The Stéphane Hessel scholarship programme supports citizen projects and solidary initiatives from ULB students.

What kinds of projects?

The project can be submitted to the selection jury by its initiator (a full-time ULB student). It must meet the following criteria:

  • Have a social and/or civic purpose and promote ULB’s values of free enquiry
  • Be original
  • Not be for profit
  • Be independent from any external entity
  • Be somewhat sustainable
  • The project can benefit ULB students or other target audiences (note: projects intended for ULB students will make up around one third of the projects selected).

Funding

  • The total amount available for Hessel scholarships is €30,000. The jury will select as many interesting projects as possible.
  • The projects selected will receive 80% of the amount upon signature of the agreement between ULB and the project’s initiator; the remaining 20% will be paid at the end of the project’s period, on the basis of an activity report and supporting documentation justifying the total amount.

Intérested?

Find all information about Hessel scholarships on ULB Engagée’s website.
 

A few examples of projects selected

In 2019, these projects were selected for a scholarship:
 

Casalina:

Social inclusion through agroecology. The BSR (Building Social Resilience) association set as its mission to promote sustainable agriculture as part of an approach for social inclusion, by running a 16,500 sq. ft. plot of land in the Italian region of Apulia. The association has 40 volunteer members from Belgium who are building relationships with local associations. The project’s goals are to create an employment contract for migrant workers (initially 4 months) and to open a welcome centre. The project has a partnership with La Route des Défis, which is a guarantee of sustainability.

This project’s goal is to reduce risks during festive events (alcohol, sex, hearing damage) through communication campaigns during ULB events, as well as training sessions and an online presence (social networks). The project is led by the head of environmental initiatives at the association of student societies (ACE); it was launched in 2015 by non-profit association Modus Vivendi. This year’s goal is to continue increasing the campaign’s visibility with a mascot, a mural, posters, free earplugs, and the creation of an informational poster on health for new students.

Learn more about Ca M'Saoule

Math Q&A:

This interactive Q&A platform covers the mathematics curriculum of secondary schools in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. The project’s initiator realized, while working as a mentor at non-profit association Schola, that there was a very real demand for a platform such as this, and that teachers would be excited about the project.

Gender Equality Afghan Women:

Project goal: promote the education and empowerment of vulnerable women, children, and families in Afghanistan. The project has 4 components:

  • Paying a teacher’s salary,
  • Building a school,
  • Leasing a space where financially vulnerable women can conduct commercial activities,
  • Setting up a microcredit system for the most vulnerable families.

Genepi Bourse Hessel

La Brèche - Genepi:

‘La Brèche’ is a journal presenting information and critical analyses of the prison system. The project is led by ULB’s group ‘Genepi’. The project’s goals are the following: enable members of Genepi to develop an editorial activity within the prison system, by giving a voice to inmates; allow knowledge transfers between prisons and civil society; support associative life and enable exchanges with the outside world.

Learn more about La Brèche-Genepi
Updated on August 12, 2021