A new international exchange program available at UNamur

Reserved for a small number of students, this MAGIS program is not just an international exchange program. Starting in their second year of undergraduate studies, selected students will be required to take a course called "Global Environment Citizenship." "This is an online course, coordinated by Loyola University Chicago and taught by a team of professors from various universities in the network, such as Loyola University New Orleans and Sophia University in Japan," explains Julie Masset, head of international relations at the Faculty of Economics, Management, and Communication Sciences (EMCP). "The course will focus on environmental justice, with different components such as biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and climate change."

This innovative program goes beyond the limits of a simple academic course. "Discussions on these topics, as well as on the humanistic spirituality specific to Jesuit teaching, are planned among all students from the different universities," reveals Julie Masset. "And at the end of this course, which will be taught in two parts, in the second and third years of the bachelor's degree, students will have to submit a piece of work that can also take innovative forms, such as a video or podcast, and will be accompanied by an oral presentation."

"Although they come from universities all over the world, all the students in this program form a cohort by forging links around the same project, which makes it quite unique," says Isabella Fontana.

Designed as a tool for knowledge transfer, the MAGIS Exchange Program is deeply rooted in the Jesuit values shared by UNamur. 

Also, starting in the first semester of their third bachelor's degree in 2026, selected students will fly to one of the network's member universities. "Around 20 destinations, which are not traditionally accessible during a conventional exchange program, in Southeast Asia, the United States, or South America, are already available to students. And other destination proposals are still to come," she adds.

"I was immediately attracted by the many possible destinations," enthuses Arnaud Pirson, a management engineering student selected for this first adventure. "And the global citizenship course, like the citizenship mission, seemed to me to be an excellent way to make many contacts, especially outside the university, which motivated my decision to apply." 

This citizenship mission is another key feature of the MAGIS program. In addition to attending classes at their host university for one semester, students will be required to devote several hours per week to a civic engagement mission. "This is the third component of the program, which offers real added value for students," says Julie Masset. "It gives them the opportunity to get involved in the community they are joining. Some universities offer academic support, for example, or the chance to get involved in a community building project."

"Before UNamur joined the MAGIS program, one of our students went to Creighton University in Nebraska, USA," recalls Isabella Fontana. "He spent two weeks at a Mexican migrant camp on the southern border of the country, an experience that he said changed his life."

"For foreign students who will come to UNamur as part of this exchange, we are currently in contact with several organizations such as the Red Cross, or a student housing project that works with the homeless, in order to establish partnerships," adds the director.

However, while foreign students arriving at UNamur in September 2026 will be able to take courses in any faculty related to their field of study, the Namur students selected for this first year will only come from the EMCP Faculty, which will serve as the pilot faculty.

This is because, even more than a traditional exchange program, the MAGIS Exchange requires students to have a certain academic level in order to participate. "Only four students are selected for this program," notes Julie Masset. "It's not just about having a good level, but also about showing a definite interest in the values of this program. 

"I think it's a wonderful initiative that takes these young people seriously by offering them the opportunity to participate in a project in which they will truly play an active role," says Isabella Fontana.

In Latin, "magis" is a word that means "more" and expresses the spiritual aspiration to do better and not be satisfied with just what is good. It's a call that the students will certainly hear.