The first inter-university NGO created in Belgium

Academics, funding institutions, civil society representatives, and NGO’s teams and partners got together in Bruxelles to celebrate the launch of Ucoopia - the inter-university NGO, formed by the merger of ULB - Coopération (ULB’s NGO) and Eclosio (ULiège’s NGO), joined by UMONS.

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.