The University of Namur created the e-Government Chair in order to offer, mainly to the public sector, independent expertise concerning digital governance. The Chair ensures a technological and scientific watch in the various aspects of digital governance (technical, legal, managerial and strategic) and pursues consultancy, training and scientific research missions.

Recent assignments have focused on issues such as privacy protection, the introduction of Agile methodologies in the public sector, strategic governance and open data.

To keep in step with the needs of the public service, the Chair has surrounded itself with a support committee made up of key managers from various public and para-public organizations.

Background to the Chair

The University of Namur has been active for many years in the field of IT for public authorities and citizens. Historically, it was a pioneer in this field, setting up a public-private partnership (Ciger) in 1969, the purpose of which was precisely to support public authorities in the field of IT, a discipline that was in its infancy at the time.

Image Chaire e-Gouvernement

The multi-disciplinary technical, legal and managerial skills involved in public service IT have been brought together in the University's research centers, whose excellence is now widely recognized: CRIDS and PReCISE. Training courses are organized for a wide range of professionals and students. Recently, the University of Namur was also given responsibility for the e-government training module for the Ecole Publique d'Administration (EMMAP).

Building on its historical achievements, in 2013 the University decided to create, using its own funds, a Chair called "Chaire e-Gouvernement" with the aim of continuing, strengthening and structuring its activities in this field.

The Chair ensures a technological and scientific watch in the various aspects of digital governance (technical, legal, managerial and strategic) and pursues consultancy, training and scientific research missions.
Recent missions have focused on issues of privacy protection, the introduction of Agile methodologies in the public sector, strategic governance and open data.

To keep in step with the needs of the public service, the Chair has surrounded itself with a support committee made up of key managers from various public and parapublic organizations.

Support committee

  • Thierry Bertrand, Director of the DTIC department of the Walloon Public Service
  • Sébastien Brunet, General Administrator of the Walloon Institute of Evaluation, Prospective and Statistics
  • Thibaut Duvillier, Crossroads Bank of Social Security,
  • Sylvie Marique, Director General of DG-05 of the Walloon Public Service
  • Oliver Schneider, General Civil Servant at e-Wallonie Bruxelles Simplification (ex- easi-wall)
  • Luc Simons, Director of the Walloon Telecommunications Agency, AWT
  • Benoît Wanzoul, Director of the Crossroads Bank for Data Exchange at e-Wallonie Bruxelles simplification (ex- easi-wall)
  • ...