Coordinated at the Wallonia-Brussels Federation level by Sciences.be, the Printemps des Sciences aims to bring science and technology closer to the general public. Throughout Wallonia and Brussels, universities, colleges, and research centers opened their doors to offer a fresh perspective on science through workshops, meetings, and lectures.

At UNamur and in the Province of Namur, Confluent des Savoirs coordinated all activities with a varied program designed for both school classes and the general public. Among the highlights organized on campus (and in partnership with venues in Namur) were:

• What Does a Career in Chemistry Lead To? – a session to explore career paths and opportunities in chemistry.
• Journey to a Black Hole – a public lecture exploring the mysteries of black holes.
• “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” and the death of creativity in the age of AI? – a play-conference at the intersection of video games, creativity, and artificial intelligence.
• Night at the Museum – an escape game organized by third-year mathematics students to investigate their mathematics museum.
• Astronomy Saturday – an afternoon and evening of activities and discoveries centered on stargazing (ages 8 and up).

In this program, the meeting with Raphaël Liégeois was a particularly unifying moment, linking space exploration, fundamental research, and inspiration for younger generations.

Invited as part of the Printemps des Sciences, in collaboration with ESA and BELSPO, Raphaël Liégeois came to share his career journey and his preparation for space missions, engaging with students (from 9th to 12th grade), the academic community, and the general public. “What if the space adventure began… here, today, in this auditorium?” suggested Annick Castiaux, as a prelude to the conference. 

For over an hour, Raphaël Liégeois took the time to open up about his experience and journey, speaking of his childhood dreams, his academic path, his motivations, and his doubts. “It’s a privilege to have a project that inspires and motivates me so much,” he emphasized. The astronaut also detailed the training he has been undergoing for the past three years to prepare for his space mission aboard the ISS, scheduled for 2027. During this mission, Raphaël Liégeois will conduct a scientific experiment in collaboration with UNamur. The BeBlob project focuses on the survival capabilities of a single-celled organism, the “blob.” 

Initiated by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Printemps des Sciences is coordinated by the Sciences.be network and organized by French-speaking universities and colleges. For the occasion, the University of Namur is coordinating numerous activities at the provincial level.

Throughout this week, Printemps des Sciences inspires or confirms scientific vocations, helps teachers improve and enrich their teaching methods, gives students a more realistic perception of today's research, improves the general perception of science, contributes to reintegrating this knowledge into the heart of general culture, and improves the level of scientific culture among citizens. 

The 25^th edition of Printemps des Sciences (Science Spring) is being prepared for 2026, with scientific culture as its theme.

This opens up a new perspective on the world. It encourages curiosity, invites us to question what seems obvious to us, and pushes us to explore what remains invisible. Thanks to it, the ordinary becomes a field of discovery, and the mundane reveals unexpected dimensions. It thus allows us to better understand our environment, to question it, but also to marvel at its richness, beauty, and complexity.

Once again this year, teachers, researchers, students, and the academic community at UNamur are coming together to offer a variety of activities for schools and the general public. With conferences, exhibitions, shows, observations, and various experiments, there will be something for everyone! Here is an overview of the public programming offered at UNamur: 

• Playconference: "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" and the decline of creativity in the age of AI

Video games, artificial intelligence, technical constraints, and creativity: how do these dimensions interact in today's professions? During this original playconference, three researchers from the University of Namur will play the multi-award-winning game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 live, while explaining their research on digital media, computer science, and creative professions. A fun immersion to better understand the contemporary challenges of the video game industry.

• Lecture: Raphaël Liégeois, future Belgian astronaut

Raphaël Liégeois shares his extraordinary journey to becoming an astronaut at the European Space Agency (ESA), including his educational background, choices, doubts, and motivations. He talks about his daily life at the astronaut training center and the impact of space missions on our everyday lives, all illustrated with photos, videos, and anecdotes. The meeting continues with an open discussion with the students.

• Competition: My Thesis in 180 Seconds (MT180)

Three minutes flat. That's all the time doctoral students have to present their thesis topic to the general public in a clear, accessible, and compelling way. This task of popularizing their work pushes young researchers to be creative. Whether through humor, simplicity, or emotion, each participant chooses their most effective tools to transform complexity into curiosity.

