Europe & Solidarity Education & Service-Learning Jesuit Heritage

The city as a laboratory: Erik De Bom on the UCSIA Solidarity Academy

In the latest issue of Tertio, our acting director Erik De Bom wrote an inspiring article about the social role of the UCSIA Solidarity Academy. He emphasises how the academy responds to the universal apostolic priorities of the Jesuits and focuses on solidarity as the foundation of society and ethics.

"The Solidarity Academy builds bridges based on the conviction that society itself is a source of knowledge."

Erik De Bom, waarnemend directeur UCSIA

Reflecting on solidarity

The Solidarity Academy aims to be a place where local social projects, academic reflection and social actors come together.

It focuses on themes such as poverty, sustainability, migration and just transition, and connects warm (human) and cold (structural) solidarity with each other.

Solidarity in action

In addition to reflection, UCSIA is also strongly committed to hands-on action. Here are a few examples:

At the annual UCSIA Winter School “European Solidarity in the Making”, students, academics, civil society organisations and policymakers meet and work together.

In addition, UCSIA is one of the driving forces behind the service-learning educational approach in Flanders and Europe. This method sends students out into society, where they use the insights gained in class to support social organisations. The experiences in the field then provide food for thought and discussion in the classroom.

Read the full article! (in Dutch)

You can read the article online or in the September issue of Tertio. (P007198 maandblad nr. 12, p 22-25).