On this page, you'll find a report on all the actions and activities initiated at the University of Namur in connection with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #16: "Peace, justice and effective institutions."

Honorary Doctors 2024

In 2024, we decided to combine this with the awarding of honorary doctorates to four personalities who, in our eyes, best embody the chosen theme of "Honoring the heralds". These four personalities are committed "heralds", messengers daring to risk their safety, their reputations, their health to make the voices of the excluded, the forgotten, the oppressed heard.

Our 4 new DHCs have moved and inspired us. They carry with them values that are dear to our university: freedom, openness, excellence and sustainability. Values they live by, always taking care of people, in all their diversity, in all their complexity.

  • Zeina Abirached, whose godparents were Benoit Vanderose (Faculty of Computer Science) and Séphora Boucenna (FASEF), shared with us with poetry and gentleness her childhood in the war-torn Beirut of the 80s. This gave rise to her need to create beauty, through drawing and comics, both to escape the violence and to tell her story and the story of her compatriots in a suffering Lebanon. She also touched us by talking about her weaving of cultures, between the French-speaking world and the Arab world.
  • Bouli Lanners, sponsored by Jean-Benoît Gabriel (Faculty of Philosophy and Letters) and Jean-Michel Dogné (Faculty of Medicine), moved us by confiding his feeling of illegitimacy as a person without a diploma. He now has a DHC from UNamur! He explained how an award (he received the César for Best Supporting Actor in 2023), growing notoriety or public recognition had gradually enabled him to make his voice heard, to make it legitimate, particularly in favor of the most disadvantaged. His commitment to health was also highlighted, as he supports the fight against childhood obesity.
  • Father Pedro Opeka, whose godmother and godfather were Géraldine Mathieu (Faculty of Law) and Laurent Ravez (Faculty of Science), spoke to us via video about his experience of over 50 years serving poor communities in Madagascar. He spoke forcefully about the challenges of housing, education and health that he and his companions from the Akamasoa association are trying to overcome to ensure greater dignity and hope for these communities.
  • Bob Rugurika, sponsored by Anne-Sophie Collard (EMCP) and Jean-Marie Baland (EMCP), told us how his vocation as a journalist emerged in a Burundi ravaged by corruption. He explained his fight for the truth at Radio Publique Africaine, a fight that was punished by threats, assaults and imprisonment. This forced him into exile in Namur, Belgium, where he continues his fight to make the voices of the voiceless heard. An example for our journalism students.
Official speech by Rector Annick Castiaux

Research

One example among many: 2 prestigious ERC Starting Grants for 2 researchers from UNamur and Institut Transitions!

It's not often that two researchers from the same institution (and the same institute!) are awarded such prestigious funding.....

These ERC Starting Grants for Jérémy Dodeigne's POLYSTYLE project and Vincent Jacquet's CITIZEN_IMPACT project will thus enable the emergence and development of a genuine pole of excellence in Political Science within UNamur's Transitions Institute.

Find out more...

Discover all publications related to the sustainable development goal "Peace, justice and effective institutions" on the UNamur research portal.

Sustainable research

Education

The Namur Legal Lab

As part of its Master's degree specializing in Information and Communication Technology Law (Master DTIC), the Faculty of Law at the University of Namur has set up a new teaching project called "Namur Legal Lab".

Aims:

  • To create a meeting point between students and young entrepreneurs.
  • Make students aware of the economic realities and demands of the professional world.
  • To enable start-ups to structure themselves better.
  • Provide a free service for dealing with legal issues.

Learn more about Namur Legal Lab... | Namur Legal Lab platform

Find out more about sustainable education

Social impact and actions

Corporate initiatives

Founding texts and charters

  • Founding texts | Charte de l'UNamur
  • Statuts de l'ASBL UNamur
  • Règlement organique de l'UNamur
  • UNamur Ethical charter for fundraising (in French)
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Reports and other work documents

  • Integration of environmental clauses in our public contracts
  • Financial reporting
  • Training for decision-makers

Calls for projects under the Univers 2025 strategic plan

A participatory approach

The aim of the University of Namur's "Univers 2025" strategic plan is to define a vision for the future, to be translated into actions and commitments, and to respond to numerous expectations both internally and with regard to a wide range of external stakeholders.

Learn more here...

UNamur CaNDLE projects

A participatory approach

Since 2013, the Campus Namur Durable (CaNDLE) calls have been inviting the university community to propose actions aimed at making the campus and university activity more sustainable in the short, medium and long term.

likely to improve the sustainability of the campus or university activity. The 2021 call saw the launch of five new eco-responsible initiatives proposed by UNamur members and financed by the Jerome Fund for Sustainable Development.

In 2023, UNamur is launching a fourth CaNDLE call financed thanks to the joint support of the Jerome Fund for Sustainable Development and the UNamur Students' Assembly of Circles.

More info on CaNDLE projects here...

The General Assembly of Students (AGE)

The UNamur recognises the General Assembly of Students (AGE), which ensures student representation within the institution via the Political Chamber and manages the animation on campus.

The AGE's missions:

  • Assuring student representation via the Student Council
  • Managing campus animation via the Animation Council
  • All coordinated by the AGE Bureau.

Learn more about AGE...

Collaborations and partnerships

The Economic, Social and Environmental Council of Wallonia (CESE)

The UNamur is represented in different Poles of the CESE, just like the 5 other universities of the FWB.

