Solemn opening ceremony of the academic year 2026

On Wednesday 30 September 2026, Université Catholique de Lille officially launched the new academic year with its traditional Formal Opening Ceremony.

Each year, this event brings together the University’s staff, teaching staff and educational professionals, including those from our Faculty of Law, for a time of discussion and reflection.

The formal ceremony also featured a procession by the University’s academic staff in ceremonial robes, symbolising the unity and continuity of the academic community.

“The many faces of intelligence”

To open the new academic year, Ollivier Dyens, essayist, lecturer and Professor of French Literature at McGill University in Montreal, delivered the opening lecture, “The Many Faces of Intelligence”. In his lecture, he invited participants to reflect on the different forms intelligence can take, at a time when artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in our lives.

The event also marked the launch of Matières à penser, the Université Catholique de Lille’s 2026–2027 programme dedicated to exploring different forms of intelligence.

A year of different perspectives

Throughout the academic year, Matières à penser will offer a range of events exploring intelligence in all its forms: human intelligence, artificial intelligence, collective intelligence, the intelligence of living systems, and the intelligence of making and doing.

The programme includes: a varied cultural programme bringing people together around a wide range of themes and formats inspired by the different forms of intelligence; a podcast featuring researchers, experts and leading voices sharing and comparing their perspectives; and a series of publications offering short, accessible works that extend the discussion at the intersection of ethical and forward-looking issues.

A fitting way to begin the new academic year: taking the time to reflect on a subject at the heart of the transformations shaping our society.

The evening continued with a reception, providing an opportunity to carry on the conversations in a convivial atmosphere.

MATIÈRES À PENSER PROGRAMME