An Interview with Prof. Isabelle HACHEZ
Vice-Rector of UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles
Excellence in Research at UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles
UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles is a leading institution in social sciences and humanities, excelling in fields such as law, political and social sciences, economics and business administration, philosophy, history, literature, translation, and European studies. The university has developed a widely recognized expertise in interdisciplinary research, resisting compartmentalization between disciplines.
Interdisciplinary methods, known for their creativity, are among the most efficient tools for exploring new fields of knowledge. The recent merger with UCLouvain has not altered this dynamic. The Saint-Louis campus continues to enhance these areas of excellence while strengthening its international visibility.
During her term, Prof. Hachez and her team are committed to focusing research on issues of inclusion and reinforcing collaborations with local stakeholders to deepen the Brussels roots of their work.
Current Research Programs
Like other universities in the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (FWB), UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles benefits from specialized research funding, enabling it to support numerous doctoral research projects.
Recently, the university received a FEDER fund to expand Beamm, a fiscal micro-simulation research project originally funded by Innoviris, the Brussels Region Institute for Research and Innovation. This project, which began in September 2024, will run until December 2029.
Another Innoviris-funded project, SOLIDHABRU, is analyzing the legal framework of the Community Land Trust (CLT) Brussels. It aims to identify legal barriers that may hinder CLT’s development and provide insights to improve its regulatory framework.
European Research Partnerships
UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles takes pride in the European dimension of its research projects. The university currently has two ongoing ERC projects (Coaching Rituals and Bildung Learning), a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence (EUNMUTE), and four Jean Monnet Chairs (EUGENDERING, EU Indo-Pacific, Regulating Africa-EU Value Chains, and EUGlobal-Green).
In 2023, the university secured three Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships in law, political science, and philosophy. Additionally, several of its research centers collaborate with European universities in transnational research programs funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ initiative.
Among these projects, RE-VISUALIZE: Gender and Islam in the Francophone Digital World and ARIE: Pour des Archives coloniales francophones appréhendées de manière Inclusive et Equitable (For an Inclusive and Equitable Approach to French Colonial Archives) are currently ongoing.
Furthermore, some communication researchers from UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles are part of EDMO BELUX 2.0, a multidisciplinary hub that brings together fact-checkers, media analysts, and academics to combat disinformation in Belgium and Luxembourg.
Research Valorization
With support from the Brussels Region (Innoviris), UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles has developed strong knowledge transfer initiatives. The university’s Knowledge Transfer Office (KTO) plays a vital role in connecting research with the non-academic world by promoting knowledge diffusion, mobilization, and collaboration.
Recently, the university launched a podcast dedicated to highlighting the research conducted at UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles, with a particular focus on Brussels-related studies.
The university is also a member of the LIEU network, which brings together KTOs from universities across FWB. While research valorization is a relatively new development, UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles has long been engaged in regional integration, particularly through research on Brussels.
The Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Brussels (IRIB) hosts various research centers from UCLouvain and other institutions, playing a leading role in the Brussels Studies Institute and contributing to the online magazine Brussels Studies.
Thanks to its expertise in Brussels-focused research, particularly on mobility issues, the university has secured multiple regional-funded research projects, further strengthening its impact on the region.
