On Monday, 23 February 2026, the Academic Hall of the University of Liège hosted an evening full of emotion, recognition, and shared pride. During the "Alumni en Lumière" ceremony, the University celebrated two exceptional journeys while highlighting the deep and lasting connection between its graduates and their alma mater.
This edition honoured two Alumni from the field of physiotherapy, Marine Simonis and Christophe Remy, both holders of a Master’s in Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation. Elite athletes and committed professionals, they embody paths where self-surpassing meets refined mastery of the body, nurtured by the values and teachings of the University of Liège.
Champion freediver, holder of multiple national records and vice-world champion, Marine Simonis competes in a demanding discipline where self-control, mental resilience, and the management of physiological constraints are essential. Her journey illustrates the ability to push human limits in extreme environments, while remaining firmly grounded in the foundations of her academic training.
Christophe Remy, a physiotherapist dedicated to patients with severe burns, distinguished himself by swimming the English Channel solo. A remarkable athletic challenge, but above all a deeply human and supportive project, carried out for the benefit of the Foundation for Burn Victims. An achievement where effort and performance are fully meaningful in the service of others.
Opened by the First Vice-Rector, Pascal Poncin, the ceremony also highlighted the University of Liège’s commitment to sports and physical activity. The institutional sports policy, presented by Jean-François Deliège, President of ULiège Sports, is part of a broader vision where sport, health, education, and research are closely interconnected.
This approach was further contextualized by Jean-Louis Croisier, President of the Department of Physical Activity and Rehabilitation Sciences, emphasizing the central role of a multidisciplinary university environment that supports athletes, fosters scientific innovation, and transmits knowledge for the benefit of society.
A central moment of the evening, the presentation of the "Alumni en Lumière" medals by the First Vice-Rector, Pascal Poncin, and the Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Pierre Duysinx, honoured two exemplary paths defined by excellence, perseverance and commitment.
The laureates’ speeches, full of sincerity and emotion, highlighted how being recognised by one's university adds special resonance to a journey marked by rigor, self-surpassing, and confronting physical limits. They also emphasized the essential role of their families, friends and close companions, whose support throughout their studies and along their paths provided a crucial foundation. They finally recalled, with nostalgia, the strong sense of belonging that continues to link them to the University of Liège… or rather to "ULg" as they fondly noted.
Through the "Alumni en Lumière" ceremonies, the University of Liège reaffirms its commitment to celebrating those who, far beyond their studies, contribute to the impact of their field and profession, while maintaining a living connection with its broader alumni community and strengthening the bond that unites each graduate to their alma mater.
This new mobility policy is a strategic document setting out the ambitions and actions to be implemented to improve travel to and around the campuses of the University of Liège by 2030.
On February 7, the University of Liège held its doctoral degree ceremony. 265 new doctors were honored, as well as three ULiège ambassadors.
Last December, at the AWEX Explort Awards ceremony, two alumni from our institution received awards. Both were selected to participate in an Explort mission, and they share their experiences with us here.