The Science Policy Unit

The Science Policy Unit is a consultative body in charge of issuing opinions on science, research and innovation policy at the request of the Walloon Government or on its own initiative.  It deals with files concerning science policy, research and innovation in the Walloon Region, at the initiative of the Walloon Government. 

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The Housing Unit

The Housin Unit is a consultative body in charge of giving opinions, making observations, suggestions, proposals or recommendations on housing matters at the request of the Walloon Government or on its own initiative.

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Namur Innovative City Lab - SmartCity

The University of Namur is joining forces with the City of Namur and the Province's Economic Office (BEP) to create, along with other partners, the "Namur Innovative City Lab". This portfolio of 11 projects aims to position the Walloon capital as an "intelligent city" and is part of the ERDF 2014-2020 call for projects.   In addition to its participation in the "Namur Innovative City Lab" projects, the University of Namur is helping to make Namur an "Intelligent City", thanks to its research centres, training courses and services in the fields of ICT and Innovation.

Learn more about the Namur Innovative City Lab"

Get Up Wallonia!

Get up Wallonia! was born out of the emergencies linked to the Covid-19 crisis and aims to prepare the future of the Walloon Region and its citizens.  After a citizen consultation in November 2020 and the work of the Task Forces composed of experts in the field, institutional actors and social partners, the Strategic Council submitted its report broken down into 51 actions and 18 measures.  Our Rector, Annick Castiaux, is a member of this Strategic Council. Find out more

Namur Europe Wallonie (NEW)

Namur Europe Wallonie (NEW) is an association of which UNamur is a member and which aims to develop a territorial and institutional marketing policy to promote Namur as the Capital of a creative, collaborative, innovative and sustainable region, and in this context to include it in the appropriate international networks. Read more

The “Namur demain” Festival

The University takes part in this event organized by the city of Namur.  The purpose is to raise awareness, prepare and accelerate our answer to a world in complete change. To do so, more than 60 free activities will be organized on ecological, social and green transition. Find out more? Editions 2022 and 2023.

Fair trade cities

The University of Namur takes part in the week of fair trade.  The city of Namur has been granted the title of "Fair Trade City" and has therefore organized a fair trade week in which the UNamur has taken part. The university restaurant has adapted its menu for the occasion. More info here

Research institutes

Development Finance & Public Policies (DeFiPP)

The Center for Research in Regional Economics and Economics Policy (CERPE) is part of the Development Finance & Public Policies Institute (DeFiPP). It focuses its research on two areas: regional economics and economic policy. In line with the Centre's mission, research combines theoretical work (in geographical economics, labour economics, regional policy, etc.) and more applied work in regional economics and economic policy, with a particular focus on the Walloon Region in the Belgian institutional landscape.  

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Espace philosophique de Namur (ESPHIN)

ESPHIN is a transdisciplinary space open to the outside world and designed to encourage new research. It addresses themes developed in its two founding departments: Philosophy in the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature and Sciences-Philosophies-Society in the Faculty of Science. In synergy with other entities, researchers also aim to develop new themes in the major areas of philosophy, such as anthropology, ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, logic and metaphysics. 

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Namur Digital Institute (NaDI)

Within the NaDI Institute, the Centre for Research in Information, Law and Society (CRIDS) focuses on a wide range of topics related to the information society, such as electronic communications, privacy, intellectual property, e-commerce, e-government, e-health, megadata, cybersecurity. In addition, there is a wide range of research areas, such as the sharing economy, e-journalism, digital literacy, algorithmic governance and the sociology of networks.  More information here…

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Transitions

The TRANSITIONS Institute aims to explore the different ways in which human nature and society experience the processes, times and impacts of transitions, with a focus on critical areas such as environment, economy, development, mobility, politics, education, justice and social cohesion.  With these strengths, TRANSITIONS promotes interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary collaborative research around themes rather than disciplines.  In this regard, the Institute's goal is to develop innovative capacities and strategies that enable us to creatively facilitate and cope with the transitions at hand, and to pursue our collective interests and well-being in a sustainable manner.  

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Vulnerabilty and societies research center

The "Vulnerabilities and Societies" (V&S) research center has an interdisciplinary approach to the relationship between vulnerability and society. It is the result of the merge of the Fundamental Rights and Social Bond centre (formerly Law and Security of Existence) and the Projucit centre (Legal Protection of Citizens), which decided to join forces in order to reflect on the fragilities observed in our societies.

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Chaire e-Gouvernement

The e-government chair was created to offer, mainly to the public sector, an independant expertise regarding the digital governance. The Chair provides a scientific and technical watch on the different topics of digital governance and offers consulting and training services as well as scientific research. 

Chaire Notre-Dame de la Paix

Conference cycle 2022-2023 | The Chair "Notre-Dame de la Paix" of the ESPHIN Institute | Commons and common good(s): an articulation for a new model of society?

Conference 2023-2024 | The Chair "Notre-Dame de la Paix" of the ESPHIN Institute | 60 ans de pacem in terris : y a-t-il encore une place pour la paix aujourd'hui ?

Awareness-raising activities

How can we build lasting peace? Some ideas for reflection and action

These three lectures, inspired by the thought and experience of a diplomat and philosopher, aim to ask the following question: could a long-term peace make its way in our history? 

These lectures dealt in depth with the conditions of possibility for building a lasting peace in these times of renewed international tension. They were each followed by a time for debate with the audience (2022).

In the press

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Objectifs durables anglais

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To find out more and discover a series of examples of initiatives and actions taken at the University of Namur in terms of sustainable development, consult the various objectives.

Back to the list of SDGs