Since 2022, the Faculty of Law has chosen a theme for the year that unites the entire Faculty, students and teachers alike, across all blocks and programs. This theme is used in courses, tutorials, assignments, conferences and cultural activities throughout the academic year. A new dynamic that makes the framing of the University of Namur ever more unique.
So, in 2022-2023, we have come together around CHILDHOOD & MIGRATION and in 2023-2024, around HARASSMENT in all its forms.
The 2024-2025 theme: Let's live inclusion!

Following consultation with students, we have chosen this idea that everyone has a place in society, regardless of race, gender, social class, generation, ability, romantic and/or sexual preferences,...
We will therefore be raising awareness of racism, LGBTQIA+, the less able, the elderly or very young, grossophobia, ...
Objectives
- We'll get together (staggered schedule and daytime schedule; BAC 1, BAC 2 and BAC 3, research centers and specialized masters)
- Dive into practice and make courses concrete
- Conscious that law is a (good) tool in the service of values
- Decompartmentalize subjects in a cross-disciplinary approach
- Become a committed jurist
- Enrich our heads and hearts!
Methodology
- Through the various courses, practical work, assignments (methodo and TFC), by concretizing the subject matter taught with issues related to harassment in all its forms;
- As part of the complementary activities offered: meeting legal professionals, plays, films, debates, ...
Activities
- Illustrations and lectures in lectures
- Faculty activities alongside classes (mock trial, eloquence tournament, ...)
- Cultural activities
- Other enriching activities (competition to make awareness-raising video vignettes, ...)
Resources
Find all the resources available as part of the Common thread de droit.
The common thread of previous years
Spotlight
News

"Justice is at a dead end" Judge Cadelli denounces the lack of inclusion in the judicial system
"Justice is at a dead end" Judge Cadelli denounces the lack of inclusion in the judicial system
First a student, then an assistant at the Faculty of Law, Manuela Cadelli has now been a judge at the Namur Court of First Instance for almost a quarter of a century, but she also finds the time and resources to get involved. Time for scientific collaboration, for example, since she is a member of the CRIDS (Centre de Recherche Information, Droit et Société) at UNamur, where she is interested in the role of artificial intelligence in the judge's decision-making process. Time, too, to fight battles. Fighting for a stronger, more supportive, fairer justice system. Through her books, her "cartes blanches" and her various mobilizations, she asserts her positions, making her one of the "voices" of the Belgian justice system. Deeply human, she is committed to respecting the rights of each and every individual. And the citizen pays her back in spades. In the "pas perdus" rooms of the Palais de Justice de Namur, where she welcomes us, not a minute goes by without someone coming up to greet her.

This year, the Faculty of Law is organizing a series of educational and extra-academic activities around the theme of inclusion. Do you think the Belgian legal system is inclusive?
No, and it's less and less so. And for a variety of reasons. Firstly, a major step was taken in 2014 towards a judicial system that excludes rather than includes, with, on the one hand, the passing of the so-called "potpourri" laws that modified civil and criminal procedure. These included, for example, the abolition of certain legal remedies. And secondly, the switch to 21% VAT on bailiffs' and lawyers' fees, which further increased legal costs. Real financial and procedural barriers to access to justice have thus been erected in recent years. Moreover, the austerity and lack of resources affecting the justice system also make it less inclusive. In every courthouse, people are absent or ill and are not replaced, or are replaced by people with no status. The justice system therefore excludes valuable profiles and committed people in its own workings.
And this austerity also weakens the quality of justice...
Yes, on quality and quantity. For example, the King's prosecutors denounce the fact that public prosecutors' offices and police forces no longer have the human and material resources to carry out complicated investigations. As a result, "easy" cases are more easily assigned to hearings where vulnerable people are more exposed. The combination of all these factors, to which we must necessarily add the threat of the algorithmization of justice, i.e. the use of artificial intelligence in decision-making procedures, leads to the downgrading of the most vulnerable. For example, an algorithm can decide who, among welfare recipients, should be subject to more stringent fraud checks. This begs the question: on the basis of what criteria (racial, cultural, etc.), what data, what causal link, etc.? In my opinion, this so-called decision-making aid represents an increased risk of exclusion, not to mention the digital divide. Justice is in big trouble!
Do you have a "good example" of inclusion implemented by the Belgian justice system?
Mediation. The legislator has allowed it in civil matters since December 2023, and it's a path that many magistrates are taking. This choice is voluntary: personally, I do it twice a month. Mediation is even a process of re-inclusion, reintegrating people into their dispute. There's no more black and white: everyone does their part, and everyone is committed to resolving the conflict to the benefit of both parties. In addition to this positive effect, it's a less costly alternative mode, and within a few months you can resolve a case "from the top down", reinjecting respect and dignity for everyone, including in the eyes of your adversary.
You also regularly welcome students from UNamur's Faculty of Law for internships: what do you hope to pass on to this generation of future lawyers, magistrates and judges?
Alongside theory and practice, I'm always careful to pass on the fundamentals; in other words, a form of savoir-être in relation to the litigant in a perspective of absolute respect. The only vulnerable person in a courtroom is the defendant. He alone can see his life turned upside down in a hearing, and it is he who comes to defend a part of his life, a part of his person. For the lawyer, the only risk is losing the case. These are fundamentals that also help to make justice more inclusive. And what reassures me is that the students I work with are very receptive to these fundamentals. It's a ray of hope!
You're known for regularly asserting your opinions, whether through your books or your "cartes blanches". Does coming out of the woodwork make for a better defense? Is this a recommendation you would make to future lawyers?
Of course, but with all due precautions. The principle of alert, and freedom of expression are vital levers of action. So yes, I recommend expressing oneself, but with arguments. And to argue, you first have to study your subject in depth, comparing opinions and knowledge. With these precautions in mind, I call on the younger generation of jurists to get involved, to act, because there is no lost cause. It's a source of hope.
CV Express
Manuela Cadelli is a judge at the Namur court of first instance and former president of the Association syndicale des magistrats (2013-2019). She has published several books and is completing an essay entitled "AI and Justice: a critical inquiry".
Inclusion as a common thread running through the Faculty of Law
Depuis 2022, la Faculté de droit de l'Université de Namur s’engage à réunir étudiants et enseignants autour d’une thématique annuelle commune, explorée dans l’ensemble des cours, travaux, activités pédagogiques, culturelles et d’engagement citoyen. Cette année elle se tourne vers une question essentielle : l’inclusion. Sous le slogan « Vivons l’inclusion ! », l’objectif est de sensibiliser étudiants et enseignants à l’importance de faire place à chacun dans notre société, indépendamment de la race, du genre, de la classe sociale, de l’âge, des capacités physiques et mentales, des préférences sexuelles…
As part of the Fil rouge de droit, Josef SCHOVANEC, philosopher-saltimbanque of autism and difference and Doctor Honoris Causa of UNamur, will speak at Elise DEGRAVE's "Sources et principes du droits" course on February 18.


