Ilse Timperman’s distinguished academic track record saw her gain a Master’s degree in Sinology (Chinese Studies) with great distinction from KU Leuven in 1995. Following an exchange program at Sichuan University, she then completed a Master’s degree in Archaeology at Leiden University (2000) and a PhD in Archaeology and Art History at SOAS University of London (2017).
Her passion, skill and intuitive talent for the Chinese language were first rewarded when she triumphed in a Chinese speech contest at KU Leuven during her Master’s studies. This strong language proficiency became one of the key assets in her future career, which has encompassed fields and experiences as diverse as heading her own agency, curating world-renowned exhibitions, the teaching of Chinese archaeology and art history at leading universities, and the care and diplomatic handling of cross-cultural corporate programmes.
Following her academic studies, between 1998 and 2001, she worked as an interpreter and assistant for the Training and Exhibition at the Rotterdam-based company CHK, accompanying dozens of Chinese delegations on study trips across Europe. Not only did she develop a rich vocabulary, but this also marked the start of her decades-long contribution to the trade, cultural, and bilateral relations between Europe and China.
From 2002 to 2004, she served as Chief Representative of the Dutch localization company WordHouse in Beijing. During this period, she also led her own translation agency in Leeuwarden and subsequently Brussels. She provided commercial, legal, diplomatic, and technical interpretation and translation services to a diverse local and international client base.
In 2008 she joined Europalia, where she was the curator of the successful opening exhibition at Bozar in Brussels (2009–2010). Using her translation, interpretation, and negotiation skills, she also helped to organise numerous additional exhibitions and cultural events as part of this successful edition of the China Art Festival in Belgium and beyond.
She became curator of the Collections of the Far East at the Royal Museums of Art and History (RMAH) in Brussels (2010–2011) and did research on the collection of these and other renown Asian museum collections (2020–2022). In 2014–2015, she served as President of the Belgian Institute for Advanced Chinese Studies (BIHCS), where she organized the successful series of duo-lectures ‘The Silk Road: Border Crossing’, amongst others.
She conducted excavations in Egypt and China and taught Archaeology and Art History of the Silk Road in London (SOAS University of London, 2012–2013) and Münster (University of Münster, 2018–2019). Before the pandemic, she also worked as an educator at the House of European History (2019–2020).
Ilse’s translation activities focus on the Chinese-speaking world in all its diversity, with particular attention to the linguistic and cultural differences of specific target groups. With three decades of experience, she can also rely on an extensive, cross-disciplinary and international network of contacts.