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Réseau d'Echanges et de Liaisons entre Institutions d'Enseignement supérieur Francophones
A Francophone space for innovation and cooperation
Officially created in 2018 by the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO), Université Savoie Mont Blanc (USMB) and Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), and confirmed in 2023 with the signing of a new 5-year agreement, the Réseau d'Échanges et de Liaisons entre Institutions d'Enseignement supérieur Francophones (RELIEF) brings together a community of higher education institutions that pool their expertise to carry out joint actions promoting collaboration based on shared values.
Openness to cultural and scientific diversity, inclusion and equity, co-construction and knowledge sharing, pedagogical innovation and societal anchoring are the principles that guide every action of the network: designing truly accessible cross-border programs, pooling resources and expertise, and developing projects with tangible impact for the respective communities.
These principles are perfectly in line with the humanist and inclusive mission of the University of Namur, which joins RELIEF in 2025 and thus becomes the 4th partner of this international network.
The objectives of the RELIEF network
Strengthening institutional collaboration
Consolidate existing collaborations in teaching, research, governance and among administrative staff, and develop new ones within a structuring framework.
.Expanding francophone partnerships
Develop structural collaborations with university partners active within the Francophonie, particularly in West Africa.
Facilitating project submissions
Foster the submission of joint projects, particularly in the fields of research and teaching by applying for institutional, European, national, regional or private funding.
Internationalizing programs
Internationalize programs via the organization of summer or winter schools for students, hybrid intensive programs, teacher exchanges and joint degrees.
Promoting interaction between universities and local authorities
Encourage forms of collaboration between universities and local authorities around themes of common interest.
RELIEF network activities
Calls for projects
Three joint calls for projects have already been launched (2022, 2023 and 2024). See an overview of projects already funded.
International summer or winter schools
Several summer or winter schools have been organized over the past 10 years, such as the International Summer School on Renewable Energy and Entrepreneurship, now in its eighth year.
Staff training weeks
An important aspect of the network concerns training opportunities in an international context also for administrative and technical staff.
A fine example of such opportunities is offered by the Training week dedicated to human resources organized at UQTR in March 2025 or the Week dedicated to student services: inclusion, engagement and common perspectives organized from May 19 to 23, 2025 in Neuchâtel and Chambéry.
