François Jégou

Edited on 08/06/2023

Validated expert

François Jégou

  • Belgium

  • French, English, Italian
Availability :
Available for Lead Expert role and Ad-hoc expertise missions

Validated Expert info

Expert can perform the Lead expert role and Ad hoc expertise missions at network and programme level in relation to:

  1. The design and delivery of (transnational) exchange and learning activities
  2. Thematic expertise:
    > Food
    > Participatory Governance
    > Circular economy
  3. Methods and tools for integrated and participatory approaches:
    > Integrated and participatory design of strategies
    > Sustaining engagement of stakeholders and translating strategies into actions

Summary

 

I am trained as designer passionate in exploring sustainable ways of living and building scenarios on urban transition. I developed an expertise in social innovation, participative policy making and forward-looking activities.

 

I founded Strategic Design Scenarios a sustainable transformation lab based in Brussels where I have been working for 25 years with public authorities and companies to create innovation labs in cities and administrations (La Réunion, FR, Mayenne FR, Wallonia Region, BE; EU Policy Lab...), designing sober and resilient public policies (What if we used less water?, Lille FR; Good Food, Brussels, BE...), co-constructing toolkits and games to support transition of civil servant professional practices (VISIONS+21 on local Agenda 21 participative foresight, Organic Skeptic a deck of cards to enhance stakeholders' dialogue on sustainable food...).

 

Since 10+ years I am supporting European cities as URBACT Lead Expert (2 Action Planning Networks: REFILL The City on the temporary use of vacant spaces and Sustainable Food in Urban Communities; 2 Transfer Networks: BioCanteens #1 & #2 on healthy food practices and cities’ food sovereignty; An URBACT I & II capitalisation study: Social Innovation in Cities) and as Expert for Urban Innovative Action (Collections of Ghent, project on cultural heritage and social cohesion; Handbook for Crisis-Resilient Innovation capitalisation study).


I have a large experience as researcher on transition processes, citizen participation and foresight as partner of various European FP4, FP5 and H2020 EU funded research projects exploring sustainable lifestyles (SPREAD 2050, EMUDE, SUSTAINABLE HOUSEHOLD), transforming energy use domestic practices (NATCONSUMERS, ECO2), engaging citizens in shaping European research policy agenda (CIMULACT), enhancing connectivity between research and policymaking in sustainable consumption (CORPUS), exploring the future of innovation processes (INFU), supporting SME’s adoption of Responsible Research and Innovation (COMPASS).


As a trainer at the INET Institute for National Territorial Studies for territorial agents in France, I can mobilise a wide range of pedagogical experiences on user-centred and community-centred design applied to policies (SciencesPo Lille, FR), design for social innovation (ENSAV La Cambre, BE; Politecnico, Milan, IT; guest professor in design schools and universities worldwide, co-founder of DESIS, Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability) and education for sustainable development (PERL, Partnership for Education and Research on Responsible Living, Erasmus+). 
 

Related URBACT activities

  • REFILL

    In many European cities one of the positive side effects of the financial-economic crisis is the growth of innovative forms of solidarity and commitment at local level. This Action Planning network pioneered, in terms of bottom-up civic initiatives, by co-creating solutions for social challenges in an urban context. Cities are often perceived as a laboratory and governments are no longer the only actor to solve complex challenges faced in cities. Therefore, temporary use is a powerful tool to make our cities "future fit". Since the concept of temporary use is interacting with many other urban dynamics it creates the right environment for social innovation to develop by: exchanging and evaluating of local supporting instruments; ensuring long lasting effects of temporality; building a more flexible and collaborative public administration.

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  • BioCanteens#2

    BioCanteens#2 Transfer Network is about ensuring the distribution of sustainable school meals in participating cities as a key lever towards the development of an integrated local agri-food approach, protecting both citizens’ health and the environment. The project aims to transfer Mouans- Sartoux’s Good Practice in the field of collective school catering, to other highly committed cities across Europe.

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  • BioCanteens

    BioCanteens Transfer Network is about ensuring the distribution of sustainable school meals in participating cities as a key lever towards the development of an integrated local agri-food approach, protecting both citizens’ health and the environment. The project aims to transfer Mouans-Sartoux’s Good Practice in the field of collective school catering, to other highly committed cities across Europe. Mouans-Sartoux’s Good Practice is based on the daily distribution of meals that are 100% organic and mostly composed of local products, the drastic reduction of food waste thereby fully compensating the higher cost of switching to organic products, and the organisation of dedicated educational activities to raise children’s awareness about sustainable food.

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Articles

  • Article

    Liège makes purchasing a key ingredient of a local and sustainable food ecosystem

    Liège brings public procurement into the mix for a more local, seasonal and sustainable food system.

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    author image

    François Jégou

  • Article
    Urban garden in Mouans-Sartoux (FR) - Photo by François Jégou

    Food purchase is an agriculture act!

    How can we bring the transition issues related to food back to the table and to citizens' attention? Get the highlights of two URBACT Networks

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    author image

    François Jégou

  • BioCanteens#2: cities engaged for food democracy and sovereignty

    3 primary schools’ canteens in the city and a thousand lunches par day 100% organic and mostly local with no cost increase! That the magic of the Good

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    author image

    François Jégou

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