Search results

AI is often perceived as neutral and objective. But is that really the case? This third session of the “What If AI?” series examines the biases and discrimination that can be embedded in artificial intelligence systems, drawing on striking examples such as biased recruitment and judicial algorithms.Through demonstrations and interactive experiments, the session aims to debunk the myth of technological neutrality and explore ways to design more equitable and inclusive systems. Je m'inscris

What if you confided your doubts, emotions, or sensitive information to artificial intelligence? This first session of the “What If AI?” series explores the uses of AI in personal and sometimes intimate contexts, where tools like chatbots become trusted confidants. Drawing on real-world examples—including the use of ChatGPT for psychological support or to handle confidential data—the speakers will analyze the technical inner workings of these systems as well as the legal issues related to privacy protection.The audience will be invited to discover, step by step, what lies behind an AI-generated response: which actors are involved, how data flows, and what risks this entails. Through a fun, interactive activity, everyone will be able to better understand the implications of their interactions with these tools and reflect on the boundaries that should be set. Je m'inscris

Artificial intelligence creates, imitates, and transforms content on a large scale. But who owns these creations? And what happens to the works used to train these models? This fourth session of the “What If AI?” series addresses the intellectual property issues related to generative AI.Drawing on recent cases involving the use of copyrighted works to train models, the speakers will explain the tensions between technological innovation and respect for copyright. This session will provide insights into the current challenges facing intellectual property law in the face of these technologies and the implications for creators. Je m'inscris

Students at the University of Namur are committed to giving meaning to their education. Discover learning through service! 

