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[The CIVIS Newsroom ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom) 2. The first inter-university NGO created in Belgium The first inter-university NGO created in Belgium ================================================= 4 May 2026 Academics, funding institutions, civil society representatives, and NGO’s teams and partners got together in Bruxelles to celebrate the launch of [Ucoopia](https://ucoopia.org/en/home/) - the inter-university NGO, formed by the merger of ULB - Coopération (ULB’s NGO) and Eclosio (ULiège’s NGO), joined by UMONS. ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/highlight-ucoopia.png)United by a common vision of solidarity and sustainable development, the three institutions created the very first inter-university NGO. Ucoopia is a unique alliance which strengthens the impact of the actions carried out by combining academic expertise and commitment in the field. El Hadj Ousmane Niang, Ucoopia’s Head of Development and Communication in Senegal, came to share concrete examples of the NGO’s impact on the ground. At the same time, Julie Simon, Executive Director of Ucoopia, highlights the project’s origins, its ambitions, and the values that guide the NGO’s daily work: > *With Ucoopia, we want to start a movement, share knowledge, and bring together the perspectives of our three universities, all stakeholders in the field, and our teams to move forward.* The three universities came together in the spirit of solidarity to better face the challenges of tomorrow, aiming to make Ucoopia a major, indispensable player in committed university cooperation. ### Governance and management With strong roots in academia and civil society, the NGO works in partnership with local organizations and partners in Africa (Benin, Senegal, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo), Latin America (Bolivia, Peru), Asia (Cambodia), and Belgium. Ucoopia’s patron is Blandine Sankara, a leading figure in agroecology and founder of the Yelemani association, while the organization’s sponsor, is Olivier Hamant - biologist, author, and speaker known for his approach that prioritizes resilience over performance. This launch in Belgium marks a new milestone in the expansion of our NGO and reinforces our commitment to building, alongside our universities and partners, a more sustainable, inclusive, and united future. The details of the launching event are available in the original story, in French. [En savoir plus](https://actus.ulb.be/fr/actus/international/inauguration-officielle-ducoopia-en-belgique) Related news ------------ - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/ulb-students-podcast-800x600.jpg?token=1407eb1085f4f87e8ae7380632871c8e)In between classes, students take the mic CIVIS Highlights 24 September 2026 ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/in-between-classes-students-take-the-mic) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/brulau-800x600.jpg?token=a7e763ecd7ac25cced035c852cb8bc24)Scaling Collaboration – BruLau expands at CIVIS level Communication and Dissemination 25 August 2026 ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/scaling-collaboration-brulau-expands-at-civis-level) - [ ![](https://civis.eu/storage/files/civis-3i-800x600.jpg?token=cdaaf78fd06e8e65fdfb5b50ef1a8355)CIVIS3i: Five Years Advancing Research Excellence Across CIVIS Alliance Alliance projects 28 July 2026 ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/civis3i-five-years-advancing-research-excellence-across-civis-alliance) [ Discover all our stories ](https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom) [ Voices That Shape Europe: CIVIS Students at the European Student Assembly 2026 in Strasbourg ](%20https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/voices-that-shape-europe-civis-students-at-the-european-student-assembly-2026-in-strasbourg%20) [ Martin Knoll: a 'civizen' working to build bridges between science and society ](%20https://civis.eu/en/the-civis-newsroom/martin-knoll-a-civizen-working-to-build-bridges-between-science-and-society%20) ![CIVIS – Europe’s Civic University Alliance](https://civis.eu/build/assets/civis-CCpvK1nT.svg) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Europe’s Civic University Alliance ![Co-funded by the European Union](https://civis.eu/build/assets/co-funded-by-the-european-union-DSKLW1us.png)Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). 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