Process management is a key concept in business. By analyzing and monitoring how processes are carried out, a company can track its operational performance and identify opportunities for improvement. However, for many companies, this aspect of management is still too often underdeveloped.

The unique aspect of the U-BPM research project led by Malik Schinckus and supervised by Professor Anthony Simonofski (UNamur School of Management and member of the MINDIT research center) is its specific focus on the people who execute processes on the ground—namely, the employees themselves. “Most organizations still oversee operations from a distance, collaborating with their employees only through Q&A sessions or interviews. To better understand the field and find effective solutions, it is essential to optimize collaboration between the ‘management’ and the ‘domain experts,’ that is, the people responsible for executing the processes,” explains Malik Schinckus.

The goal of Malik Schinckus’s thesis is therefore to implement tools and methods that facilitate better communication between these groups and improve the flow of information, with the aim of sustainably optimizing process execution. To achieve this, generative artificial intelligence (AI) appears to be a promising avenue: “Generative AI is indeed accessible to everyone, as interactions are based on natural language,” continues Malik Schinckus.

To implement a sustainable solution tailored to the realities of Belgian businesses, Malik Schinckus is collaborating with the consulting firm Daïmo, which specializes in IT and management. This immersive research provides a step back to assess the possibilities offered by AI by comparing it with real-world applications. “At present, it is impossible to automate everything and replace an analyst for complex cognitive tasks. The analyst identifies what is implicit, contextualizes the information, and judges when understanding is sufficient. AI does not yet have these capabilities,” the researcher notes. 

The creation of innovative tools to solve complex problems encountered in the field is an approach known in academia as “Design Science Research.” 

The benefits of this methodology are already evident: reduced costs, improved service quality, and greater flexibility.

Ultimately, the data from this research will help refine this solution and, eventually, enable its deployment on a larger scale.

Starting in their bachelor’s program, students in the Management and Information and Communication Engineering track have the opportunity to tailor their degree to a specialization rooted in market needs. This is a unique feature of the Namur program that allows students to remain versatile while avoiding the pitfall of overly specialized profiles. “It’s really a matter of adding a specific focus to the bachelor’s degree, which remains the same regardless of the track chosen,” explain Anthony Simonofski and Fanny Barnabé, professors and directors of the bachelor’s programs in Management Engineering and Information and Communication, respectively.

In this context, two new tracks will be added to these two bachelor’s programs starting this fall: “Creative Technologies” in Management Engineering and “Cultural and Creative Industries” in Information and Communication.

 “For the management engineering program, we’ve traditionally had two bachelor’s tracks: one in information management, focused on IT development, and one in environmental and life sciences, focused on science and sustainability,” explains Anthony Simonofski. Created in collaboration with the Information and Communication program and the School of Computer Science, the “Creative Technologies” track enriches existing programs by offering students the opportunity to imagine and experiment with creative uses of technology in a responsible manner, within a context marked by numerous societal challenges. 

What can students expect from the courses? “Some will focus on new uses of technology, understanding the digital and sustainable transitions, and new creative technologies, such as generative AI, immersive technologies (XR), and video game technologies, among others,” says Anthony Simonofski.

As for the Bachelor’s degree in Information and Communication, the plan is to revamp the existing “Culture and Audiovisual” track, which will be renamed “Cultural and Creative Industries” starting this fall. “Alongside the more traditional tracks of ‘Journalism and News Media’ and ‘Organizational Communication,’ this overhaul aims to forge stronger ties with the cultural and creative industries (CCI) sector, which is a highly dynamic sector currently undergoing restructuring. Furthermore, the Namur ecosystem is highly stimulating, featuring events such as the KIKK festival or the FIFF, networks of stakeholders like wake!, and institutions dedicated to popularizing or mediating science and culture such as the Pavillon, the Confluent des savoirs, the Medialab, and others,” explains Fanny Barnabé. 

While the two programs differ in terms of student profiles and career opportunities, joint courses will be offered to help students integrate into this ecosystem and explore management issues in the creative industries.