Participate, Cooperate, Impact Distinguished guests, Ladies and gentlemen,What a pleasure it is to see so many of you here tonight! You represent the various segments of the university—faculty and researchers, students, administrative and technical staff—and of society—the political, diplomatic, cultural, nonprofit, judicial, religious, educational, business, and civic sectors. Thank you all for being here!The university does not merely observe the world; it helps to transform it. The start of the academic year is an opportunity to explain to our community and partners how we fulfil this responsibility. My colleagues from other universities have almost all already had the opportunity to do so. I thank the university rectors, as well as the representatives from the institutions that were unable to join us, for their presence here tonight. During the academic opening ceremonies that have already taken place—each in its own way—the universities highlighted their openness, their capacity for creativity and innovation, their willingness to collaborate and share knowledge, and their commitment to society (1). The various testimonials presented to you today serve no other purpose than to highlight that our university participates, cooperates, and makes an impact. Yet last year, I spoke out against what I experienced as a constant race to justify amid a climate of discredit cast upon universities. I stated: “By adopting this defensive stance, we (…) endorse the demand for economic productivity, the pressure to deliver results, and evaluation through the lens of utility… And we are contributing to the (…) dismantling of a remarkable university model, a pillar of democracy.” I still hold this conviction. But that does not mean standing still. More than ever, our society needs all stakeholders to roll up their sleeves and unite their complementary strengths and perspectives to build a future that is sustainable economically, socially, environmentally, and democratically. We owe this to the youth represented today, among others, by student organizations. That is why we sat down at the table with AKT for Wallonia. In early April, some fifty business representatives met with officials from the five universities at the University Foundation to exchange views on collaboration between our two worlds. Marius Gilbert and I then presented, on the one hand, the dynamics of research valorisation at work in our universities, and on the other, the current state of these collaborations: what obstacles must be overcome, what opportunities should be seized, and what tools should be developed? Since then, we have held several discussions with AKT representatives. Both parties are convinced of the importance of this dialogue while respecting the missions and interests of both entrepreneurial and academic stakeholders. We will continue this work in the coming months, first and foremost to better understand our specific expectations and contexts. We will identify opportunities for collaboration in research or life-long learning. We will discuss internships in companies and the appeal of STEM fields. This should allow us, in the medium term, to build as convergent a vision as possible of the priorities for Wallonia and to provide mutual support to increase our resilience in the face of current and future challenges.I can already hear murmurs of disapproval among my colleagues in certain faculties: “That’s it—the rector has abandoned us; she’s selling us out to the corporate world.” Let me reassure them right away: I haven’t changed my stance. Despite the trend toward specialization in universities—particularly in the applied sciences—I remain committed to a university model that integrates basic and applied research and is grounded in the three major disciplinary sectors: the humanities and social sciences, science and technology, and the life and health sciences. Along with academic freedom and the unbreakable link between teaching and research, this coexistence within the university of different disciplines—which, drawing on their disciplinary excellence, engage in mutual dialogue—is one of the legacies of the Humboldtian university that constitutes the strength of our Belgian and European universities. It is moreover these reflective intersections that foster creativity and innovation. Innovation is my field of research and teaching. Among the researchers who inspire me—both as a researcher and as a rector, for that matter— there are two whose work I’d like to briefly discuss with you this evening: first, Teresa Amabile (2), Professor Emerita at Harvard Business School, and James March (3), who was a professor at Stanford. Both of these researchers have focused on organizational behaviours that foster creativity and learning—the sources of innovation—and I invite you to follow in their footsteps as I continue this address. Creativity, fuelled by intrinsic motivation, but also dependent on a supportive environmentTeresa Amabile is known for having highlighted, as early as the 1980s, the importance of motivation in sparking people’s creativity. And not just any motivation: intrinsic motivation (Amabile, 1983), linked to the interest—or even passion—that a person has for their work and their field of expertise. But she also showed that, in order to be sustained and developed, this motivation requires favourable conditions (Amabile et al., 1996): a culture that supports creativity, leadership that recognizes its importance and understands that mistakes are a source of learning, a work environment rooted in autonomy and trust, as well as a diverse group of colleagues who challenge and encourage one another… The challenges of our time urgently call for creative solutions that travel off the beaten tracks. Our universities are teeming with outstanding researchers who are passionate about their respective fields. Yet they still need to find the conditions necessary to advance their projects: trust instead of bureaucratic controls, recognition instead of disparaging remarks, autonomy to give free rein to their creativity, sufficient resources to invest in the future, and supportive partners—entrepreneurs, governments, public services, and citizens—to build that future together. These are the essential conditions for the kind of motivation that sparks creativity. For when faced with constant headwinds, passion runs out of steam. The same is true for our students, the driving force and citizens of tomorrow’s society. The prevailing gloom saps their motivation, all the more so when some people disparage the value of college degrees, which nonetheless require hard work. Every year, we graduate thousands of talented young people who are ready to unleash their creative potential. But society must still listen to their expectations and be willing to put their worldviews into practice; the employers who hire them after graduation must pay attention to the breath of fresh air they bring and dare to question themselves in light of the challenges raised by their new recruits. UNamur is no exception. We do not capitalize enough on the creative potential of our staff and students. Faced with the budgetary pressures we now face, we have decided to solicit ideas from the entire community to generate new revenue and better control expenses. This effort will obviously not replace the major structural projects already underway in the areas of real estate, technological support, or resource sharing of all kinds. But it will allow us to move forward together, united and creative. As Teresa Amabile puts it, small victories “ignite joy, engagement, and creativity at work” (Amabile and Kramer, 2011). Ladies and gentlemen, as this academic year begins, I wish us all motivation, creativity, and many small victories.Exploration and Exploitation in the Service of InnovationLet’s turn now to James March. March (1991) explains that an organization adapts to its environment through a dual learning dynamic. On the one hand, it continuously improves its processes, quality, and customer relationships... This is what he calls exploitation. This dynamic of continuous improvement is generally sufficient in stable environments. But it does not prepare the organization to cope with major upheavals. To do so, organizations must turn to exploration: envisioning future scenarios—which may be very different from what we know—and building the innovations necessary to survive in a changing world. What March also shows is that exploitation and exploration require different skills and behaviours. To effectively leverage current strengths, one must analyse, plan, measure, evaluate, and improve. Exploration, on the other hand, requires getting lost, wandering, testing, failing, bouncing back, and taking risks… Our universities are caught between these two modes of operation. On the one hand, in the name of optimized and streamlined exploitation, they are asked for ever-more evidence