Meeting of the UniGR Council at the University of Liège
The seven partners of the Université de la Grande Région met at the Château de Colonster (ULiege campus) to take stock of current collaborations and outline the future of the consortium.
As a public university open to the world and is anchored in the scientific, cultural and economic development of its region, the University of Liège relies on its three pillars: teaching, research and civic engagement.
ULiège trains responsible citizens who are provided with cutting-edge knowledge and critical thinking, are able to share knowledge and can push forward an increasingly complex world.
ULiège develops and promotes excellence in research, multidisciplinary and direct engagement with its instruction.
Global exposure is a top priority at the University of Liège. The institution offers a wide range of international mobility opportunities to students, researchers and staff, enabling them to enhance their cross-disciplinary skills and language knowledge.
ULiège: an experience of daily living. Located in 3 cities and 4 campuses, the university is a key player in terms of the environment and mobility.
On February 7, 2023, the academic authorities of eleven Belgian universities met for the second edition of the CRef-VLIR Forum, a joint initiative of the Council of French-speaking Rectors (CRef) and the Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad (VLIR). In addition to the rectors, the event brought together the vice-rectors in charge of research, teaching, student affairs and international relations, in the presence of Mrs. Nicole De Moor, Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, who was invited to give an opening speech.
This Forum allowed partners from both sides of the language border to strengthen collaborations and to exchange views on issues central to all universities. Among these, we can note the financing of higher education or international mobility. CRef and VLIR also shared their respective priorities for the next federal and regional legislatures.
At the end of the Forum, the eleven Belgian universities strongly emphasise the importance of the international mobility of researchers and students. They are pleased with the attention they received during the preparation of the transposition of the law on foreigners to researchers. "We were able to contribute many useful elements from our daily experience of hosting foreign researchers, but it must be said that, even after the amendment of the law, a number of obstacles remain. The administrative processing time at the federal and regional levels is still too long. The legal security of our foreign researchers could be improved. Our universities have long proven that they can take on more responsibility as host institutions", said Rik Van de Walle, president of the VLIR.
"Welcoming international students and attracting highly qualified researchers from outside the EU is crucial, given the shortage in our labour market. All levels of government need to work together to facilitate the conditions for the foreign talent we want to continue to attract. These efforts also involve better coordination and communication between the various government departments involved. The processing of visa applications, for example, can certainly be further improved", said Annemie Schaus, President of CRef.
The seven partners of the Université de la Grande Région met at the Château de Colonster (ULiege campus) to take stock of current collaborations and outline the future of the consortium.
21 companies and ULiège are studying the possibility of setting up an energy community at the LIEGE science park, in a pioneering approach based on the willingness of players to work together.
ULiège and its partners FOREM and IDELUX are inaugurating a sustainable housing technology platform on the Arlon campus to meet the needs of the wood and construction sectors.