Transformative Service Research (TSR) examines the transformative power of services in the lives of individuals, communities, and society. It focuses on how service systems—whether public, health, educational, digital, or technological—can serve as drivers of well-being, inclusion, and social justice. Moving beyond a vision focused solely on organizational performance, TSR places fundamental issues such as equity, access, dignity, the reduction of vulnerabilities, and the creation of positive societal impact at the heart of its analysis. It thus invites us to rethink services not only as spaces for exchange, but as instruments of transformation for a more just, inclusive, and humane society.

Flamure Ibrahimi’s research is rooted in this transformative perspective and focuses on corruption in service interactions involving frontline employees or service providers, particularly its implications for vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. Shaped by her personal journey as the daughter of refugees who did everything they could to rebuild their lives in a new country with limited resources, Flamure became aware at a very early age of the essential role that service systems play in access to rights, recognition, dignity, and well-being. This experience inspired her interest in the ethical and societal dimensions of service systems.

Her doctoral thesis examines corruption beyond its legal, structural, or normative aspects, focusing instead on the phenomenon from a more interactional, process-oriented, ethical, and behavioral perspective.  Her current research, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Wafa Hammedi (University of Namur), Prof. Dr. Linda Alkire (Texas State University), and Prof. Dr. Gazi Islam (Grenoble Ecole de Management), further explores this perspective.  In the context of frontline service interactions, corruption can impair access to essential resources and undermine mechanisms of equity and trust. While these effects affect all users, they are particularly pronounced for people in vulnerable situations or from underserved populations, for whom access to services is often a decisive factor in their life trajectories.

ServCollab is an international nonprofit organization at the forefront of global research in Service Research. Founded under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Raymond P. Fisk, a leading pioneer in the field, the organization draws on a network of top academic experts to translate scientific theory into drivers of societal impact. Transformative Service Research (TSR) is based on the idea that individuals operate within service systems that shape their access to resources and their well-being. When these systems malfunction, they can lead to inequality and suffering. The ServCollab Fellowship is awarded following a selection process by a jury composed of eminent researchers in this field, and supports doctoral students whose research aligns with this perspective and contributes to the betterment of humanity. 

The "Credits & Projects" call for proposals resulted in 12 grants being awarded for ambitious new projects. These include two "equipment" grants, eight "research credits (CDR)" grants, and two "research projects (PDR)" grants, one of which is in collaboration with the ULB. The FRIA call for doctoral research support will fund eleven doctoral scholarships and the FRESH call will fund three. 

Two prestigious Scientific Impulse Mandates (MIS) were also obtained. This three-year funding supports young permanent researchers who wish to develop an original and innovative research program by acquiring scientific autonomy within their department.  

We would also like to highlight the two projects funded under the "WelCHANGE" call, a funding instrument for research projects with potential societal impact, led by a principal investigator in the humanities and social sciences.

Call for Equipment  

• Xavier De Bolle, Narilis Institute, Co-promoter in collaboration with UCLouvain
• Luca Fusaro, NISM Institute 

Call for Research Grants (CDR) 

• Marc Hennequart, NARILIS Institute
• Nicolas Gillet, NARILIS Institute
• Jean-Yves Matroule, NARILIS Institute
• Patricia Renard, NARILIS Institute
• Francesco Renzi, NARILIS Institute
• Stéphane Vincent, NISM Institute
• Laurence Meurant, NaLTT Institute
• Emma-Louise Silva, NaLTT Institute  

Call for Research Projects (PDR) 

• Jérémy Dodeigne, Transitions Institute, Co-supervisor in collaboration with ULB
• Luc Henrard, NISM Institute; Co-supervisor: Yoann Olivier, NISM Institute 

Fund for Training in Research in Industry and Agriculture (FRIA)

• Emma Bongiovanni - Supervisor: Catherine Michaux, NISM Institute
• Simon Chabot - Supervisor: Carine Michiels, Narilis Institute; Co-supervisor: Anne-Catherine Heuskin, Narilis Institute
• Lee Denis - Supervisor: Muriel Lepère, ILEE Institute
• Maé Desclez - Supervisor: Johan Yans, ILEE Institute; Co-supervisor: Hamed Pourkhorsandi (University of Toulouse)
• Pierre Lombard - Supervisor: Benoît Muylkens, Narilis Institute; Co-supervisor: Damien Coupeau, Narilis Institute
• Amandine Pecquet - Supervisor: Nicolas Gillet, Narilis Institute; Co-supervisor: Damien Coupeau, Narilis Institute
• Kilian Petit - Supervisor: Henri-François Renard, Narilis Institute; Co-supervisor: Xavier De Bolle, Narilis Institute
• Simon Rouxhet - Supervisor: Catherine Michaux, NISM Institute; Co-supervisor: Nicolas Gillet, Narilis Institute
• William Soulié - Supervisor: Yoann Olivier, NISM Institute
• Elisabeth Wanlin - Supervisor: Xavier De Bolle, Narilis Institute
• Laura Willam - Supervisor: Frédérik De Laender, ILEE Institute 