Fil Rouge de la Faculté de droit, a look back at a four-month period of activity
Fil Rouge de la Faculté de droit, a look back at a four-month period of activity
Since 2022, the Faculty of Law at the University of Namur has been mobilizing students and teachers around a common annual theme, explored through courses, practical work, as well as educational, cultural and civic activities. This project, christened "Fil Rouge", creates an original dynamic by encouraging the faculty community to examine societal issues from a cross-disciplinary and concrete prism.
.
After tackling childhood and migration in 2022-2023, then harassment in 2023-2024, this year the Faculty is dedicating its Fil Rouge to a fundamental topic: inclusion. With the slogan "Let's live inclusion!", the 2024-2025 edition aims to raise everyone's awareness of the importance of a society where everyone finds their place, whatever their race, gender, social class, age, physical or mental abilities, or sexual orientation.
The launch evening, organized in September 2024, made a lasting impression thanks to the speech by Serge Van Brakel, who shared his life experience as a person with a disability with a touch of humor and a great deal of humanity. Since then, numerous activities have punctuated this first four-month period, offering moments rich in reflection and exchange.
Mock trial
Among the highlights, the mock trial, held on November 19, 2024, tackled a landmark case: a murder with homophobic and racist motivations, based on a tragedy that occurred in 2020. "This case raises major issues of inclusion, which fits perfectly with the theme of our Fil Rouge. Criminal law provides for harsher penalties for crimes motivated by forms of discrimination, such as homophobia and racism," explains Emma Bourcelet, assistant at the Faculty of Law and co-organizer of the event.
Seven students (Emmanuël Falzone, Justine Voss, Gwen-Gaël Gabrielli, Arsène Banza, Guillaume Warnon, Jean-Marc Seka and Victoria De Gregorio) took part in this ambitious project. Each took on a specific role and prepared his or her contribution carefully. "This year, we benefited from the support of Amani, a student in his final year of the Master's program, as well as third-year students from ELSA Namur (European Law Students' Association). Their speech coaching and past mock trial experience were invaluable. There's a great team behind this adventure! ", emphasizes Emma Bourcelet. Solène, from ELSA Namur who coached the students shares, "It was extremely rewarding. Accompanying the students in their preparation enabled me to see their involvement and their progress. I was impressed by their ability to assimilate the advice given, whether on the substance or on the more practical aspects, such as oral argumentation and posture. It was a great opportunity to exchange with them and contribute to their future professional development."
Beyond a professionalizing exercise, the mock trial is a real human adventure. "The magical thing is to see the evolution of the participants between their selection and D-day. They surpass themselves, both individually and collectively. It's a challenge that brings people together and welds them ", adds Emma Bourcelet. The result: the students brilliantly rose to the challenge and impressed the jury with the quality of their performances. Participating student Victoria De Gregorio agrees: "The mock trial was a great experience. We felt a bit (a lot) of stress, both in terms of substance (writing a trial argument, working on a real case) and form (speaking in front of an audience). I loved learning about the case and immersing myself in my role as defense lawyer. When it came time to open the Pedro's doors, I rehearsed my text one last time in my head, drank at least a liter of water (terrified for some reason of having a coughing fit) and set off. The result of a month's preparation was a magnificent evening! This kind of experience in the field of law is an opportunity to make the studies we've chosen more concrete, to step out of the theoretical world for a moment and come down to earth. Not all the data we need is always to be found in the syllabus..."
At the end of the mock trial, the audience had the privilege of attending a presentation by Aline Fery, a criminal lawyer involved in this case in defense of one of the two protagonists. Her intervention highlighted the practical challenges associated with this type of case and offered an enriching professional insight for participants and audience alike.
The mock trial is a perfect illustration of the Faculty of Law's desire to decompartmentalize subjects and offer a cross-disciplinary pedagogy. "The experience sent shivers down the spine of the entire Pedro Arrupe: between the extraordinary pleadings of the participating students (daytime and staggered schedules), the Court's impressive verdict and Maître Aline Fery's impassioned sharing on the practice of law, there was enough to have stars in the eyes and hearts... What joy and happiness to witness this evolution and collective momentum, in the service of the law and its role in society. I would like to reiterate my congratulations and thanks to everyone who helped make this event another happy memory in the history of the Faculty of Law. I remain convinced that this type of project is more than just a formative and necessary part of a student's career. They challenge codes, bring out the best in our students and inspire an ideal of justice for which we must all strive. We can't wait for the next one!", concludes Emma Bourcelet.
Mock trial in the news - Boukè média
Remarkable testimonials
On November 7, three members of the Ihsane Jarfi Foundation were invited to take part in Professor Jean-Michel Longneaux's Foundations of Ethics course. Committed to the fight against discrimination linked to religion, gender and love preferences, the Foundation gave students the opportunity to discuss these sensitive issues. Hassan Jarfi, its founder, gave a moving account of his experience as the father of a young man tortured and killed in 2012 for his sexual preferences, and invited students to reflect on the place we give to everyone and the right to be oneself, while Danaé Kakudji, the Foundation's coordinator, presented a reflection on disobedience and the quest for a more inclusive world, echoing the organization's core values.
On November 27, Simon Gronowski, a survivor of Nazism during the Second World War, spoke as part of the Clinical and Criminological Approaches course. The lecture, led by Bertrand Renard and Johan Kalonji, both professors of criminology at UNamur and UCLouvain, gave Simon Gronowski the opportunity to share his life story and convey a message of optimism for the future. This poignant testimony offered the students, who had previously viewed the film American History X about the rise of Nazism in the United States, a unique opportunity to explore this ideology while making enriching links with their criminology course.
The first meetings of the second quadrennium
- February 19 - Law School eloquence tournament
- February 2025 - Intervention by Josef Schovanec, philosopher-saltimbanque of autism and difference, as part of Professor Elise Degrave's Sources and Principles of Law course
- February 27, 2025 - Benjamin Gisaro's show entitled "Évidemment, c'est fâcheux" tackling racist discourse, as part of Thibault de Meyer's logic and argumentation course in collaboration with DELTA
- Intervention by Sophie Pirson, author and parent of a victim of the 2016 Brussels attacks, as part of Professor Nathalie Colette-Basecqz's criminal law course
- Until March 15, 2025: Video capsule competition open to UNamur students and staff on the theme "Live inclusion! ". Learn more
- April 16 - Fil rouge closing party at an improvisation match pitting two teams of jousters against each other to benefit the Ihsane Jarfi Foundation