of compliance, justifications for their activities, and demonstrations of impact—in both teaching and research. It is understandable that our public service mission demands unwavering responsibility toward society and our students. But the bureaucratic machine is increasingly eroding our time for exploration. For teaching and researching at the university means exploring. Exploring to build the knowledge of tomorrow. Knowledge that is passed on to students through courses that best prepare them for the realities they will face in the future. Knowledge that serves as the seed for more applied research, translated into innovations through projects with businesses or other societal stakeholders. If society wishes to build the conditions for its resilience in the turbulent world we live in, it must provide universities with the framework necessary to fulfil their role as explorers of the future. Far from a technocratic planning approach that would turn them into purveyors of knowledge responding to pre-established specifications—something that artificial intelligence, incidentally, could do quite well—our researchers must be able to lose their way, wander, fail, and bounce back. Our students, in order to develop their potential as innovators and entrepreneurs in the face of this complex and uncertain future, also need to learn to get lost, wander, fail, and bounce back. Luc de Brabandere recently wrote about AI and its creative potential: “Error is the prerequisite for creativity. Forgetting is the prerequisite for thought. But a machine does not forget. It stores, it calculates, it reproduces. It does not think.” Ladies and gentlemen, as this academic year begins, I hope that we will dare to lose our way, make mistakes, and forget—so that we may discover what truly matters and together shape the world of tomorrow.Creativity and innovation require appropriate leadershipIn a third and final reference to these authors who inspire me, I’d like to talk about leadership. Both Amabile and March have sought to understand the leadership styles that best foster creativity, innovation, and exploration. Amabile (1996, 2011) speaks of leaders who encourage by avoiding excessive pressure, thereby supporting intrinsic motivation; of leaders who allow autonomy and freedom of action so that creativity can express itself to the fullest; leaders who accept failure and thereby foster the psychological safety conducive to creative work. March, for his part, drew inspiration in particular from great works of literature (4) to understand the mechanisms of leadership. His analyses highlight three behaviours that support exploration: the first is the encouragement of useful deviance, where the exploration of deviant or seemingly ineffective ideas is encouraged; the second is action guided by meaning, which allows one to cope with uncertainty through the beauty of the action and the pleasure of a job well done; and the third is ordinary leadership, in contrast to the heroic leader. March tells us, and I quote: “Most changes in organizations do not come about through dramatic efforts or heroic actions, but rather through ordinary individuals doing ordinary things well.” March invites leaders to be both plumbers and poets. Plumbers and craftsmen who dare to get their hands dirty, taking care to understand the reality of those on the ground—which enables them to organize and allocate resources with fairness and foresight. Poets who imagine, give meaning, inspire, and instil hope and motivation. Leaders who speak and act with authenticity, revealing their concern for others and their own vulnerability (Westover, 2025), as opposed to adopting a high-handed, stigmatizing, or vindictive stance…Ladies and gentlemen, as this academic year begins, I wish each and every one of us, regardless of our role, to be both plumbers and poets—so that, with humility and competence, we may lead society and our youth toward a better future. In conclusion, I affirm that the University of Namur intends to continue contributing to the dynamic development of Wallonia, Europe, and the international community; that it is open to cooperating with other stakeholders in society to address the major challenges of our time; and that it is convinced that together, we can make a difference in the world and turn the tide on the pressing issues—economic, social, environmental, and democratic—that require both urgent action and a long-term vision. However, to realize these ambitions, it is essential that we be able to unleash our creativity under the best possible conditions, that we be recognized and encouraged in our mission to explore the future, and that we can count, at every level, on leadership from both practical experts and visionaries.With these words, and with hope and enthusiasm, I hereby declare the 2026–2027 academic year open. Annick Castiaux, September 24, 2026 ReferencesAmabile, T. M. (1983). The Social Psychology of Creativity: A Componential Conceptualization. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 45(2), pp. 393–399.Amabile, T. M., R. Conti, H. Coon, J. Lazenby, M. Herron (1996). Assessing the Work Environment for Creativity. Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 39(5), pp. 1154–1184.Amabile, T. M. and S. J. Kramer (2011). “The Power of Small Wins.” Harvard Business Review, May 2011.March, J. G. (1991). “Exploration and Exploitation in Organizational Learning.” *Organization Science*, Vol. 2(1), pp. 71–87.March, J. G. and T. Weil (2009). *On Leadership*. John Wiley & Sons. Westover, J. H. (2025). Leadership as Plumbing and Poetry: Why March’s Counterintuitive Insight Matters More Than Ever. *Human Capital Leadership Review*, Vol. 27(4).NotesOn Monday, September 14, at UCLouvain, Françoise Smets kicked off the series of back-to-school ceremonies by emphasizing the importance of questioning the world to shed light on society. Last Friday, Annemie Schaus centered her opening ceremony on the theme of the relationship between the Arts and Sciences, awarding four inspiring honorary doctorates in the field of literature. The day before yesterday, it was Anne-Sophie Nyssen’s turn to deliver her message at ULiège’s new semester opening, speaking about Lucidity, Courage, and Creativity. She emphasized that, in the face of the upheavals that lie ahead, the university is committed to addressing them with lucidity, courage, and creativity. In a few days, my new colleague Laurent Lefebvre will conclude the series of academic year kick-off events at UMons, taking up the torch from Philippe Dubois, with a theme dedicated to “Transmission”—a fitting choice given the passing of the torch that is about to take place.Teresa Amabile is an American psychologist whose work has focused on the factors that foster creativity at the individual, team, and organizational levels. In particular, she has highlighted the importance of intrinsic motivation, domain expertise, and creative skills for an individual’s creativity to be effective. She has also shown that creativity is social, with interactions within a diverse team enabling the group to achieve far more than the sum of individual creative contributions. She has demonstrated that certain organizational behaviours are more conducive to creativity than others, and that certain leadership styles are better suited to fostering creative dynamics. She thus demonstrated that certain external controls—excessive evaluation, monitoring, competition, deadlines, and expectations of rewards—reduce intrinsic motivation and, consequently, creativity.James March is an American economist and sociologist whose work focuses on organizational learning. He is frequently cited in research on the dynamics of innovation, since, ultimately, innovation is the result of what we learn. We learn from our mistakes, our problems, and our challenges, and on this basis, we build new adaptive strategies that can range from simple improvements to more radical innovations. This holds true for the economy as well as for all other areas of human society, and it applies at all levels: the individual, the organization, the region, and society. James March’s writings span economics, strategic management, political science, education, psychology, and poetry. Each of his contributions seems to me to offer a perspective on our ability to mobilize collectively for a more innovative Wallonia and Europe.March drew particular inspiration from the following works: Don Quixote (M. de Cervantes) (“Yo sé quién soy”—being guided by identity and values rather than by consequences), War and Peace (L. Tolstoy) (the strength of the ordinary hero), Othello (W. Shakespeare) (the conflict between duty and the private sphere), and Saint Joan (G. B. Shaw) (the value of heresy and radically innovative ideas, even at the risk of misunderstanding or exclusion). This work led to the book *On Leadership*, published with Thierry Weil of Mines ParisTech.

