Beyond Competition helps Belgian Management Schools join forces

A new project called Beyond Competition helps Belgian Management Schools join forces 

In a world facing profound environmental, social, and geopolitical challenges, the need for responsible and sustainable management practices has never been greater. Responding to this call, eight Belgian business schools — ICHEC, Louvain School of Management (UCLouvain), Solvay Brussels School (ULB), Antwerp Management School (UAntwerpen), HEC Liège (ULiège), Vlerick Business School, UGent, and UMons — have joined forces to launch Beyond Competition, a collaborative initiative that promotes Ethics, Responsibility, and Sustainability (ERS) across business education and research.

Beyond Competition seeks to move past the traditional notion of competition as a driver of performance. Instead, it encourages cooperation between institutions and the integration of ethical and sustainable principles into teaching, research, and professional practice. The project aims to strengthen the collective impact of Belgian business schools by combining resources, knowledge, and expertise to promote a more responsible and forward-looking approach to management.

The initiative focuses on embedding sustainability and social responsibility at the heart of academic activities. By integrating ERS concepts into curricula and expanding interdisciplinary research, Beyond Competition aspires to shape a new generation of leaders equipped to address complex global issues with integrity and purpose. The project also serves as a platform for dialogue between academia and society, encouraging meaningful collaboration with students, researchers, alumni, and executives.

Rather than creating entirely new structures, Beyond Competition builds upon existing initiatives already established within partner institutions — such as research chairs, sustainability programmes, and corporate partnerships — and amplifies their reach at the national level. Through this cooperative approach, Belgian management schools demonstrate that by working together, they can have a far greater and more transformative impact on society than by acting alone.

Beyond Competition is more than an academic partnership; it is a collective commitment to rethink how performance and progress are defined. By promoting shared responsibility and collaboration, the initiative embodies a vision of education that truly goes beyond competition.

For more information: Home – The initiative | Beyond Competition