Our researchers in the World's Top 2% Scientists list
Our researchers in the World's Top 2% Scientists list
Stanford University has published a prestigious ranking that highlights the most influential researchers in a wide range of scientific fields. The list, based on bibliographic criteria, aims to provide a standardized means of identifying the world's scientific leaders. It is one criterion among others for assessing the quality of scientific research. Twelve researchers from the University of Namur are among them!

This list, created by Stanford University and published in August 2024 is compiled in collaboration with Elsevier's ICST lab from Scopus data, aims to provide a standardized means of identifying the world's best scientists and recognizing those scientists who have had a significant impact on their respective fields.
While this list has been adopted by many institutions as a reliable measure of research impact, it is not the only way to evaluate research. Based strictly on bibliometric data, it is also subject to criticism.
Since September 2023, the University of Namur has been strengthening its commitment to the implementation of research assessment reform with the signing of the "Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) "agreement.
This agreement commits the institution to a series of principles, including taking into account career diversity and emphasizing qualitative research criteria rather than relying solely on bibliometric (and therefore quantitative) data.
Namur University researchers honored
- Charlotte Beaudart - Faculty of Medicine, Narilis Institute
- Benoît Champagne - Faculty of Science, NISM Institute
- Alain Decrop - EMCP Faculty, NaDi-CRIDS Institute
- Olivier Deparis - Science Faculty, NISM Institute and PaTHs Institute
- Jonathan Douxfils - Faculty of Medicine, Narilis Institute
- Patrick Kestemont - Faculty of Science, ILEE Institute
- Alexandre Mayer - Faculty of Science, NISM Institute and Institut naXys
- Carine Michiels - Faculty of Science, Institut Narilis
- Antoinette Rouvroy - Faculty of Law, ESPHIN Institutes and NaDi-CRIDS Institute
- Frédéric Silvestre - Faculty of Science, ILEE Institute
- Bao-Lian Su - Faculty of Science, NISM Institute
- Johan Wouters - Faculty of Science, NISM Institute
The list is updated every year, with data on the whole career and impacts on a single year, for the sake of transparency and relevance.
The measurement criteria used
A variety of bibliometric measures are taken into account to ensure a fair and balanced representation of researchers' work.
- The C-score: this composite score is based on various bibliometric factors, including the total number of citations.
- The h-index: this impact indicator takes into account the number of a researcher's publications as well as the number of their citations.
- The percentiles of fields and subfields : scientists are classified into 22 major fields and 176 subfields. Only those who rank in the top 2% of their subfield are taken into account.
- Career-wide or single-year impact: rankings are available for both career-wide impact and single-year performance, providing a better understanding of long-term contribution and recent achievements.
Research excellence
Figuring among this top 2% of scientists is therefore a prestigious recognition of an individual's contribution to science and demonstrates the excellence of their research, enhancing their reputation in academia and industry.
The ranking offers visibility across all disciplines, drawing attention to work that might otherwise remain in a niche or be under-appreciated. It also serves as a benchmark for institutions and governments to assess the influence of their research programs.
Many institutions use the ranking to measure the success of their faculty, or other entity, which can also enhance credibility within the academic community.
This list encourages scientists to focus on producing high-quality, impactful research rather than chasing quantity.
By compiling data from all scientific fields and offering a fair, metrics-based approach, this ranking not only celebrates individual achievements, but also highlights the importance of impactful research in advancing knowledge. However, it must be qualified, as it only takes into account quantitative data, which are not necessarily representative of the full diversity of research.
According to another database, that of UNESCO, the number of researchers in the world is increasing by 300,000 per year, reaching 9 million today. The Top 2% comprises 200,000 names, including twelve researchers from the University of Namur.
Congratulations to them for their excellent research and for this prestigious worldwide recognition!