The collaboration between UNamur and the cultural and creative industries sector is particularly evident through the wake! by Digital Wallonia label, which aims to bring together Walloon players in the field of digital creativity from a variety of sectors: universities, research centers, creative hubs, festivals, companies, artists, investment funds, and more. UNamur was quickly among the first to contribute to this momentum.

These new programs will also facilitate communication between the cultural industries and future professionals: “The need for academic research and training aligned with the needs of the digital creative industries sector is paramount,” explains Delphine Jenart, wake! coordinator for KIKK. “We do indeed need a new generation of experts at the intersection of communication and creative technologies who understand the sector’s challenges regarding innovation and creativity and can formulate strategies.” 

These connections can take the form of guest lectures by professionals in the classroom, as well as internship opportunities or thesis projects.

Gathered in teams of three to five players, students from the Faculty of Economics, Management, and Communication Sciences (EMCP) competed in a general knowledge quiz for nearly two hours on February 26 in a friendly yet competitive atmosphere. Questions organized by theme—politics, sports, culture, international affairs—focusing on the year 2025 were prepared by Maxime Verbesselt and Louis Liégeois, assistants in the Department of Social, Political, and Communication Sciences, as well as by students in the information & communication and political science programs. At each change of theme, one student from each team took to the keyboard to try to score points for their teammates on questions as varied as "Where did COP30 take place?", "Which artist performed at the 2025 Super Bowl?" and "In what year did Jean-Marie Le Pen qualify for the second round of the French presidential elections?" The prize: $35 gift certificates to be spent in Namur shops. 

Behind this fun initiative lies a strong educational ambition. " Act'UNamur is a PUNCh (Pédagogie Universitaire Namuroise en Changement) project led by professors Anne-Sophie Collard and Fanny Barnabé . It aims both to encourage students to keep up with current events and to build bridges between students from different study programs," summarizes Maxime Verbesselt.

The quiz is an extension of the practical work in the course "Fundamentals of Communication and News Processing," taught this year to information and communication and political science students by Esther Haineaux and to be taken over next year by Anne-Sophie Collard and Fanny Barnabé. " Throughout the first semester, these students prepared for and participated in weekly tests on current events, the results of which count toward their overall grade," continues Maxime Verbesselt. "The quiz on February 26 follows this logic, but opens it up to all students in the Faculty, regardless of their field of study, in a relaxed atmosphere with no assessment at stake. " To encourage this collaboration between departments, the mixed teams were allowed to answer a bonus question at the end of each round. The match ended in a perfect tie, and despite an extra round to try to break the deadlock between the two teams, the score remained level. The winners therefore finally decided to split the winnings.

Whether it was to test their knowledge, take on a challenge, or simply share a good time with friends, everyone had their own motivation for trying to win the faculty quiz: "In terms of preparation, I dug out my notes for the year 2025 and looked for the key facts. I had also suggested some of the questions, so I was happy to see them included. I'm also lucky to have a good memory," says Léa, a member of one of the two winning teams in this latest edition and a communications student. "I quite like quizzes and was attracted by the challenge. I didn't really prepare, but I follow the news a lot and have a good general knowledge," adds Antoine, an economics and management student.

Building on the success of this first edition, the Act'UNamur team is already looking forward to next year, with perhaps even more participants taking up the challenge! 

International Women's Day (UN), also known as "International Day of Struggle for Women's Rights" (UN Women), is celebrated every year on March 8. This day highlights the struggles for women's rights and, more broadly, for the elimination of inequalities between women and men.  

Although International Women's Day was made official by the United Nations in 1977, following on from the International Women's Year proclaimed in 1975 by the UN General Assembly, its origins date back to the social movements that emerged in North America and Europe at the turn of the 20th century. 

The fight against gender discrimination is a priority at UNamur, which is firmly committed to promoting gender equality, non-discrimination, and respect for diversity.  

UNamur's goal is to create an inclusive university community where everyone can thrive, regardless of gender. By embracing diversity and taking concrete measures, the university affirms its commitment to a more equitable society based on the values of justice, inclusion, and respect for human dignity.