Key programme points
My candidacy is motivated by the conviction that we are at a critical moment in the history of our institution. The crises of recent years have accelerated societal change, leading to the legitimacy of universities being regularly called into question. It therefore seems essential to me that UCLouvain rethinks its role in society and fully occupies its rightful place at the heart of this change. It is also in the light of these profound transitions that I would like us to rethink our education and research missions. They are interdependent and complementary, and the way in which they are articulated is what makes the university project unique, because education and research must never be separated or placed in opposition or competition with each other. I am committed to ensuring this. Governing the university means making choices, setting priorities and making trade-offs. In this respect, I would like to make a strong and explicit commitment to the two priorities that will guide these choices if you place your trust in me.
Fulfilment
My first priority will be facilitating a sense of fulfilment for those who work or study at UCLouvain. Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to meet many of you and have been able to measure how lucky we are to work with passionate and exciting people. But I have also noticed that a certain gloom is creeping over the university. Our institution relies on the commitment and enthusiasm of each and every one of us. Thus I want to take determined action to dispel this creeping gloom. There is an urgent need to take action concerning excessive workloads and to reduce the pressure felt by many. For example, I will ensure that measures are rapidly adopted to reduce the number of teaching hours. In addition, we need to establish clear priorities through which we can do less in order to do better. There is also an urgent need to restore meaning to work for those who have lost it, to enable them to regain a healthy sense of motivation and a concrete, daily experience of well-being at work.
I am firmly convinced that the most effective measures are those that emerge from the people to whom they will apply. Therefore, introducing more participatory governance will be crucial to the success of our mission. Significant resources are already being devoted to helping students succeed. We need to continue this effort by improving the identification of target groups, particularly given the increasing precariousness of student life. I would especially like to see specific support developed for those who have to work to pay for their studies. Resources will be made available for this purpose. In the same spirit of fairness, I will ensure that the necessary corrective measures are taken to eliminate unjustified disparities in the operating allowances available to PhD students. Finally鈥攁nd this is very important to me鈥擨 note that many of you contribute enormously to our university without always receiving adequate recognition. I will step up formal and informal expressions of recognition. In this respect, the monitoring of careers and promotion processes will be reviewed where necessary. In particular, I will ensure that the maximum waiting time for promotions of administrative and technical staff ranked in due order by the relevant committees does not exceed three years. Dedicated funding will be provided for this purpose.
All this outlines a real paradigm shift, with the aim of transforming UCLouvain into a People-Based University.
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University's social responsibility
My second priority is the University鈥檚 social responsibility, and with it ALL the challenges of the ecological, energy and social transitions. I want our institution to fully assume its role in society. It is undeniable that the University is at the heart of the objectives of sustainable development. In addition to preserving and ensuring the viability of our planet, these objectives also aim to strengthen social equity and increase well-being for all. UCLouvain must position itself as an exemplary stakeholder in the dynamics of societal change, both through our programmes鈥攚hich must better integrate lifelong learning鈥攁nd through our research and internal operations.
Environmental interests must continue to be actively supported, and must be incorporated into the conclusions of the General Assembly on Transition, which is currently taking place.
The multicampus nature of our university puts us in touch with different audiences and ecosystems. It is therefore an asset that I wish to develop through the formulation of genuine campus projects and a reflection on the governance of a UCLouvain that must be fully responsible for its eight campuses.
Finally, equity, transparency, diversity, inclusion and tolerance are major issues that I do not intend to ignore. This is why I am committed to ensuring that the next configuration of the rectoral team explicitly incorporates them in the form of a pro-rectorate specifically dedicated to these issues, whose compass will be the rich reflections resulting from the Etats-g茅n茅raux Equit茅 Diversit茅 Inclusion (鈥淓quity, Diversity, and Inclusion General Assembly鈥�) in which many of you took part.
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In the coming weeks, you will learn about a series of concrete proposals, the fruit of reflection by a large group of colleagues and of past and future discussions with many of you. It is with energy and enthusiasm that I place myself at your service to build the UCLouvain of tomorrow: a university that resembles us, a university that brings us together.