Right to identity: "Unacceptable discrimination for some children".
Right to identity: "Unacceptable discrimination for some children".
Like all human beings, children are protected by a series of rights. Géraldine Mathieu, a professor at the University of Namur, today looks at the right to identity and explains why this is still only partially respected in Belgium.

This article is taken from the "Impact" section of the June 2024 issue of Omalius magazine.
When commenting on the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, Géraldine Mathieu doesn't stop at the 12 most frequently cited rights. "As relevant as the selection made by the French Rights Defender is (see box), it is far from covering all children's rights: there's a reason why the Convention has 54 articles!
I therefore prefer to talk about the 4 pillars of the Convention, which are "the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration", the protection of the child against all forms of discrimination, regardless of, in particular, the mode of conception and the status of the parents, the right to life, survival and development, and "the right to express his or her views freely in all matters affecting him or her" and to have those views taken into account."

Discrimination
In other words, the child is a human being in his or her own right and, like all human beings, is entitled to fundamental rights, including the right to know his or her origins, in order to appropriate his or her history and forge his or her identity. "This right is protected by Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention", says Géraldine Mathieu. "And this is where Belgium practices, in my opinion, an inadmissible form of discrimination. In our country, if a child born of natural procreation wants to find out the identity of his biological father, the courts will help him to do so. In the Delphine Boël case, for example, King Albert was ordered to submit to a DNA test. For adopted children, the name of the biological mother is recorded in the birth certificate: to have access to the identity of his or her mother, the child simply needs to request a certified copy of this certificate. But this protection does not extend to children born from anonymous sperm or egg donation, as part of medically assisted procreation (MAP)."
Serial donor
In this respect, Belgium is marking time compared with many European countries, notably France, which has just lifted donor anonymity. "Obviously, the lifting of anonymity must not be confused with the establishment of legal filiation," Géraldine Mathieu points out. "In fact, almost all countries that have lifted donation anonymity have blocked all effects at the level of filiation. But children who wish to do so must be able to obtain information about their donor, at least non-identifying - what he looked like, his occupation, his personality, why he made the donation - but ideally also identifying, if only to counter the fear of an incestuous encounter with another child from the same donor... Recently, the Netherlands revealed the existence of a serial donor, who fathered over 500 children!"
Biology
In Belgium, sperm from the same donor cannot lead to the birth of children to more than six different women. "But, when the 2007 law on PMA was passed, the right to identity of children born from this technique was completely neglected", insists Géraldine Mathieu. "In fact, they have grouped together, in Belgium, within the association Donor Kinderen. These children have the right to be given back everything that makes them who they are today - their parents' wishes, of course, but also their biological origins. In the quest for identity, biology should be neither overestimated nor underestimated."
GPA
For children born of surrogate motherhood (GPA), it's not easy either to get their rights respected in general, and their right to identity in particular. "In Belgium, GPA is not prohibited as it is in France, but neither is it regulated," explains Géraldine Mathieu. "So, we tinker with common law..."Although the centers that practice GPA refuse any genetic link between the surrogate mother and the child (so she doesn't provide her oocytes), it's her name that appears on the birth certificate, and she is therefore its mother in the eyes of the law. The intended parents must then resort to adoption to formalize their relationship with their child. It is also possible for the father of intention to recognize the child, and then for the mother of intention to adopt the child. Provided the surrogate mother doesn't change her mind...
Non-trade
"This is why many couples tempted by GPA go abroad, particularly to the United States, where the surrogate mother undertakes by contract to give up the baby at birth, the intended parents being legally considered the parents," details Géraldine Mathieu. "But this is obviously a commercial relationship, with surrogacy agencies and surrogate mothers being paid. Yet a child can neither be bought nor sold: it's off the market! "In Belgium, several bills aimed at framing GPA have already been tabled. "But none of them mention the rights of the child", notes Géraldine Mathieu. "Yet, unlike adoption, whose aim is to find a family for a child who is deprived of one, GPA consists in manufacturing a child for a couple who wants one. The day we legislate to regulate it, we mustn't forget that there is no right to a child, only children's rights, and that every child has the right to know where he or she comes from."
Marie-Françoise Dispa
The 12 (main) rights of the child
Ces 12 droits, sélectionnés par le Défenseur français des droits, sont inscrits dans la Convention internationale des droits de l’enfant, adoptée par l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies le 20 novembre 1989 :
- droit à l'égalité
- droit d'avoir une identité
- droit de vivre en famille
- droit à la santé
- droit à l'éducation et aux loisirs
- droits à la protection de la vie privée
- droit à une justice adaptée à son âge
- droit d'être protégé en temps de guerre
- droit d'être protégé contre toutes les formes de violence
- droit d'être protégé contre toutes les formes d'exploitation
- droit de s'exprimer et d'être entendu sur les questions qui le concernent
- droits de l'enfant en situation de handicap de vivre avec et comme les autres
Mais les droits de l’enfant sont beaucoup plus nombreux, comme en témoigne notamment la liste établie par la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles pour expliquer la Convention aux enfants de 3 à 6 ans.
This article is taken from the "Impact" section of Omalius magazine #33 (June 2024).