• Astronomy Saturday

The afternoon and evening of Saturday, March 28 will be devoted to exploring the wonders of the sky in a friendly atmosphere that is accessible to the whole family. The program includes interactive workshops, fun stands, a captivating show, and stargazing sessions. This is a unique opportunity to learn, experiment, and marvel together at the infinity of the cosmos.

• More than 6,500 places available (for schools and the general public) across more than 100 activities.
• Four higher education institutions organizing the event: University of Namur, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech-ULiège, Hénallux, Haute École de la Province de Namur, and Haute École Albert Jacquard.
• More than 20 scientific and socio-cultural partners.
• Involvement of hundreds of students and members (researchers, professors, technicians, etc.) from universities and colleges.
• Activities in Namur (Namur city/Salzinnes/Champion/Malonne), Gembloux, and Ciney.

Their book "Cinématech - Twenty Works to Understand Digital Technology" is primarily educational in nature, as it allows readers to better understand digital technology and its challenges. But the originality of the approach chosen by the two authors makes it both entertaining and informative. 

"The idea is simple: use 20 films and series to illustrate the history of digital technology, three important technologies (AI, robotics, XR) and their challenges. To do this, we start with Terminator, Her, Wall-E, Minority Report, and many others to make these subjects accessible," explains Anthony Simonofski, Professor in the Faculty of Economics, Management, Political Science, and Communication (EMCP).

"With the book, we can expand on the podcast's content, providing greater consistency and scientific references," explains Benoit Vanderose, professor in the Faculty of Computer Science. 

This new book is aimed at three audiences: 

• Those who want to better understand digital technology without jargon
• Film buffs curious to see their favorite works from a different angle
• Teachers and trainers looking for concrete materials to discuss digital technology in the classroom

Organized by the Confluent des Savoirs as part of International Space Week and the UNIVERSEH Alliance, the 2025 edition brought together nearly 800 participants of all ages, including 350 primary and secondary school students.

Highlights of the week

Throughout the week, young and old were invited to dive into the world of space research through workshops, observations and immersive experiments.

A day for secondary school students

A real highlight of the week, on Thursday October 9 the University was transformed into a veritable space laboratory to welcome 5ᵉ and 6ᵉ secondary school students to an interdisciplinary theme day. Over the course of the day, pupils were able to meet researchers, teachers, students and space professionals in workshops, encounters and challenges, exploring in turn:

• the mysteries of meteorites and space exploration with researchers from UNamur;
• the links between artificial intelligence and space, in collaboration with the Euro Space Center ;
• the biodiversity of mosses with the discovery of "resistant" micro-organisms capable of surviving in space conditions ;
• before concluding the day with an interactive and convivial quiz hosted by the "Kàp to UNIVERSEH" project Kot.

This day made a lasting impression with its participative, interdisciplinary approach, hailed by teachers and students alike.
The latter were able to handle scientific equipment, exchange views with researchers, and discover in concrete terms the diversity of space-related professions and issues.

At the same time, visits to the Antoine Thomas Astronomical Observatory and a mobile planetarium on loan from the MUMONS enabled younger pupils (primary and secondary) to explore the starry sky and ponder the mysteries of the cosmos in a fun and accessible way.

Moments of discovery for all

For several days, the Observatory exceptionally opened its doors to allow the curious to explore its dome, its workings and its instruments, including a solar telescope, the only one of its kind in Wallonia.

Accompanied by an astronomy popularizer and comfortably seated under the planetarium dome, visitors embarked on a cosmic journey, between constellations, galaxies and celestial phenomena.

These experiences, both scientific and sensory, offered a moment of shared wonder and helped strengthen links between research and the general public.

A "Space Exploration" comic book competition.

In this comic strip format drawing competition, UNamur invites you to embark on an extraordinary adventure on the theme of space exploration. The competition invites you to imagine daring missions, spectacular discoveries or distant civilizations, and to tell the story in drawings and bubbles. The Universe is waiting for you, and it's up to each and every one of us to bring it to life!

Space Week UNamur 2025 was once again a great success. It succeeded in bringing together the general public and school audiences, mixing science, technology, creation and imagination, and anchoring the University of Namur as a dynamic player in space research and scientific mediation on space-related themes.

Beyond the fascination for astronomy, this week reminds us that space is a shared horizon, between research, innovation, citizenship and culture.

Through the Confluent des Savoirs, the University of Namur confirms its role as a bridge between academic knowledge and the public, while inspiring the new generation of explorers... terrestrial or stellar.

Photos by Christophe Danaux