Fund for Research in the Humanities (FRESH) 

• Louis Droussin - Supervisor: Arthur Borriello, Transitions Institute; Co-supervisor: Vincent Jacquet, Transitions Institute
• Nicolas Larrea Avila - Supervisor: Guilhem Cassan, DeFIPP Institute
• Victor Sluyters – Supervisor: Wafa Hammedi, NADI Institute
• Amandine Leboutte - Co-supervisor: Erika Wauthia (UMons); Co-supervisor: Cédric Vanhoolandt, IRDENa Institute.

Scientific Impulse Mandate (MIS) 

• Charlotte Beaudart, Narilis Institute
• Eli Thoré ILEE Institute 

WelCHANGE Call  

• Nathalie Burnay Transitions Institute, in collaboration with UCLouvain
• Catherine Guirkinger, DeFIPP Institute

Congratulations to all! 

The ERCIS network brings together universities and companies from 25 - mainly European - countries around a common goal: to advance information systems research and meet the challenges of digital transformation. To achieve this, the ERCIS network emphasizes collaborative research, innovation and knowledge sharing.

In practical terms, this membership paves the way for training opportunities for MINDIT researchers and PhD students: networking events, annual workshops, summer school or PhD Colloquium. It also creates bridges to develop partnerships at the level of academic programs.

Finally, ERCIS relies on a corporate advisory board, guaranteeing synergy between research and field practices.

It was at an international, multidisciplinary conference organized by the University of Zaragoza (Spain), AIRSI 2025, which brings together over 200 researchers around 4.0 technologies (artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual assistants, avatars, metavers, augmented reality, big data, etc.), that Florence Nizette brilliantly received the Best Paper Award for an article from her thesis in artificial intelligence.

In her thesis, Florence Nizette looks at user confidence in AI technologies, and in particular at the notion of their "explainability" (XAI). An essential aspect in making these tools more understandable, at a time when their use is only increasing in many sectors.

The originality of Florence Nizette's work lies in the deployment of a multi-stakeholder perspective, an aspect as yet little studied in the literature yet crucial to fostering the adoption of these tools. "I interviewed various actors in sensitive sectors such as finance or insurance, where trust is key: company executives, managers, experts, developers and users with the aim of gaining a global view of how to improve the explicability of AI services. My work consisted in identifying the expectations and constraints encountered by each of the stakeholders with the aim of building bridges between these different actors and seeing how they can collaborate to improve AI-enabled services."

By reconceptualizing explicability as a human-centric challenge, Florence Nizette's study provides theoretical and practical keys to developing more transparent and trustworthy AI systems, aligned with business needs and compliant with regulations.

For this project - based on interviews conducted internationally with XAI players and stakeholders - Florence Nizette benefits from the guidance of its promoters, Professors Wafa Hammedi (UNamur), Allard Van Riel (Hasselt University) and Nadia Steils (HEC Liège). Indeed, the researcher has the particularity of conducting her research at both UNamur and Hasselt University. An advantage in her view: "It's very enriching, both from an intellectual point of view and in terms of access to resources and networks in both regions", explains Florence Nizette.

Beyond the scientific aspect, Florence emphasizes the human richness of her career. As part of the dynamic team at the NaDI-CeRCLe research center, she emphasizes the mutual support and collaboration that prevail within her group, while also having the opportunity to exchange with different teams at other universities and internationally. The guidance of her three promoters, each bringing a singular perspective to her work, has been invaluable support throughout.

According to Florence, the singularity of her career path lies in this openness: learning and progressing by helping others and receiving their advice, finding enrichment in the diversity of collaborations and points of view. "What stimulates me in a PhD is scientific discovery as much as human interaction: the discussions, the collaborations, the diversity of perspectives", she explains. An experience that is both formative and deeply human, illustrating the power of networking, sharing and international openness.

Florence has benefited from the academic anchorage offered by a community of researchers in service, both nationally and internationally. The scientific rigor, methodological rigor and quality of exchanges that characterize this community represent an invaluable opportunity for any young researcher. This environment has nurtured his scientific maturity and enabled him to raise his work to a higher level.

The research center, with its stimulating yet caring atmosphere, provides fertile ground for academic development. Added to this is the participation in or organization of events of international stature, such as Let's Talk About Service (LTAS), the benchmark conference by the American Marketing Association, held in 2023 in Namur, as well as seminars regularly hosting renowned researchers. These experiences have not only enabled her to integrate the highest standards of the discipline, but also to challenge herself in order to develop and refine her skills as a researcher.