"For 5 years, I'll be part of the Collegium of the Royal Academy of Belgium, and also of the "Technology and Society" class. My participation will enable me to contribute my vision and interdisciplinary expertise on digital transformation. During this mandate, I will be able to participate in the Academy's various work concerning its knowledge dissemination events such as its colloquia or scientific valorization (prizes, competitions, grants)", explains Anthony Simonofski.

One of the missions he hopes to accomplish as part of his mandate is to exchange on digital issues through an interdisciplinary approach. "Today's digital challenges require an interdisciplinary approach, combining IT, managerial, legal, sociological perspectives and much more. The 'Technology and Society' class will enable these exchanges to elaborate constructive reflections for a harmonious integration of digital in our society," he emphasizes. He will also make his expertise in digital transformation available. "It presents a whole series of new challenges such as inclusion, adoption or the necessary participation of citizens. So I'd like to make my research in this area available, and perhaps even encourage the Academy itself to enter into a more participatory approach towards citizens via digital channels," Anthony Simonofski points out.

Author of the podcast "Pop-Code" about digital education, which he is producing with his colleague Benoit Vanderose (Faculté informatique- UNamur), Anthony SIMONOFSKI also defends the concept of art as a vehicle for popularizing science. "At the Collegium, I want to work to make digital research accessible and engaging, by initiating collaborative projects that combine scientific rigor and artistic innovation to reach a wider and more diverse audience." Finally, by becoming a member of the Collegium, Anthony Simonofski will ensure representation of UNamur's expertise on digital, notably by relaying the interdisciplinary vision of the Namur Digital Institute and the EMCP Faculty.

Incidentally, I also hope to represent UNamur there," Olivier Sartenaer points out. "Integrating the Collegium is a nice recognition of my work. Secondly, it will enable me to meet a lot of interesting people and, together, to cross-fertilize our expertise to reflect on major societal issues at our monthly sessions. I'll be able to present and discuss my work, and also discover the work of Belgian scientific colleagues. Finally, it will enable me to take advantage of some of the Academy's support (access to premises, publications, networks, etc.) to organize events, or disseminate my work".

Nitin Bharti is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Economics Program of the Division of Social Sciences at New York University Abu Dhabi. He is also coordinator of the World Inequality Lab for South and Southeast Asia. He received his PhD in economics from the Paris School of Economics (PSE) and the University of Namur in September 2022 under the supervision of his promoters, Thomas Piketty (PSE) and Guilhem Cassan (UNamur).

His doctoral thesis at UNamur studied different dimensions of inequality in India:

• Inequality of access to education (covered by the article in the Economist),
• Inequality of income and wealth,
• Inequality of treatment in the face of justice.

For each of these projects, he conducted extraordinary data collection work, searching for new data in historical archives, or using new website data-mining methods to collect large-scale contemporary administrative data. He then exploited this data via cutting-edge econometric methods.

More about Dr Nitin Bharti

These topics are also at the heart of the themes developed at UNamur, for both teaching and research.

In fact, the DeFiPP Institute has recognized expertise in development economics and environmental economics. Its researchers are very active internationally. Some of DeFiPP's members, for example, have Jim Robinson, Nobel Prize 2024 for his research on the role of institutions in economic development, as a co-author on their articles.

These issues are also at the heart of many of the Economics Department's courses, at both bachelor and master levels. The Department of Economics is keen to offer its students an education that enables them to gain a better understanding of major contemporary societal issues. The Department also has a very long tradition of teaching issues related to the management of environmental resources, inequalities and sustainable development in general.

At the beginning of the 20th century, less than 10% of Indian and Chinese children attended school; today, almost all do. But the path to universal education has been remarkably different, and has had profound effects on the development of both countries' economies.

This article is taken from the "Alumni" section of the September 2024 issue of Omalius magazine.

As a child, warehouses and department store aisles were a favorite playground for former UNamur student Frank Mestdagh. Now part of the Intermarché Group, SA Mestdagh has been a key player in the Walloon and Brussels retail sectors for over a century. After completing his studies in economics and social sciences, Frank Mestdagh worked in a variety of fields, but eventually returned to the family DNA. "I took over a company that cut charcuterie for the mass retail sector, gradually realizing that the model didn't suit me", he recounts. It was at this point that he discovered Ferme du Sart (now Otera du Sart), a French chain specializing in local produce. "I thought it was really smart: you could feel the closeness to the producers, there were fewer denatured, over-marketed products. France was and remains very much ahead of the game when it comes to this type of trade, probably because of a sense of regional belonging, but also because there's a much larger fabric of producers and artisans." Frank Mestdagh then began to develop the D'ici stores project and opened his first store in Naninne in May 2013. Three years later, another store - now closed - saw the light of day in Hannut. "In retrospect, it was a mistake." In 2021, it's Wépion that finally welcomes a second successful outlet. 2025 will see the opening of a third store in Champion, still in the Namur region.

For Élisabeth Bois d'Enghien, entrepreneurship is also a family affair. "I have a father who is a company director and who was a bit of an example for me in terms of vision and management. I think I had something to prove to him by choosing this direction. " The woman who considers herself above all a generalist - "during a skills assessment, I was told that I could do just about anything, but that I'd never be an expert"will pursue a bachelor's degree in social sciences and management from UNamur, with a particular interest in courses in philo, socio, social sciences and history. "I wish I'd had today's maturity to grasp the interest of the subject," she analyzes. Whatever the case, Élisabeth Bois d'Enghien is convinced that it's less the diploma that makes the difference than "what you've got in your belly." In 2021, after a career start in telecommunications and a period of"bumbling around the world", she joins the D'ici store adventure. "What attracted me was the whole story Frank was telling, everything that goes beyond food, what it generates in terms of bonds between people."