"Justice is at a dead end" Judge Cadelli denounces the lack of inclusion in the judicial system
"Justice is at a dead end" Judge Cadelli denounces the lack of inclusion in the judicial system
First a student, then an assistant at the Faculty of Law, Manuela Cadelli has now been a judge at the Namur Court of First Instance for almost a quarter of a century, but she also finds the time and resources to get involved. Time for scientific collaboration, for example, since she is a member of the CRIDS (Centre de Recherche Information, Droit et Société) at UNamur, where she is interested in the role of artificial intelligence in the judge's decision-making process. Time, too, to fight battles. Fighting for a stronger, more supportive, fairer justice system. Through her books, her "cartes blanches" and her various mobilizations, she asserts her positions, making her one of the "voices" of the Belgian justice system. Deeply human, she is committed to respecting the rights of each and every individual. And the citizen pays her back in spades. In the "pas perdus" rooms of the Palais de Justice de Namur, where she welcomes us, not a minute goes by without someone coming up to greet her.

This year, the Faculty of Law is organizing a series of educational and extra-academic activities around the theme of inclusion. Do you think the Belgian legal system is inclusive?
No, and it's less and less so. And for a variety of reasons. Firstly, a major step was taken in 2014 towards a judicial system that excludes rather than includes, with, on the one hand, the passing of the so-called "potpourri" laws that modified civil and criminal procedure. These included, for example, the abolition of certain legal remedies. And secondly, the switch to 21% VAT on bailiffs' and lawyers' fees, which further increased legal costs. Real financial and procedural barriers to access to justice have thus been erected in recent years. Moreover, the austerity and lack of resources affecting the justice system also make it less inclusive. In every courthouse, people are absent or ill and are not replaced, or are replaced by people with no status. The justice system therefore excludes valuable profiles and committed people in its own workings.
And this austerity also weakens the quality of justice...
Yes, on quality and quantity. For example, the King's prosecutors denounce the fact that public prosecutors' offices and police forces no longer have the human and material resources to carry out complicated investigations. As a result, "easy" cases are more easily assigned to hearings where vulnerable people are more exposed. The combination of all these factors, to which we must necessarily add the threat of the algorithmization of justice, i.e. the use of artificial intelligence in decision-making procedures, leads to the downgrading of the most vulnerable. For example, an algorithm can decide who, among welfare recipients, should be subject to more stringent fraud checks. This begs the question: on the basis of what criteria (racial, cultural, etc.), what data, what causal link, etc.? In my opinion, this so-called decision-making aid represents an increased risk of exclusion, not to mention the digital divide. Justice is in big trouble!
Do you have a "good example" of inclusion implemented by the Belgian justice system?
Mediation. The legislator has allowed it in civil matters since December 2023, and it's a path that many magistrates are taking. This choice is voluntary: personally, I do it twice a month. Mediation is even a process of re-inclusion, reintegrating people into their dispute. There's no more black and white: everyone does their part, and everyone is committed to resolving the conflict to the benefit of both parties. In addition to this positive effect, it's a less costly alternative mode, and within a few months you can resolve a case "from the top down", reinjecting respect and dignity for everyone, including in the eyes of your adversary.
You also regularly welcome students from UNamur's Faculty of Law for internships: what do you hope to pass on to this generation of future lawyers, magistrates and judges?
Alongside theory and practice, I'm always careful to pass on the fundamentals; in other words, a form of savoir-être in relation to the litigant in a perspective of absolute respect. The only vulnerable person in a courtroom is the defendant. He alone can see his life turned upside down in a hearing, and it is he who comes to defend a part of his life, a part of his person. For the lawyer, the only risk is losing the case. These are fundamentals that also help to make justice more inclusive. And what reassures me is that the students I work with are very receptive to these fundamentals. It's a ray of hope!
You're known for regularly asserting your opinions, whether through your books or your "cartes blanches". Does coming out of the woodwork make for a better defense? Is this a recommendation you would make to future lawyers?
Of course, but with all due precautions. The principle of alert, and freedom of expression are vital levers of action. So yes, I recommend expressing oneself, but with arguments. And to argue, you first have to study your subject in depth, comparing opinions and knowledge. With these precautions in mind, I call on the younger generation of jurists to get involved, to act, because there is no lost cause. It's a source of hope.
CV Express
Manuela Cadelli is a judge at the Namur court of first instance and former president of the Association syndicale des magistrats (2013-2019). She has published several books and is completing an essay entitled "AI and Justice: a critical inquiry".
Inclusion as a common thread running through the Faculty of Law
Depuis 2022, la Faculté de droit de l'Université de Namur s’engage à réunir étudiants et enseignants autour d’une thématique annuelle commune, explorée dans l’ensemble des cours, travaux, activités pédagogiques, culturelles et d’engagement citoyen. Cette année elle se tourne vers une question essentielle : l’inclusion. Sous le slogan « Vivons l’inclusion ! », l’objectif est de sensibiliser étudiants et enseignants à l’importance de faire place à chacun dans notre société, indépendamment de la race, du genre, de la classe sociale, de l’âge, des capacités physiques et mentales, des préférences sexuelles…
As part of the Fil rouge de droit, Josef SCHOVANEC, philosopher-saltimbanque of autism and difference and Doctor Honoris Causa of UNamur, will speak at Elise DEGRAVE's "Sources et principes du droits" course on February 18.