Whatever level of your research career (R1, R2, R3 or R4), you'll find useful resources here.

Three years ago, the ABC-Day conference examined four growing challenges in our education system: the growing role of digital technology in education, the urgent need to integrate the ecological transition into educational issues, the rise in student distress and disengagement, and the significant changes taking place in the education system. It is clear that these issues remain at the heart of current educational discourse today.Both educational research and practical approaches in the field have addressed these issues in an effort to respond to them at their respective levels. In an effort to highlight these initiatives in French-speaking Belgium, the ABC-Day 2026 conference will be titled “Educating and Teaching Today: Challenges, Practices, and Research” and will focus on these four areas.In line with the mission of the ABC-Éduc association, this conference aims to provide a space for dialogue and exchange among educators, educational researchers, and students of educational sciences regarding educational practices and research. More specifically, this conference seeks to foster dialogue between initiatives in the field and research in the discipline, thereby facilitating a rich and nuanced discussion on each of the aforementioned themes. To this end, several sessions will be offered for each theme, allowing: researchers to present their work; education practitioners to present their initiatives in the field.Although the conference is organized around these four thematic areas, the call for papers remains open to broader research presentations that are not exclusively limited to these areas. All the details on the ABC Day 2026 website

How are our social identities formed? Are they simply inherited, like a last name or a family history passed down at birth? Or are they built gradually, at the intersection of family legacies, educational choices, and the social contexts in which children grow up? These questions lie at the heart of the work of Juliette Crespin-Boucaud, a postdoctoral researcher and Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellow at the Center for Research in Development Economics (CRED) at the University of Namur. To mark European Researchers’ Night, UNamur is highlighting several research projects conducted under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). 

Chair of the JuryProfessor Sophie Béreau, University of Namur AdvisorsProfessor Allard Van Riel, University of HasseltProfessor Wafa Hammedi, University of NamurProfessor Nadia Steils, University of LiègeOther Members of the CommitteeProfessor Cécile Delcourt, University of Liège Professor Carlos Flavián, University of ZaragozaProfessor Benoît Frénay, University of NamurProfessor Simon Hazée, Catholic University of LouvainProfessor Sara Leroi-Werelds, University of Hasselt

Located a 5-minute walk from the university, the Arsenal, the campus restaurant, offers complete, balanced meals Monday through Friday. A vegetarian option is available every day. Pasta, sandwiches, and other quick meals are also served daily. The Arsenal can also be rented for events.

The Grandes Conférences Namuroises (GCN), a series of six conferences per academic year organized by the University of Namur, addresses topics that shed light on major societal issues: the environment, economics, culture, philosophy, literature, science, and digital technology. Come and listen to and share ideas with some of the leading figures in our society who encourage us to reflect and open our minds to the world: this is the invitation that the GCN has been extending to the public every year for more than ten years.