The University of Liège inaugurates its Transitions Laboratory

In the face of environmental and societal challenges, ULiège is taking a major step forward by inaugurating its Laboratoire des Transitions: a place for ideas, collaboration and action to imagine and build a fairer, more sustainable future.

On October 14, 2025, the Salle académique at the University of Liège hosted the official inauguration of Laboratoire des Transitions.

The evening began with these words from Rectrice, Pr Anne-Sophie Nyssen : " Today, we are symbolically opening a 'place' that assumes a simple and radical ambition: to think about the world to come and the world-to-future. [...] The Laboratoire des Transitions is not just another structure: it's another way of "doing university". It's a meeting place, a place of convergence and collaboration, where disciplines that sometimes rubbed shoulders without really talking to each other start to work together."

Missions of the Transitions Laboratory

Pr Sébastien Brunet, Chairman of the Laboratory's Scientific Advisory Board, presented the vision and ambitions of this new structure, which already brings together more than 250 researchers. " There' s a real strike force at the University, and connections are already at work. The role of the Transitions Laboratory will be to foster and strengthen these connections."

Three initial scientific projects (see box below), with overall funding of €1.5m for four years, have been selected as part of the #Transitions call launched in early 2025. These projects will create around ten doctoral and post-doctoral research positions, and already involve some thirty professors and researchers from the University. With an initial budget of €3 million over five years, the Laboratory is planning a new call for projects before the end of the year. At the same time, the Transitions Laboratory provides support for micro-projects and organizes meetings and conferences on the theme of societal transitions.

Putting things into perspective

Two scientific presentations then set the pace for the evening.

Sandrine Dixson-Declève, international expert on sustainable development and former co-president of the Club of Rome, called for systemic transformation and coordinated, ambitious action to meet today's environmental and social challenges.

Geographer and professor Eric Lambin (Stanford University and UCLouvain) then developed a reflection on planetary boundaries and the conditions for genuine systemic change. He questioned humanity's capacity to pursue development while respecting the limits of the biosphere, reminding us that solutions do exist, but must be implemented on a sufficiently large scale to bring about a profound transformation of socio-economic systems.

Jean-Luc Crucke, Federal Minister for Mobility, Climate and Environmental Transition, then emphasized the pioneering role of the Laboratoire des Transitions as a "compass, watchdog and builder of the future" and of concrete solutions to climate and societal challenges.

The evening, hosted by journalist Arnaud Ruyssen, continued with an exchange of views with the audience, illustrating Laboratoire des Transitions' determination to involve civil society in scientific reflection.

In conclusion, Pr Sybille Mertens, advisor to the Rector for Environmental and Social Transition, highlighted the transversality and dialogue between technical sciences, health sciences and social sciences as the driving force behind this new initiative.

Watch the whole evening and the two conferences in replay

View the complete gallery