Fil Rouge de la Faculté de droit, a look back at a four-month period of activity
Fil Rouge de la Faculté de droit, a look back at a four-month period of activity
Since 2022, the Faculty of Law at the University of Namur has been mobilizing students and teachers around a common annual theme, explored through courses, practical work, as well as educational, cultural and civic activities. This project, christened "Fil Rouge", creates an original dynamic by encouraging the faculty community to examine societal issues from a cross-disciplinary and concrete prism.
.
After tackling childhood and migration in 2022-2023, then harassment in 2023-2024, this year the Faculty is dedicating its Fil Rouge to a fundamental topic: inclusion. With the slogan "Let's live inclusion!", the 2024-2025 edition aims to raise everyone's awareness of the importance of a society where everyone finds their place, whatever their race, gender, social class, age, physical or mental abilities, or sexual orientation.
The launch evening, organized in September 2024, made a lasting impression thanks to the speech by Serge Van Brakel, who shared his life experience as a person with a disability with a touch of humor and a great deal of humanity. Since then, numerous activities have punctuated this first four-month period, offering moments rich in reflection and exchange.
Mock trial
Among the highlights, the mock trial, held on November 19, 2024, tackled a landmark case: a murder with homophobic and racist motivations, based on a tragedy that occurred in 2020. "This case raises major issues of inclusion, which fits perfectly with the theme of our Fil Rouge. Criminal law provides for harsher penalties for crimes motivated by forms of discrimination, such as homophobia and racism," explains Emma Bourcelet, assistant at the Faculty of Law and co-organizer of the event.
Seven students (Emmanuël Falzone, Justine Voss, Gwen-Gaël Gabrielli, Arsène Banza, Guillaume Warnon, Jean-Marc Seka and Victoria De Gregorio) took part in this ambitious project. Each took on a specific role and prepared his or her contribution carefully. "This year, we benefited from the support of Amani, a student in his final year of the Master's program, as well as third-year students from ELSA Namur (European Law Students' Association). Their speech coaching and past mock trial experience were invaluable. There's a great team behind this adventure! ", emphasizes Emma Bourcelet. Solène, from ELSA Namur who coached the students shares, "It was extremely rewarding. Accompanying the students in their preparation enabled me to see their involvement and their progress. I was impressed by their ability to assimilate the advice given, whether on the substance or on the more practical aspects, such as oral argumentation and posture. It was a great opportunity to exchange with them and contribute to their future professional development."
Beyond a professionalizing exercise, the mock trial is a real human adventure. "The magical thing is to see the evolution of the participants between their selection and D-day. They surpass themselves, both individually and collectively. It's a challenge that brings people together and welds them ", adds Emma Bourcelet. The result: the students brilliantly rose to the challenge and impressed the jury with the quality of their performances. Participating student Victoria De Gregorio agrees: "The mock trial was a great experience. We felt a bit (a lot) of stress, both in terms of substance (writing a trial argument, working on a real case) and form (speaking in front of an audience). I loved learning about the case and immersing myself in my role as defense lawyer. When it came time to open the Pedro's doors, I rehearsed my text one last time in my head, drank at least a liter of water (terrified for some reason of having a coughing fit) and set off. The result of a month's preparation was a magnificent evening! This kind of experience in the field of law is an opportunity to make the studies we've chosen more concrete, to step out of the theoretical world for a moment and come down to earth. Not all the data we need is always to be found in the syllabus..."
At the end of the mock trial, the audience had the privilege of attending a presentation by Aline Fery, a criminal lawyer involved in this case in defense of one of the two protagonists. Her intervention highlighted the practical challenges associated with this type of case and offered an enriching professional insight for participants and audience alike.
The mock trial is a perfect illustration of the Faculty of Law's desire to decompartmentalize subjects and offer a cross-disciplinary pedagogy. "The experience sent shivers down the spine of the entire Pedro Arrupe: between the extraordinary pleadings of the participating students (daytime and staggered schedules), the Court's impressive verdict and Maître Aline Fery's impassioned sharing on the practice of law, there was enough to have stars in the eyes and hearts... What joy and happiness to witness this evolution and collective momentum, in the service of the law and its role in society. I would like to reiterate my congratulations and thanks to everyone who helped make this event another happy memory in the history of the Faculty of Law. I remain convinced that this type of project is more than just a formative and necessary part of a student's career. They challenge codes, bring out the best in our students and inspire an ideal of justice for which we must all strive. We can't wait for the next one!", concludes Emma Bourcelet.
Mock trial in the news - Boukè média
Remarkable testimonials
On November 7, three members of the Ihsane Jarfi Foundation were invited to take part in Professor Jean-Michel Longneaux's Foundations of Ethics course. Committed to the fight against discrimination linked to religion, gender and love preferences, the Foundation gave students the opportunity to discuss these sensitive issues. Hassan Jarfi, its founder, gave a moving account of his experience as the father of a young man tortured and killed in 2012 for his sexual preferences, and invited students to reflect on the place we give to everyone and the right to be oneself, while Danaé Kakudji, the Foundation's coordinator, presented a reflection on disobedience and the quest for a more inclusive world, echoing the organization's core values.
On November 27, Simon Gronowski, a survivor of Nazism during the Second World War, spoke as part of the Clinical and Criminological Approaches course. The lecture, led by Bertrand Renard and Johan Kalonji, both professors of criminology at UNamur and UCLouvain, gave Simon Gronowski the opportunity to share his life story and convey a message of optimism for the future. This poignant testimony offered the students, who had previously viewed the film American History X about the rise of Nazism in the United States, a unique opportunity to explore this ideology while making enriching links with their criminology course.
The first meetings of the second quadrennium
- February 19 - Law School eloquence tournament
- February 2025 - Intervention by Josef Schovanec, philosopher-saltimbanque of autism and difference, as part of Professor Elise Degrave's Sources and Principles of Law course
- February 27, 2025 - Benjamin Gisaro's show entitled "Évidemment, c'est fâcheux" tackling racist discourse, as part of Thibault de Meyer's logic and argumentation course in collaboration with DELTA
- Intervention by Sophie Pirson, author and parent of a victim of the 2016 Brussels attacks, as part of Professor Nathalie Colette-Basecqz's criminal law course
- Until March 15, 2025: Video capsule competition open to UNamur students and staff on the theme "Live inclusion! ". Learn more
- April 16 - Fil rouge closing party at an improvisation match pitting two teams of jousters against each other to benefit the Ihsane Jarfi Foundation

