We aspire to be a leading centre of excellence in R&D and a driving force for transformative and interdisciplinary research. By uniting our efforts, we aim to provide timely and real-world solutions that empower industry, start-ups, governments and society to build a sustainable and resilient future.
Our mission is to advance research, connect basic and applied science, and deliver distinctive solutions that add value in three areas – the natural, built and industrial environments. We bridge different disciplines to generate transversal intelligence in strategic sectors like Space, AI, and Defence.
United in our ambition to create value for our partners and society through inspiring and impactful research and innovation, led by passion and integrity.
LIST has officially received ISO 45001 certification, the international benchmark standard for occupational health and safety management, becoming the first research institute in Luxembourg to achieve this. This standard provides a structured approach to identifying risks, preventing incidents, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Over the course of the year, the project — based on a participatory and continuous improvement methodology — enabled the rollout of a new HSE (Health, Safety, Environment) policy, the execution of internal assessments and audits, and the implementation of improvement measures to meet the standard’s requirements.
As part of its prevention efforts and its ISO 45001 certification, LIST has also strengthened its HSE training plan to provide content tailored to the specific needs of each position while ensuring a common foundation of knowledge regarding occupational safety and health. Additionally, new training sessions dedicated to first aid and firefighting have been launched.
At LIST, we are committed to providing a safe and respectful work environment. We provide support, resources, and procedures to listen, guide, and take action. The Human Resources Department, in collaboration with the staff delegation, has established an “Anti-Harassment and Workplace Violence” policy. By establishing this policy, LIST makes the protection of its employees a priority and reaffirms its commitment to being an inclusive and tolerant organization that treats everyone with respect, honesty, and fairness. To strengthen our shared culture and take concrete action against harassment, all employees have completed mandatory training.
As part of LIST’s ongoing commitment to well-being and a respectful workplace, LIST has also raised awareness about microaggressions by offering online sessions on the topic to help us understand our daily interactions and their impact.
Furthermore, LIST is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and strives to create a safe environment where violations of the law can be reported without fear of retaliation. To this end, and in accordance with European and national legislation, the institute has established a system that allows secure reporting of any violation by LIST of national law or directly applicable European law.
Building on its “Positive Actions” label received from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Diversity (MEGA) in late 2024, LIST has continued its concrete efforts in the areas of equality and inclusion.
In February, on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we organized a roundtable bringing together staff members to share their perspectives on how education fosters certain career opportunities. On International Women’s Rights Day, we hosted a breakfast highlighting biases in artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI, particularly their gender-based biases.
On Diversity Day Lëtzebuerg, drawing on the nearly 60 nationalities represented at LIST, the Diversity & Inclusion team published a 100% multicultural cookbook filled with recipes submitted by employees. We also organized a breakfast on the topic of intercultural communication led by Hélène Langinier, Associate Professor at EM Strasbourg Business School and an expert in intercultural management.
To reinforce our commitment to a more inclusive and respectful work environment, particularly for LGBTQIA+ individuals, the Diversity & Inclusion team organized three events as part of Pride Week. A lunch open to LIST staff focused on the topic of homophobia, featuring a presentation by Nicolas Van Elsué, a research fellow at the High Commission for National Protection (HCPN) and a member of the board of directors of the national LGBTIQ+ association Rosa Lëtzebuerg. Finally, about fifteen LIST employees laced up their sneakers to take part in the Pride Run through the streets of the capital, while others marched through the streets of Esch-sur-Alzette during the Equality March.
LIST has created a working group, called “AccessAbility,” to identify and remove barriers faced by people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Certain barriers -whether physical, organizational, or cultural- can hinder the full participation of colleagues with disabilities or chronic conditions. By identifying these barriers and working collectively to remove them, the institute aims to lay the groundwork for a truly inclusive environment.
The group’s tasks include assessing the current situation, identifying visible and invisible barriers and proposing solutions, raising awareness among teams and suggesting training opportunities, developing proposals for buildings, communications, and processes that are accessible to everyone, and promoting a shared culture of inclusion.
In June, LIST employees were invited to participate in the “Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS)” survey. Its objective is to gather employee feedback at a specific time of year to determine whether they would recommend LIST as a workplace and to understand the factors that may influence their motivation, satisfaction, and engagement. With a 55% response rate, the survey yielded a significant amount of quantitative and qualitative feedback, including over 2000 comments. To address the expectations expressed, a plan outlining approximately 100 concrete actions was developed in close collaboration with key internal stakeholders, including the staff delegation, the well-being working group, and unit/department heads, and subsequently approved by the Executive Committee.
To strengthen information security, LIST has launched a mandatory training campaign for its staff. The campaign focused on the European Directive on the security of network and information systems (NIS2) as it has come into force. This directive aims to strengthen cybersecurity, particularly through requirements related to risk management, incident reporting, and governance. The campaign aims to familiarize the LIST community with the key principles of NIS2 and to explain its practical implications for our work environment.
A supplementary document, titled “Detection and Handling of Spam and Phishing Emails,” has been made available to LIST employees on the training platform.
In January, the Hautcharage site received renewal of its “Quality label SuperDrecksKëscht® fir Betriber.” The label, recognized by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructure, is awarded following an audit conducted by SuperDrecksKëscht® on various aspects of waste management. Aspects audited include selective collection, waste storage, the quality and traceability of waste recovery and disposal, as well as appropriate prevention and information measures.
LIST is taking a new step in supporting its PhD students with the establishment of the PhD Office within the Science Directorate. This new entity aims to professionalize the framework of doctoral training. By centralizing and optimizing the coordination of the doctoral programme, the PhD Office aims to improve the experience of PhD students and provide an environment conducive to their success.
Following an initial meeting over breakfast in June, during which more than 30 PhD students shared their thoughts and experiences in an informal setting, monthly “PhD Off Topic” sessions are now held on a regular basis. Topics range from staff delegation to entrepreneurship, including workplace life and data management.
The PhD Office has also helped create a space for dialogue between management and PhD students. For example, CEO Olivier Guillon and Deputy-CEO Jurgen Joossens spoke at a workshop for young researchers, sharing their experiences, particularly their own PhD journeys.
These initial initiatives have helped create a space where PhD students can make their voices heard, share their concerns, and collectively shape their ideas.
109
PhD students based at LIST
5
Doctoral theses successfully defended
KACHOURI Oussema,
“Debond on Demand Adhesives Using the Intumescent Flame-Retardancy Concept”, University of Luxembourg, 5 May 2025.
EL BOUHALI Aymane,
“Facilitating the Production of Porous Materials from Lignin”, University of Luxembourg, 8 May 2025.
ARAVINDHAN Ashwath,
“Nonlinear Pyroelectric Materials for Electro-Thermal Energy Harvesting”, University of Luxembourg, 23 September 2025.
LEMAIGRE Sébastien,
“Process disturbances in anaerobic digestion: biogas-based detection and chemically induced recovery strategies assessed through metabolic and microbial monitoring”, University of Luxembourg & Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve, 26 September 2025.
TURK Guilhem,
“Bedrock geology controls on catchment sensitivity and resilience to climate change”, University of Luxembourg, 10 December 2025.
