benchmark outcomes, and continuously improve our educational offerings. It also will strengthen our credibility with learners, partners, and scientific societies, reinforcing our role as a trusted reference in the field of minimally invasive surgery training.

Ultimately, we see AEI accreditation as a platform for collaboration, quality assurance, and innovation, helping us advance our mission to improve the quality of patient care through better surgical training.

Do you have any upcoming educational events, research projects, or other opportunities that you'd like to share with other members of the ACS-AEI Consortium?

• TELESURGERY DAYS 2026, February 25–28, 2026

If you are interested in collaborating or connecting with Orsi Academy, contact Korneel Vandenbroucke at Korneel.vandenbroucke@orsi.be.