Our researchers in the World's Top 2% Scientists list
Our researchers in the World's Top 2% Scientists list
Stanford University has published a prestigious ranking that highlights the most influential researchers in a wide range of scientific fields. The list, based on bibliographic criteria, aims to provide a standardized means of identifying the world's scientific leaders. It is one criterion among others for assessing the quality of scientific research. Twelve researchers from the University of Namur are among them!

This list, created by Stanford University and published in August 2024 is compiled in collaboration with Elsevier's ICST lab from Scopus data, aims to provide a standardized means of identifying the world's best scientists and recognizing those scientists who have had a significant impact on their respective fields.
While this list has been adopted by many institutions as a reliable measure of research impact, it is not the only way to evaluate research. Based strictly on bibliometric data, it is also subject to criticism.
Since September 2023, the University of Namur has been strengthening its commitment to the implementation of research assessment reform with the signing of the "Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) "agreement.
This agreement commits the institution to a series of principles, including taking into account career diversity and emphasizing qualitative research criteria rather than relying solely on bibliometric (and therefore quantitative) data.
Namur University researchers honored
- Charlotte Beaudart - Faculty of Medicine, Narilis Institute
- Benoît Champagne - Faculty of Science, NISM Institute
- Alain Decrop - EMCP Faculty, NaDi-CRIDS Institute
- Olivier Deparis - Science Faculty, NISM Institute and PaTHs Institute
- Jonathan Douxfils - Faculty of Medicine, Narilis Institute
- Patrick Kestemont - Faculty of Science, ILEE Institute
- Alexandre Mayer - Faculty of Science, NISM Institute and Institut naXys
- Carine Michiels - Faculty of Science, Institut Narilis
- Antoinette Rouvroy - Faculty of Law, ESPHIN Institutes and NaDi-CRIDS Institute
- Frédéric Silvestre - Faculty of Science, ILEE Institute
- Bao-Lian Su - Faculty of Science, NISM Institute
- Johan Wouters - Faculty of Science, NISM Institute
The list is updated every year, with data on the whole career and impacts on a single year, for the sake of transparency and relevance.
The measurement criteria used
A variety of bibliometric measures are taken into account to ensure a fair and balanced representation of researchers' work.
- The C-score: this composite score is based on various bibliometric factors, including the total number of citations.
- The h-index: this impact indicator takes into account the number of a researcher's publications as well as the number of their citations.
- The percentiles of fields and subfields : scientists are classified into 22 major fields and 176 subfields. Only those who rank in the top 2% of their subfield are taken into account.
- Career-wide or single-year impact: rankings are available for both career-wide impact and single-year performance, providing a better understanding of long-term contribution and recent achievements.
Research excellence
Figuring among this top 2% of scientists is therefore a prestigious recognition of an individual's contribution to science and demonstrates the excellence of their research, enhancing their reputation in academia and industry.
The ranking offers visibility across all disciplines, drawing attention to work that might otherwise remain in a niche or be under-appreciated. It also serves as a benchmark for institutions and governments to assess the influence of their research programs.
Many institutions use the ranking to measure the success of their faculty, or other entity, which can also enhance credibility within the academic community.
This list encourages scientists to focus on producing high-quality, impactful research rather than chasing quantity.
By compiling data from all scientific fields and offering a fair, metrics-based approach, this ranking not only celebrates individual achievements, but also highlights the importance of impactful research in advancing knowledge. However, it must be qualified, as it only takes into account quantitative data, which are not necessarily representative of the full diversity of research.
According to another database, that of UNESCO, the number of researchers in the world is increasing by 300,000 per year, reaching 9 million today. The Top 2% comprises 200,000 names, including twelve researchers from the University of Namur.
Congratulations to them for their excellent research and for this prestigious worldwide recognition!

Right to identity: "Unacceptable discrimination for some children".
Right to identity: "Unacceptable discrimination for some children".
Like all human beings, children are protected by a series of rights. Géraldine Mathieu, a professor at the University of Namur, today looks at the right to identity and explains why this is still only partially respected in Belgium.

