WeDecolonize: Creating Space for Knowledge, Community and Change
WeDecolonize is a student-led project within the University Centre for Development Cooperation (UCOS) that brings together young people from universities and colleges across Belgium around the decolonisation of higher education. What started as WeDecolonizeVUB has grown into an interuniversity initiative where students come together to create knowledge, community and space to critically question the existing structures of higher education.
Universities are often presented as neutral and universal spaces for knowledge production. In reality, academic institutions have historically been shaped by European, white and male power structures. This history continues to influence what knowledge is considered valuable and universal, who has access to academic spaces, and whose experiences and perspectives are heard or marginalised. WeDecolonize seeks to make these dynamics visible, deconstruct them, and create space for alternative forms of knowledge, knowledge production and pedagogy.
WeDecolonize works around four central pillars: knowledge, safe(r) space, community building and public action. Through our decolonial library, workshops, panels, conversations and social activities, we create spaces to learn, exchange and connect. At the same time, we build safe(r) spaces where racialised students can share their experiences, frustrations, dreams and joy through our broad interuniversity network.
WeDecolonize does not only want to talk about change. We want to put change into motion together. We bring students and academics together to rethink knowledge, strengthen communities and actively work towards a more inclusive and just higher education system.
Interested?
- Apply to become a member by 4 september 2026..
- Visit the WeDecolonize Library - not to be confused with the university library - on the VUB campus: Pleinlaan 5, 1050 Brussels.
- Join one of the events organised throughout the academic year. Safe space conversations are also organised specifically for racialised students.
Follow our programme and upcoming activities via this link
- Instagram: WeDecolonizeVUB https://www.instagram.com/wedecolonize/
- Facebook: WeDecolonizeVUB https://www.facebook.com/wedecolonizevub
- Or contact wedecolonize@ucos.be.
Contact details
E-mail: Wedecolonizevub@ucos.be
*As an Urban Engaged University, we call upon our VUB community to help build a better world through social engagement. On the "The World Needs You" platform, the VUB collects socially meaningful projects on which students, staff, alumni and sympathisers can collaborate. These projects do not represent the university. The initiatives and communication are the responsibility of the project organisers and do not represent the university's position.