WeDecolonize boardmember

Omschrijving van de vacature

Want to stand up for decolonization and social justice in higher education? Curious about how students organize around anti-racism, decolonization, and intersectional justice in Belgian academia? Ready to take action, organize events, and help build a more just university?

 

Then WeDecolonize is looking for you!

 

WeDecolonize is a student project by the University Center of Development Cooperation (UCOS) with its headquarters at the Free University Brussels (VUB). UCOS is a recognized Belgian NGO whose mission is to strengthen global citizenship skills among students in higher education. For this reason, we emphasize a critical perspective on global issues, international solidarity, and sustainable development. Since WD’s creation by a group of racialized students at the VUB in 2020, WD has served as a platform, a learning hub, a safer space and much more to (re)center racialized communities in higher education. Since then, the project has expanded to all Flemish higher education institutions.

 

The project consists of four pillars, namely:

  1. The deconstruction of Eurocentric knowledge systems by organizing educational events and doing academic sensitization and lobby work. 
  2. The creation of safer spaces on university campuses. We have our decolonial library at the VUB - a growing collection of fiction and non-fiction works written exclusively by racialized authors from across the globe. This is a place where students and organizations can gather to organize, plan, and build solidarity.
  3. Community–building: WeDecolonize builds community by including (student) organizations in our interuniversity network. We have collaborations with student diaspora organisations, such as UMOJA, Karibu, Dar Leuven (etc.), but also with NGO’s and academic organisations, such as BIRMM (VUB), the Kindle project (UAntwerpen) and RedressHUB (UGent). 
  4. Public Action: WeDecolonize organizes a Summer School at the end of the project year as a true takeover of the academic space. For the board members, this is not only a platform but, above all, a learning process in which they strengthen and refine their skills. They develop competencies such as project and event management, public communication, academic and creative knowledge sharing, and leadership in an academic context.

 

Gewenst profiel

  • Consistent commitment: You are available to attend bi-weekly meetings and are willing to actively contribute to the preparation and implementation of actions, library shifts, and the broader year campaign.
    Content-driven engagement: You reflect critically on the role of knowledge, power, and exclusion within higher education, and contribute to shaping a campaign rooted in the experiences, needs, and ideas of racialized students.
    Willingness to collaborate: You are open to working in a collective structure based on shared responsibility, mutual respect, and horizontal decision-making.
    Openness to learning: No prior experience is required. We are looking for students who are eager to grow, ask questions, listen, and actively engage in a collective learning process.

Ons aanbod

  • A safer space: A learning and working environment where the experiences, perspectives, and identities of racialized students are centered. We aim to create space for open dialogue, vulnerability, and mutual empowerment.

  • Room to experiment and create: As a board member, you will have the freedom to co-develop a wide range of public-facing actions, from panel discussions and media takeovers to workshops or collaborations with grassroots groups, collectives, and museums.

  • Access to a wider network: You will become part of an interuniversity and international network of engaged youth working toward structural change within and beyond higher education.

  • Societal impact on higher education: As part of WeDecolonize, you will contribute to concrete efforts that challenge and reshape the structures, narratives, and power dynamics within higher education institutions. Your work will not only raise awareness, but also actively push for institutional change - whether through policy recommendations, educational reform, or creating space for marginalized voices. This is an opportunity to be part of a broader movement that reimagines what universities can be: inclusive, critical, and accountable spaces.
  • Opportunities for individual and collective growth: Within the board, you will join a working group (e.g. communication, networking, event coordination, library work, or student affairs), allowing you to deepen your skills while contributing to a shared mission.
  • Ongoing support and guidance: Two project coordinators will guide and support you throughout the year - both in terms of content and organization - and help you navigate the development of your campaign, actions, and internal collaboration.
  • A training trajectory focused on individual skill building: In addition to the collective work of the board, you will have the opportunity to participate in a tailored training trajectory developed by UCOS to support the personal growth of young changemakers. It focuses on strengthening individual skills that are often overlooked in formal education, but are essential for grassroots organizing and public engagement. This program includes masterclasses, hands-on workshops, and collective excursions, all shaped around the needs and learning goals of the group. Topics may include public speaking, event coordination, media strategy, facilitation techniques, and power analysis.
    This is open to all board members who wish to further develop their confidence and capacity to create impact - both within and beyond the university context.

Contact

Don’t hesitate to get in contact if you have any questions or concerns. You can always reach out via mail wedecolonize@ucos.be. When you do, please put ines.alshare@ucos.be and eunique.pierrevandoorsselaere@ucos.be in cc.

Selectieprocedure

To apply, please fill in this form. The deadline is midnight, 4 September 2026. In this form, we will ask about your motivation to join WD, your interest in decolonization, and your skills. To decide which role you want to take on in the working groups of WD, please see the list below.


Based on the answers on this form, we will make an initial selection. Those who are selected will be invited for an introductory interview with the UCOS team in September. The meeting will be scheduled based on your availability.

Meer informatie

Click here to get more information.

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