This article is taken from the "Impact" section of the June 2024 issue of Omalius magazine.
When commenting on the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, Géraldine Mathieu doesn't stop at the 12 most frequently cited rights. "As relevant as the selection made by the French Rights Defender is (see box), it is far from covering all children's rights: there's a reason why the Convention has 54 articles!
I therefore prefer to talk about the 4 pillars of the Convention, which are "the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration", the protection of the child against all forms of discrimination, regardless of, in particular, the mode of conception and the status of the parents, the right to life, survival and development, and "the right to express his or her views freely in all matters affecting him or her" and to have those views taken into account."

Discrimination
In other words, the child is a human being in his or her own right and, like all human beings, is entitled to fundamental rights, including the right to know his or her origins, in order to appropriate his or her history and forge his or her identity. "This right is protected by Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention", says Géraldine Mathieu. "And this is where Belgium practices, in my opinion, an inadmissible form of discrimination. In our country, if a child born of natural procreation wants to find out the identity of his biological father, the courts will help him to do so. In the Delphine Boël case, for example, King Albert was ordered to submit to a DNA test. For adopted children, the name of the biological mother is recorded in the birth certificate: to have access to the identity of his or her mother, the child simply needs to request a certified copy of this certificate. But this protection does not extend to children born from anonymous sperm or egg donation, as part of medically assisted procreation (MAP)."
Serial donor
In this respect, Belgium is marking time compared with many European countries, notably France, which has just lifted donor anonymity. "Obviously, the lifting of anonymity must not be confused with the establishment of legal filiation," Géraldine Mathieu points out. "In fact, almost all countries that have lifted donation anonymity have blocked all effects at the level of filiation. But children who wish to do so must be able to obtain information about their donor, at least non-identifying - what he looked like, his occupation, his personality, why he made the donation - but ideally also identifying, if only to counter the fear of an incestuous encounter with another child from the same donor... Recently, the Netherlands revealed the existence of a serial donor, who fathered over 500 children!"
Biology
In Belgium, sperm from the same donor cannot lead to the birth of children to more than six different women. "But, when the 2007 law on PMA was passed, the right to identity of children born from this technique was completely neglected", insists Géraldine Mathieu. "In fact, they have grouped together, in Belgium, within the association Donor Kinderen. These children have the right to be given back everything that makes them who they are today - their parents' wishes, of course, but also their biological origins. In the quest for identity, biology should be neither overestimated nor underestimated."
GPA
For children born of surrogate motherhood (GPA), it's not easy either to get their rights respected in general, and their right to identity in particular. "In Belgium, GPA is not prohibited as it is in France, but neither is it regulated," explains Géraldine Mathieu. "So, we tinker with common law..."Although the centers that practice GPA refuse any genetic link between the surrogate mother and the child (so she doesn't provide her oocytes), it's her name that appears on the birth certificate, and she is therefore its mother in the eyes of the law. The intended parents must then resort to adoption to formalize their relationship with their child. It is also possible for the father of intention to recognize the child, and then for the mother of intention to adopt the child. Provided the surrogate mother doesn't change her mind...
Non-trade
"This is why many couples tempted by GPA go abroad, particularly to the United States, where the surrogate mother undertakes by contract to give up the baby at birth, the intended parents being legally considered the parents," details Géraldine Mathieu. "But this is obviously a commercial relationship, with surrogacy agencies and surrogate mothers being paid. Yet a child can neither be bought nor sold: it's off the market! "In Belgium, several bills aimed at framing GPA have already been tabled. "But none of them mention the rights of the child", notes Géraldine Mathieu. "Yet, unlike adoption, whose aim is to find a family for a child who is deprived of one, GPA consists in manufacturing a child for a couple who wants one. The day we legislate to regulate it, we mustn't forget that there is no right to a child, only children's rights, and that every child has the right to know where he or she comes from."
Marie-Françoise Dispa
The 12 (main) rights of the child
Ces 12 droits, sélectionnés par le Défenseur français des droits, sont inscrits dans la Convention internationale des droits de l’enfant, adoptée par l’Assemblée générale des Nations Unies le 20 novembre 1989 :
- droit à l'égalité
- droit d'avoir une identité
- droit de vivre en famille
- droit à la santé
- droit à l'éducation et aux loisirs
- droits à la protection de la vie privée
- droit à une justice adaptée à son âge
- droit d'être protégé en temps de guerre
- droit d'être protégé contre toutes les formes de violence
- droit d'être protégé contre toutes les formes d'exploitation
- droit de s'exprimer et d'être entendu sur les questions qui le concernent
- droits de l'enfant en situation de handicap de vivre avec et comme les autres
Mais les droits de l’enfant sont beaucoup plus nombreux, comme en témoigne notamment la liste établie par la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles pour expliquer la Convention aux enfants de 3 à 6 ans.
This article is taken from the "Impact" section of Omalius magazine #33 (June 2024).

Agenda
Preselections for the eloquence tournament
The first stage of the Faculty of Law's eloquence tournament, the preselections will see some twenty students compete.
Each contestant will attempt to qualify for the tournament final, speaking on a free topic for a maximum of 6 minutes.
This event is open to the public. Free entry.
Speech by Josef SCHOVANEC
As part of the Fil rouge de droit, Josef SCHOVANEC, philosopher-saltimbanque of autism and difference and Doctor Honoris Causa of UNamur, will speak during Elise DEGRAVE's "Sources et principes du droits" course.

Tournoi d'éloquence - final of the 2025 edition
The Faculty of Law's eloquence tournament returns in 2025 for an all-new edition.
Come and watch the students selected for the finals, vote for the public prize and extend the evening with a drink.
This event is open to the public. Free admission.