20th Society and Materials (SAM) International Conference

Venue

How to get: to Liège / to the campus
Where to stay
Where to eat
(near the station)
What to visit

University of Liège

SAM 20 will be hosted by University of Liège & HELMo Gramme  and will take place on the Sart Tilman. This campus is located in an exceptional setting roughly ten kilometres south of the city centre of Liège over several hundred hectares of green spaces and forest. You will be welcomed in the Dick Annegarn Exèdre, a cosy performance hall, located in the recently refurbished B8 building.

Liège can be easily reached by train from Brussels (1h) and Paris (2h15). A brand-new tram now connects the city center to the Guillemins station where electric buses can be taken to join the Sart Tilman in approx. 20 minutes.

Established in 1817, the University of Liège (ULiège) is one of Belgium’s leading universities. It hosts nearly 29,500 students, with 25% being international, representing 141 nationalities. As the public university of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, ULiège encompasses 11 faculties covering the humanities, health sciences, and science and technology. With 39 bachelor’s and 174 master’s programs, ULiège offers one of the most diverse educational selections in Belgium.

Founded in 1906 by the Jesuits in Liège, Gramme Engineering School is part of HELMo University College. This institute forms future polyvalent industrial engineers who are technically efficient and socially responsible. It supports their development as citizens, playing a major role in the transition for a better future. 

Liège

Liège is a major city in eastern Belgium, situated on the Meuse River and renowned for its welcoming atmosphere, rich cultural life, and long industrial heritage. It combines medieval landmarks such as Saint Paul’s Cathedral and the Prince-Bishops’ Palace with striking contemporary architecture, including Calatrava’s Guillemins Station. As an academic and innovation hub, the city fosters research, technology, and international collaboration. Its strategic location ensures excellent connectivity to Brussels, Paris, Cologne, and Amsterdam, while its gastronomy and festivals contribute to a lively and attractive urban environment.

How to get there: to Liège or to the campus

The venue for the conference will be the University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. The conference sessions will take place in the Exèdre Dirk Annegarn, in the Sart Tilman University Campus.

Thanks to its location in central Europe and its proximity to Brussels, Liège can be easily reached from main European cities by car, airplane (flying to Brussels, Charleroi or Köln) or by train.


Get to Liège by car, airplane or train
By car
Liège sits at the junction of 4 major motorways (E25, E313, E40, and E42) linking it to the rest of Belgium as well as France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Germany.

  • The E40 links it to Köln and Aachen to the east, and Leuven, Brussels, Gent and Brugge to the north-west.
  • The E42 runs all the way to Lille, via Namur, Charleroi, Mons and Tournai. Eastward, the E42 forks off from the E40 in Verviers (E421) and goes south to Spa, Trier and Saarbrücken.
  • The E25 goes northward to Maastricht, then all the way up to Amsterdam, and southward to Luxembourg and Metz.
  • The E313 goes to Antwerp via Hasselt.

By airplane
Participants arriving in Belgium by air can fly to Brussels airport, which is about one hour away from Liege by train (see the SNCB website for further information on train timetables).

Other airports within 1h30 hours by train from Liège are those of Köln and Charleroi (“Brussels South”), which are also served by low-cost airlines, such as Rynair and Germanwings.

By train
There are two high-speed train lines passing through Liège: the Eurostar running between Paris and Köln, and the ICE to Köln and Frankfurt.
There are frequent regular trains to most Belgian cities. Here is a summary of the main lines :

  • Toward Oostende (2h15min) : Leuven (35min), Brussels (55min), Gent (1h35min), Brugge (2h),
  • Toward Lille (2h40min) : Huy (20min), Namur (40min), Charleroi (1h10min), Mons (1h45), Tournai (2h10min)
  • Toward Antwerp (2h) : Tongeren (30min), Hasselt (55min)
  • Regular direct trains to neighbouring countries include : Maastricht (30min), Aachen (50min) and Luxembourg (2h30min).

For further information please visit the SNCB website

Getting to Sart-Tilman from the city centre or the Guillemins station
The colloquium will take place in the Sart Tilman University campus, located at about 10 km south of the city centre. The Sart-Tilman University campus can be easily reached by bus from the city centre or from the Guillemins train station.

By bus
The main bus routes to reach the Sart Tilman campus :

  • Line 2 runs between Guillemins and Sart Tilman, passing through Fragnée and Angleur.
  • Line 3 runs between the Opéra – 20 août / Sart Tilman sites, passing through the Outremeuse, Longdoz and Vennes districts.
  • Tram line T1 + line 8 crosses the city from north to south (Bressoux, Droixhe, Coronmeuse, St Léonard, Avroy, Blonden, Sclessin) with the tram as far as the ‘Standard’ bus/tram interchange and then links up with the Sart Tilman by bus.

To find out more about season ticket prices, routes and timetables:
www.letec.be or download the LE TEC application.

By car
The recommended parking are PB and PC near the Exèdre Dirk Annegarn.

Sart Tilman Campus – AGORA District
L’Agora 1
4000 Liège
GPS Coordinates to access this building:
Longitude: 5° 34′ 12.5574″ (5.570154900863599) – Latitude: 50° 35′ 5.6436″ (50.58490056111757)

Where to stay

Several hotels are located near the Guillemins train station, providing easy access to Sart Tilman.
ULiège has negotiated special rates for SAM 20.

The hotel creates registration forms in English and French. The form must be duly completed by the customer, with a valid credit card number, and then returned by e-mail so that they can proceed with the booking.
Standard room rates including VAT:
€91/single room or €107/double or twin room
These prices include breakfast but exclude tourist tax (€4/room/night).

Reduced prices for researchers visiting ULiège (to be mentioned when booking).
They have availability for 26/05/26-27/05/26 at the following prices:
Single –  €89/room/night
Double/twin –  €119/room/night
Triple –  €149/room/night
Quadruple – €169/room/night
Tourist tax is included in the room price.
Breakfast is not included and costs €15/person

Reduced rates for reservations in the name of ULiège
Follow the link below to book via their website and benefit from the ULiège rate of €89 for a single room and €99 for a double room, including VAT and breakfast(s).
ULG 26-27 Mai 2026
They already reserved around twenty rooms, with the release date sets for 27/04/2026, at which point they will release any unconfirmed rooms. If additional rooms are requested after 27/04/2026, the offer will be subject to availability at a higher rate.

Reduced prices for ULiège reservations:
ULiège rate: €120/night
https://reservations.pentahotels.com/108138?identifier=b2a000bab3d5

Where to eat

What to visit