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In 2025-2026, UNamur's Faculty of Sciences has the honor and privilege of hosting Professor Sander Jacobs on the occasion of a Francqui Chair awarded to him by the Francqui Foundation: "Repairing our relationship with Nature to transform our societies".
Sander Jacobs is Senior Researcher at INBO (Institute for Nature and Forest), Nature & Society research group, Coordinator of the Urban Nature research program and Visiting Professor at Ghent University.
Presentation
The biodiversity crisis is not only destroying nature: it's also threatening our societies, our well-being and our survival. Drawing on scientific assessments and IPBES findings, this Francqui Chair explores our toxic relationship with nature, the global failure to protect it, and the multiple values of living things. We will look at ways to recognize these values, repair our relationship and achieve the transformative change required.
The program
Inaugural lesson | Repairing our relationship with nature
Biodiversity crisis: causes, consequences, and how (not) to get out of it.
November 19, 2025 from 6pm - 8pm - Université de Namur, Faculté des sciences, auditoire S01, rue Grafé, 2 - 5000 Namur. The lesson will be followed by a local drink.
Lesson 2 | A toxic relationship between humans and nature?
Global assessment of the biodiversity crisis
February 10, 2026 - 5pm to 7pm - local to be confirmed
Lesson 3 | The failure of nature protection
Reflections on the (in)effectiveness of protection and restoration strategies
March 3, 2026 - 5pm to 7pm - local to be confirmed
Lesson 4 | Redefining the notion of nature: including the plurality of values
Returning to multiple values and valuations
March 19, 2026 - 5pm to 7pm - local to be confirmed
Lesson 5 | Getting out of the crisis by acting on its root causes
Urgency, challenges and hope for transformative change
March 31, 2026 - 5pm to 7pm - local to be confirmed
Organizer
Prof. Nicolas Dendoncker
Contact : nicolas.dendoncker@unamur.be
Need for environment, need for law?
Alongside these activities, the Faculty of Law welcomes Professor Delphine Misonne on the occasion of a Francqui Chair awarded to her by the Francqui Foundation: "Need for environment, need for law?". The organization of this Chair is fully integrated into the Faculty of Law's Fil Rouge dedicated to this substratum essential to life that is the environment, nature, our earth: "Réenchanter la terre". Inaugural lesson: 27/11/2025.
Transitions & Sustainable Development at UNamur
The university must be exemplary in terms of sustainable development, in all three dimensions of the latter (economic, social and environmental), through the way it manages its infrastructures and assets to be "sustainable in form", as well as, as a teaching and research institution, through its commitment to actively contribute to the environmental transition to be "sustainable in substance". All in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
La Fondation Francqui
Les chaires belges (Collen) Francqui, créées en 1933, sont l’une des activités principales de la Fondation. La Fondation finance ces chaires dans le but de promouvoir la coopération et les échanges entre les universités (principalement belges) et de mettre en valeur l’excellence académique.
