Is creativity an essential skill for the future? New programs are being added to the curriculum starting this fall!

Starting in their bachelor’s program, students in the Management and Information and Communication Engineering track have the opportunity to tailor their degree to a specialization rooted in market needs. This is a unique feature of the Namur program that allows students to remain versatile while avoiding the pitfall of overly specialized profiles. “It’s really a matter of adding a specific focus to the bachelor’s degree, which remains the same regardless of the track chosen,” explain Anthony Simonofski and Fanny Barnabé, professors and directors of the bachelor’s programs in Management Engineering and Information and Communication, respectively.

In this context, two new tracks will be added to these two bachelor’s programs starting this fall: “Creative Technologies” in Management Engineering and “Cultural and Creative Industries” in Information and Communication.

 “For the management engineering program, we’ve traditionally had two bachelor’s tracks: one in information management, focused on IT development, and one in environmental and life sciences, focused on science and sustainability,” explains Anthony Simonofski. Created in collaboration with the Information and Communication program and the School of Computer Science, the “Creative Technologies” track enriches existing programs by offering students the opportunity to imagine and experiment with creative uses of technology in a responsible manner, within a context marked by numerous societal challenges. 

What can students expect from the courses? “Some will focus on new uses of technology, understanding the digital and sustainable transitions, and new creative technologies, such as generative AI, immersive technologies (XR), and video game technologies, among others,” says Anthony Simonofski.

As for the Bachelor’s degree in Information and Communication, the plan is to revamp the existing “Culture and Audiovisual” track, which will be renamed “Cultural and Creative Industries” starting this fall. “Alongside the more traditional tracks of ‘Journalism and News Media’ and ‘Organizational Communication,’ this overhaul aims to forge stronger ties with the cultural and creative industries (CCI) sector, which is a highly dynamic sector currently undergoing restructuring. Furthermore, the Namur ecosystem is highly stimulating, featuring events such as the KIKK festival or the FIFF, networks of stakeholders like wake!, and institutions dedicated to popularizing or mediating science and culture such as the Pavillon, the Confluent des savoirs, the Medialab, and others,” explains Fanny Barnabé. 

While the two programs differ in terms of student profiles and career opportunities, joint courses will be offered to help students integrate into this ecosystem and explore management issues in the creative industries.

The collaboration between UNamur and the cultural and creative industries sector is particularly evident through the wake! by Digital Wallonia label, which aims to bring together Walloon players in the field of digital creativity from a variety of sectors: universities, research centers, creative hubs, festivals, companies, artists, investment funds, and more. UNamur was quickly among the first to contribute to this momentum.

These new programs will also facilitate communication between the cultural industries and future professionals: “The need for academic research and training aligned with the needs of the digital creative industries sector is paramount,” explains Delphine Jenart, wake! coordinator for KIKK. “We do indeed need a new generation of experts at the intersection of communication and creative technologies who understand the sector’s challenges regarding innovation and creativity and can formulate strategies.” 

These connections can take the form of guest lectures by professionals in the classroom, as well as internship opportunities or thesis projects.