For his part, Jérôme Bette, a graduate in management engineering from UNamur, worked for a long time in marketing for a clothing chain. "With all the problems of fast fashion that we know", comments the man who was looking for more meaning in his work. In 2022, he in turn joined D'ici stores. "I've found that the great strength of the project is that we're not extremist in our positioning. This allows us, little by little, to bring a less informed public towards something that makes sense," he comments. "Where, when the identity is very strong, it can be a hindrance." The brand has thus chosen local over organic. "I'd say that in terms of prices, we're around 10-15% more expensive than mass retailers, while remaining 10-15% cheaper than an organic chain," estimates Frank Mestdagh. For Jérôme Bette, the important thing is to work above all on quality and proximity. "It's not realistic to fight on price," he sums up. "Our wish is for the customer to understand that he's paying the right price and that it's the price he's paying elsewhere that isn't fair. When chicken is 3 euros a kilo, that's where the problem lies...". "The gamble will be won when everyone knows that we're doing local and not organic," adds Élisabeth Bois d'Enghien. "Because local means geographical proximity - with 50% of products coming from less than 50 km around - but also relational proximity. The producers, even if they come from further afield, we know their first names..." Even more than yesterday, Frank Mestdagh believes in the relevance of a very local anchoring in the Namur region. "Today, we have customers who are very attached to the concept, which gives us - as well as the producers - a great deal of trust capital," the founder enthuses.

This activity, initiated by professors Jean-Marie Baland, François Libois and Marine Gueben, was organized as part of several courses dealing with environmental issues, and aimed to introduce students to multifunctional forest management and the practical application of ecological and economic trade-offs.

What could be more representative than an area like the Domaine d'Haugimont, UNamur's forest area? Indeed, the estate is managed according to the principles of Pro Silva, a forestry method that combines respect for ecosystems and a sustainable economic system. This approach favours minimal, intelligent intervention in the forest, allowing biodiversity to thrive while generating income through reasoned exploitation. Pro Silva management focuses on managing forests by mixing tree species, avoiding clear-cutting and encouraging natural renewal. This model maintains a constant forest cover while optimizing wood production, thus contributing to the economic, ecological and social sustainability of forests. Learn more about Pro Silva management

The starting point for reflection was deforestation in Nepal, due to the growing demand for wood and energy, a reminder that economic choices are never neutral. Here in Wallonia, we face similar challenges, but with the good fortune to be able to anticipate them. In fact, Pietro Zidda, Professor of Economics and Dean of the EMCP Faculty, reminds us: "In any sector of the economy, it's possible to invest while respecting the environment and, what's more, making a profit". Jean-Marie Baland, professor at UNamur adds: "as Gauthier Ligo showed, the Pro Silva management of the Haugimont estate shows itself to be financially profitable over the medium term from the strict point of view of the private manager. And that's not counting, on the one hand, the increased resilience of the forest in the very long term and, on the other, all the environmental services and benefits (bio-diversity, water cycle management, soil regeneration...) it generates!".

Over the course of an afternoon, students, accompanied by teachers and experts, explored the challenges of deforestation and environmentally-friendly economic solutions.

Divided into four groups, the students tackled a variety of topics:

• Pedagogy on forests with Charles Debois, an expert who assessed the profitability of forest management on the Haugimont estate.
• Valorisation économique des forêts avec Gauthier Ligo, professeur en économie forestière à Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech et Simon Hauser, Gestionnaire forestier et éco-conseiller à l'UNamur
• Travaux ciblés et sylviculture avec Maude Vandenabeele, ingénieur forestière à Forêt.Nature
• Biodiversity with Christine Sanchez, head of continuous-canopy mixed silviculture training for the organization Forêt.Nature

Christine Sachez, forestry expert, shares, "I find it very interesting to have a group of economics students. On the one hand, to show them what forest management is, a rather distant field from their studies. Secondly, for my own experience. Indeed, the questions asked are very different from those of a group of forestry students. I'm learning a lot too. Maude Vandenabeele, completes: "I find it very interesting to show them the field. We need to make students aware of the fact that the forest is about ecology and people. This allows us to put ourselves in each other's shoes and understand each other's realities."

Romane, a student on her third bachelor's degree in economics and management, shares her experience: "As part of the Environmental Economics course, this type of activity allows us to move from theory to practice and not limit ourselves to numbers but to have a slightly more global vision of the thing".

Other Specialized Master's students in sustainable development management and economics add: "The forest visit was an enriching educational experience that gave me a better understanding of the complex dynamics of population, environmental sustainability and governance. It inspired me to become a stronger advocate for sustainable practices and policies that protect our natural heritage for future generations. In addition, the visit provided me with a tangible context for coursework, bridging the gap between theory and real-world application." Or, "It was important for me to find out how the forest is managed in a European country. This outing reminded me of many things about the environment, and I learned a lot of new things. It was also interesting to see in practice how to reconcile environmental sustainability with economics."

Through this immersion, the students understood that economics and nature are not incompatible. Following the example of Haugimont, they learned that investing in sustainable forest management can not only preserve ecosystems, but also generate long-term benefits.

By integrating approaches like Pro Silva's now, these future economists will help chart a path where profitability no longer comes at the expense of nature, but in harmony with it.