Compassion as a silent force behind innovation
On Thursday 22 May, Finnish sociologist Anne Birgitta Pessi will be our guest for the final lecture in the ‘Compassion in Context’ series. Ahead of this talk, an interview appeared in Tertio in which Pessi shares her insights on compassion as a driver of innovation in organisations and communities.
UCSIA advocates for an Eco-Social Union
On 9 May – Europe Day – Bea Cantillon and Erik De Bom of the Universitair Centrum Sint-Ignatius Antwerpen (UCSIA) published an editorial on the future of Europe in newspaper De Morgen. Their plea: an Eco-Social Union in which ecological sustainability and social justice are inseparable.
Scholarship Louis Bruyns 2025-26
UCSIA is offering the Louis Bruyns Scholarship for the 2025-2026 academic year, a grant for a PhD student from the Global South to spend a research period at the University of Antwerp. During the stay, the student will also contribute to a public event on a relevant theme, such as equitable transition or migration.
Submit your proposal before 31 May 2025!
Keynote Johan De Wilde highlights cross-links between service-learning and co-creation
At the network event of the Flemish Network for Service-Learning in Higher Education on 21 February 2025, Johan De Wilde (Odisee) gave an inspiring keynote on the interfaces between service-learning and co-creation. Although he does not consider himself a service-learning specialist, he referred to previous experiences and insights from other fields that are valuable for the discussion.
The call for papers for the 2025 UCSIA Summer School is open!
Are you a PhD or postdoctoral researcher exploring the intersection of religion and politics? The UCSIA Summer School 2025 offers a unique opportunity to present your work and engage in critical, interdisciplinary discussions on moral debates in religion and politics.
We are pleased to invite you to apply for the UCSIA Summer School 2025 in Antwerp, Belgium, from 24 to 29 August 2025. This interdisciplinary programme brings together young scholars from around the world to critically examine the complex relationship between religion and politics, with a special focus on moral debates and their impact on power structures and societal transformations.
Application deadline: 30 April 2025
New book on service-learning in higher education: learning in and with society
The Flemish Network for Service-Learning in Higher Education, coordinated by UCSIA, is proud to launch a new book (in Dutch) on service-learning. This publication offers teachers, policy makers and educational institutions insights and concrete tools to integrate service-learning sustainably into their educational programmes.
Lieven Gevaert and social entrepreneurship: a look at the past and future
Revisit the fascinating panel discussion ‘Lieven Gevaert and the art of social entrepreneurship’ to commemorate his 90th death anniversary!
Gevaert was the founder of the photography company Agfa-Gevaert. He was not only an innovative industrialist, but also a pioneer of social responsibility within business. For instance, he implemented initiatives such as profit-sharing and health insurance for his employees, long before there was social security.
Throwback to the opening of the UCSIA House
On 14 November, we celebrated the opening of the new UCSIA House with you, a milestone we look back on with great pride.
The event was festively kicked off and interwoven with music by the Antwerp-based socio-artistic company Tutti Fratelli. This was followed by a warm welcome by deputy director Erik De Bom, who also presented the new corporate identity. President Bea Cantillon introduced the new UCSIA flagship project: ‘The Solidarity Academy’.
Religion as a language to express fear and frustration
Religion is back from never being gone in the political realm. That was the subject of the UCSIA Summer School’s public panel debate. The panel included international religion scholars and summer school tutors Jayeel Cornelio, Jennifer Eggert and Vlad Naumescu. Read all about it in the article (in Dutch) in Tertio!
Taye Birhanu Taressa is the 2024 Fund Bruyns Scholar
Taye Birhanu Taressa is a young researcher from Ethiopia. He is researching the role of indigenous Oromo environmental ethics in relation to sustainable development. Thanks to the Fund Bruyns, he is a research student at the Centre for European Philosophy at the University of Antwerp for the next few months.
Meet our ELP Fellow: Maria Cordero-Fernández
UCSIA welcomes Maria Cordero-Fernández who joins the team for the coming year as a Fellow of the European Leadership Programme. UCSIA has been supporting the programme for the past 5 years by organizing the biannual paper presentation jury for the fellows at the University of Antwerp and supporting the organization of a graduation ceremony in Brussels.
Since 2021 we also offer a fellowship to an ELP candidate. This year we offer a work experience in joint collaboration with USOS, the University Foundation for Development Cooperation, for a Fellow from the South.
Meet our ELP Fellow: Divin-Luc Bikubanya
UCSIA welcomes Divin-Luc Bikubanya who joins the team for the coming year as a Fellow of the European Leadership Programme. UCSIA has been supporting the programme for the past 5 years by organizing the biannual paper presentation jury for the fellows at the University of Antwerp and supporting the organization of a graduation ceremony in Brussels.
Since last year we also offer a fellowship to an ELP candidate. This year we offer a work experience in joint collaboration with USOS, the University Foundation for Development Cooperation, for a Fellow from the South.