UNESCO and ULiège examine education as the foundation of a new social contract
How can we rebuild the social contract in an age of artificial intelligence, ecological transitions, geopolitical upheavals and democratic fragility? This question was at the heart of the event held on 4 June 2026 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris as part of Liège Learning City.
In her opening remarks, Rector Anne-Sophie Nyssen emphasised that the aim was not to comment on Rousseau and his The Social Contract for its own sake, but to update its philosophical principles. In a world shaped by artificial intelligence and the ‘dizzying’ acceleration of change, access to information no longer guarantees understanding or the genuine acquisition of knowledge. Critical thinking therefore becomes an essential democratic skill. The Rector emphasised the need to preserve the human capacity for judgement so that, despite the power of technology, “natural intelligence retains the power”.
The Social Contract as a Guiding Thread
Professor Frédéric Schoenaers, Vice-Rector for Teaching, then set out the terms of the debate. He recalled that the social contract of the 20th century rested on several pillars: trust in scientific knowledge, recognition of the legitimacy of universities and teachers, public support for teaching and research, and a model in which initial training and a degree constituted a relatively stable asset for professional life. Today, these balances are being undermined by the rapid pace of knowledge, the proliferation of information sources, disinformation, and the increasing scrutiny to which universities are subjected. At the same time, it is becoming necessary to recognise the plurality of knowledge and to foster dialogue between different forms of knowledge.
For Professor Geoffrey Grandjean, learning cities provide a particularly relevant space for addressing these challenges. Being more ‘agile’ than states, they can experiment more quickly with concrete solutions to tackle inequalities. Universities, historically rooted in cities whilst remaining open to the world, play an essential role in these cities in terms of empowerment, public debate and knowledge production. Learning cities thus emerge as democratic laboratories where new forms of access to knowledge can be developed.
This line of thinking aligns with the analyses of Professor Sébastien Brunet. According to him, our societies are subject to a constant ‘accelerationism’: economic, technological, social and informational acceleration. This dynamic tends to erode local or experiential knowledge that does not fit with the dominant logic of performance. Learning cities can thus become spaces of constructive resistance where the long term remains possible, where collective reflection can unfold, and where the diversity of knowledge is better recognised. In this regard, UNESCO plays a fundamental counterbalancing role by reminding us that knowledge constitutes a common good of humanity.
Democracies of knowledge
Professor Daniel Faulx expanded on this line of thought by envisioning several ‘democracies of knowledge’. Firstly, a democracy of education, to ensure truly equal access to basic learning. Secondly, a democracy of information, capable of bridging the three-fold digital divide: access to equipment, user skills and critical thinking abilities. Finally, a democracy of learning, enabling everyone to acquire knowledge in forms suited to their needs, their background and their environment.
For Daniel Faulx, learning cities can also act as a counterbalance to the trends currently undermining institutions of knowledge. But this ambition requires avoiding any top-down, rationalising approach that would only fuel competition between stakeholders. The richness of learning cities lies precisely in the diversity of their stakeholders and in their ability to cooperate rather than compete.
Another of Professor Faulx’s ambitions is that a learning city should not merely be a city where citizens learn, but also a city that learns itself. The example of the 2021 floods in Liège illustrates this idea. The knowledge generated by residents, researchers, associations, businesses and public authorities helped to strengthen the region’s resilience. The lessons learnt have benefited citizens but, ideally, the city too, which is now better prepared to face future crises.
Concrete and tangible initiatives
The day also highlighted several concrete initiatives. The First Year Seminar programme, presented by Professor Laurent Leduc, supports ULiège students in their transition to higher education. The Mobile Cabinet of Curiosities, presented by Thomas Beyer, will reach out to audiences who are distant from cultural institutions in order to spark curiosity and demonstrate how scientific knowledge is constructed. The ITHA (Information Technology in Health Ageing) project, presented by Professor Félix Scholtes as part of the ‘Laboratoire des Transitions’, explores, in collaboration with members of the public, the role of digital tools and practices in fostering social connections among vulnerable and elderly people. Finally, Professor Jacques Teller discussed the work carried out with neighbourhood committees and the City of Liège on urban planning and mobility projects, as well as the role of local communities in the wake of the 2021 floods in Liège.
As the discussions progressed, a shared conviction emerged: the need and value of breaking down silos, bringing disciplines together and creating new spaces for dialogue. The current crises thus call for a rethinking of ‘issues at the boundaries between disciplines’, encouraging greater cooperation among stakeholders to collectively develop innovative responses.
Whilst the social contract of the last century was largely based on the redistribution of wealth, the one taking shape today must also address the more equitable distribution of capabilities, that is to say, of knowledge. Participants highlighted the urgency of this reflection, but also the reasons for hope. Disasters and crises regularly demonstrate that the principles of solidarity and cooperation remain stronger than those of competition.
Liège Learning City
The Liège Learning City project was highlighted by its coordinator, Boutheina Ben Lamine. And the diversity of the reflective contributions presented throughout the day at UNESCO makes Liège, as Borhene Chakroun, Director of Educational Policies and Lifelong Learning at UNESCO, noted in his closing remarks, one of the flagship ecosystems of the Learning City initiative for rebuilding the social contract around education.
Whilst the world is undeniably navigating through areas of severe turbulence, learning cities emerge as places where it is still possible to experiment, debate, learn together and imagine the contours of a new social contract suited to the 21st century. Learning cities thus see themselves as entrusted with a perilous yet ambitious mission: that of training the crews of modern caravels ready to navigate the ‘Cape of Storms’ and discover new worlds.
