Why did you choose to join the UNamur Board?

I was extremely honoured to be proposed as a candidate for the position of External Director. Of course I accepted, and it is a great honour for me to have joined this Board. Every time I participate, I come to the university with intense happiness. I know this institution very well and I am proud to have joined the university community! This is an important moment in my life. I have the feeling that I can bring or initiate certain actions in the interest of the different partners, to create new links. Being able to bring culture and music to a university such as this is a great asset. I would even say that it is a shared wealth.

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What links unite UNamur and the IMEP today?

They are close, and have been for a long time. There are many ongoing collaborations. At one time, language courses were given to our singers at the university. Today, some of our students take art history courses at UNamur. And these are just the beginnings of other collaborations to come. I am thinking in particular of initial teacher training, in which we will all be involved. These joint projects are more than institutional collaborations. They are exchanges between people, and this is going wonderfully well. Moreover, five emeritus or honorary academics from UNamur are currently members of the IMEP Board.

You have now joined the UNamur "backstage". What have you discovered?

Two essential things. First of all, and I already knew this: the interest and attention of all the people who are part of the university. Whether it's students or staff. There is a sincere attachment and a deep care. This touches me very much. On the other hand, I am discovering a phenomenal organisation. It is a very well organised ship. At the level of the Board of Directors, connections were immediately made with regard to certain issues.

What does the role of external administrator involve?

We have a sort of 'joker' card. We can see the landscape and the functioning of UNamur from a certain distance. We see different facets of UNamur than those highlighted by the other directors. This is what the Board expects from its external members: to be able to see things differently. I also think that board members expect sincerity from us. To be able to say with assertiveness what we see in certain situations. This point of view seems to me to be very important in the management of current issues, and also in the strategic vision of the university. Personally, I come with a knowledge of teaching and that is an advantage. I can quickly integrate the more specific aspects related to pedagogy, administration, finance, etc. Finally, the external administrator must act as a link between different worlds so that everyone can get to know and appreciate each other and plan developments together.

What are the IMEP values?

Respect for the individual, above all. The student, in particular. To be able to support each person and help them along their path. Then, to give them the most complete training possible, which will allow them to have the autonomy and tools necessary to succeed in their professional and personal lives. Another value that drives us is to be bold and visionary enough to offer students the jobs of today and tomorrow. To have the audacity to be able to embark on projects that will enable these students to find their place in life. Because things are changing very quickly today.

The IMEP values are both different from and complementary to those of UNamur and the other higher education establishments of Namur. Discussions are also calm within the Academic Pole. Because our identities, our strengths and our characteristics complement each other. We have innovation on the Namur higher education territory! At the IMEP, for example, we offer disciplines such as body training or pop singing. Another innovative course is that of computer music: in fact, we designed it with François Bodart, professor emeritus at the University of Namur!

Express CV

  • Married, 5 children
  • 1958: born in the Verviers region
  • 1978 : Lecturer at the Royal Conservatory of Liège
  • 1996: becomes deputy director of the Conservatory of Verviers
  • 1984: Higher diploma in piano at the Royal Conservatory of Liège
  • 1986: Virtuosity Prize of the Belgian Government with the highest distinction (the highest national distinction in classical music)
  • 1987: the Province of Liège awards him the Young Talents Prize
  • 1995 : joins the IMEP as a piano teacher
  • 2002 : becomes General Director of the IMEP
  • 1984 : First Prize winner of the International Competition of the European Musical Institute in Besançon (France)
  • 1986 : First Prize with congratulations of the jury at the "Young Virtuosi" Competition in Antwerp

The IMEP

The Royal Higher Institute of Music and Pedagogy is a college of arts founded in 1970. It offers higher education and training for artists, pedagogues and social actors. IMEP has an international reputation with 471 students of whom 32% are foreigners (24 different nationalities). Like UNamur, the Institute is part of the Academic Pole of Namur.