Events

Does your church council or church organization own farmland? Then this networking event is for you. These lands hold more potential than you might think — for local food production, for the community, for the future. Engage in conversation with experts and other church landowners and discover how to manage your land sustainably and with a long-term vision.

These networking days (in Dutch) are organized by De Landgenoten, UCSIA and Ecokerk.

The registration fee is €15 (including lunch and drinks).

An engaging evening on statelessness — an urgent yet often overlooked human rights issue affecting thousands of people across Europe. Keynote speaker Christiana Bukalo, founder of Statefree e.V., will open the evening with a lecture exploring the historical, philosophical and contemporary dimensions of statelessness, followed by a moderated panel debate with experts from academia, civil society and institutional practice.

The programme will be in English.

Does your church council or church organization own farmland? Then this networking event is for you. These lands hold more potential than you might think — for local food production, for the community, for the future. Engage in conversation with experts and other church landowners and discover how to manage your land sustainably and with a long-term vision.

These networking days (in Dutch) are organized by De Landgenoten, UCSIA and Ecokerk.

The registration fee is €15 (including lunch and drinks).

With the introduction of the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, immigration detention is once again in the spotlight. In this panel discussion, researchers, legal experts, and field workers will examine the human and legal consequences, as well as alternatives that protect vulnerable groups.

UCSIA is organizing this event in collaboration with MIGLOBA. The discussion will be conducted in English.

Plastic waste is one of the defining environmental challenges of our time — but science can be part of the solution. This panel discussion brings together researchers, industry representatives, and policy experts to explore the potential of chemical recycling of PET plastic, and the opportunities it holds for countries like Tunisia.

The transition to sustainable food systems is necessary, yet it also presents risks for those who are already vulnerable. Professor of Agricultural Economics Erik Mathijs (KU Leuven) proposes a practical assessment tool to help policymakers and researchers systematically map out these issues of social justice.

In the final lecture of the series U-turn: 5 years later, Koert Debeuf (VUB) and Maarten Rabaey (De Morgen) examine how COVID-19 has accelerated geopolitical tensions and information wars.

Koert Debeuf outlines the global rise of tribalism, while Maarten Rabaey discusses the role and vulnerability of the media in a new struggle for power. A sharp look at leadership, truth and a world order in flux.

This double lecture will be held in Dutch. Participation is free, but don't forget to register.

What happens when religion fuels political power? In this webinar, Daniel Nilsson DeHanas (King’s College London) and Marko Veković (University of Belgrade) explore two striking cases of Christian nationalism today: the spiritual memes portraying Donald Trump as a divinely chosen leader on Truth Social, and the close alliance between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian state.

The speakers illustrate how religious narratives, symbols, and media shape contemporary populism and national identity.

POSTPONED!How can public agricultural land contribute to a farming and food system that is socially just, ecologically sustainable, and economically viable?

This study day brings together philosophical and ethical reflections, socio-policy analyses, and economic system perspectives, combined with practical field experiences.

Please note: due to circumstances, this seminar has been postponed to a later date!If you had already registered, you will receive a personal message in your inbox shortly. The new date will be announced soon.

UCSIA is organizing this event in collaboration with De Landgenoten, Wervel, IMDO, KU Leuven, and Ecokerk.

In the third lecture of the series U-turn: 5 years later, Wouter Schepers (HIVA – KU Leuven) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) explore how neighbourhood characteristics and citizen initiatives shape our resilience after the pandemic.

Wouter Schepers focuses on loneliness and caring communities, while Nele Vanderhulst highlights the power of bottom-up civic engagement. A dual perspective on networks that connect and transform.

This double lecture will be held in Dutch. Participation is free, but don’t forget to register.

In service-learning, higher education institutions and social organizations work together to create a positive impact. How do you start such a collaboration? Which organizations can you partner with? And how do you divide the roles?

Collaboration with social partners is central to this networking event of the Flemish Network for Service-Learning in Higher Education in 2026.

Why are young people reconnecting with religion? While traditions are fading, Christian influencers are gaining popularity and the number of adult baptisms is rising.

Is there a new search for authenticity and identity? How do these young people experience their search for meaning or their Christian faith? How do they relate to traditionalist movements, politics and the Church?

During this symposium, organized in collaboration with Tertio, we will explore this renewed interest and what it means for society and the Church.

The registration fee is €20.00. Students may participate free of charge. Registration is open until Thursday, 12 March 2026.

The 14th cohort of trainees are successfully completing the European Leadership Programme.

During the graduation ceremony, none other than Mgr. Bernardito Auza will inspire the audience with his speech. Mgr. Auza is the Vatican's diplomatic representative to the European Union.

The European Leadership Programme is an initiative of JESC, Jesuit European Social Centre. UCSIA is one of the associate partners.

In the second lecture (in Dutch) in the U-turn: 5 years later series, Maarten Degreef (Sciensano) and Anthony Longo (Tilburg University) explore how the pandemic has had a lasting impact on our relationship with substances and with social media.

Maarten Degreef highlights shifts in drug use and support services, while Anthony Longo takes a sharp look at the shifting boundary between the private and the public in the digital age. Two perspectives on crisis, behaviour, and connectedness.

Magnus Brunner, European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, will give the public lecture at the UCSIA Winter School on European solidarity and migration.