Becoming carbon neutral by 2025 is one of the objectives of the University of Eastern Finland (UEF)’s Strategy Action Plan for 2021–2030. Last year, the university set up several groups of experts to carry out the carbon footprint calculation and come up with ways to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. The work was carried out in five groups focusing on facilities, procurements, travel, campus restaurants and laboratories. 

According to the calculations, UEF's total carbon footprint amounts to around 16,000 tCO2eqv (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents). The main sources of emissions in 2019 were heating (22%), campus restaurants (17%) and flights (16%). On an individual level, divided by the total number of degree students and staff, the carbon footprint is 878 kilograms per person.

The assessment of the carbon footprint for 2019 serves as a baseline for the goal of becoming carbon neutral. The next step will be to use the observations made during the calculation of overall emissions to prepare concrete measures that the university can take to reduce its carbon footprint.  >>> Find out more!

Bringing beneficial impact to individuals and communities is central to the DNA of Dublin City University, whose aspiration is to be known as a University of Transformation and Impact that strives to deliver on the 17 SDGs. In Health and Wellbeing (SDG 3), DCU research ensures that the academic community adopts healthier lives and promotes well-being for all ages. It has also played an important role in areas including cancer, dermatitis, sepsis, blindness, physical literacy and mental health (see: DCU’s Moving Well-Being Well physical literacy project; SepTec, speeding up diagnosis to save patients with sepsis; or DCU’s Dementia Elevator Programme). In Fairer, Safer, More Inclusive societies (SDG 5, 10 & 16), DCU enables more diverse, inclusive and representative workplaces and organisations, and strengthens the fairness and safety of societies (see: DCU Centre for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion – the first of its kind, driving change in workplace diversity). In Quality Education for All (SDG 1, 4 & 10), DCU ensures that more people can access and benefit from high-quality education and training (see: DCU Access Programme, enabling students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to study at DCU). In Smarter Futures (SDG 8,9,10), DCU supports people with ideas and passion to change our futures. A total of five companies spun out of DCU in the 2018-2019 period alone. There was an increase of 300 digital economy jobs at the DCU Alpha Innovation campus and 15% of venture capital in Ireland was raised by companies at DCU Alpha. >>> Find out more! 

Sustainable development is a high priority goal for the University of Konstanz. In 2015, U Konstanz was the first university in Germany to establish a student-led Green Office, and a continuous working group on “Sustainable Development” was founded in 2020. More recently, in April 2021, the university’s  new Vice Rector for Sustainability, Information and Communication Technology, Professor Christine Peter, took office, anchoring the SDGs at the highest level of leadership at the university.

The Sustainable Development working group has defined six initial fields of action in line with the SDGs: (1) teaching and science communication, (2) nutrition, (3) student and university engagement, (4) mobility, (5) buildings and energy, and (6) the monitoring and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. >>> Find out more!

NOVA University Lisbon launched the Innovation District, a project aiming to create a new global city in Almada, together with public and private partners, that will combine a unique and sustainable lifestyle in a new geography of innovation and technological knowledge. 

Fully aligned with NOVA’s commitment to the SDGs, this project highlights the importance of Universities in the local communities as drivers of change. It actively addresses SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, aiming at enhancing inclusive and sustainable urbanisation and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management. Its innovative design is also an example of multi-stakeholder engagement.

This project will follow sustainability best practices, aligned with the Green Deal and the Paris Agreement. It constitutes an opportunity to invest in clean energy and transform existing buildings to meet energy efficient standards. NOVA starts its journey towards carbon neutrality! >>> Find out more! 

Industrial and business parks are rarely seen as role models in terms of climate protection and sustainability. The new reality lab ‘Klima Connect’ aims to change this in Ulm’s Donautal (Danube Valley). Researchers from Ulm University are working with business executives and employees to develop a concept to make the large industrial and business area in Ulm more climate-friendly. The special feature of the reality lab format: Employers and employees are actively involved in the development of the real experiments that will pave the way for a more sustainable Donautal. This personal involvement is intended to increase the participants’ competence to act in a way that protects the climate. 

In order to motivate the heterogeneous group of employees in the Donautal to act sustainably for the purpose of climate protection, the project incorporates workshops with the initiative Donautal Connect right at the beginning. This collaboration of local companies strives to increase the attractiveness of the region and to find joint mobility solutions. >>> Find out more!

Pioneering research in crystal engineering at University of Limerick can be applied to a number of challenges including medicines, clean water and energy. Under the leadership of Prof. Mike Zaworotko, researchers at UL have designed a self-contained greenhouse that provides its own water and could have a major impact on global food production. The C-MINUS project brings together partners from industry and academia to address a new disruptive approach to farming – self-contained greenhouses that provide their own water and CO2 powered by sunlight.

“Not only could C-MINUS technology enable decentralised food production, it will do so with a negative carbon footprint,” according to Professor Michael Zaworotko, Bernal Chair of Crystal Engineering and Science Foundation of Ireland (SFI) Research Professor at UL’s Department of Chemical Sciences, who is leading the project. “Our goal is to grow food anywhere in the world, at any time, regardless of the environmental conditions – in a self-contained greenhouse, where there is no need for electricity, water, or sunlight,” he added. >>> Find out more!

The University of Essex’s global profile in human rights and migration research is at the heart of a range of projects, partnerships and practical measures in support of the SDGs. For more than three decades, Essex Human Rights Centre (HRC) has played a significant role in international standard-setting, most recently in the development of guidelines for investigations in armed conflict and drugs policy. Through the Human Rights Local initiative, the HRC has also worked with disadvantaged communities across the UK, to build a culture of rights. Essex is also home to the Centre for Trauma, Asylum, and  Refugees, to the Centre for Migration Studies, and to the Global Academic Interdisciplinary Network (GAIN) Secretariat. GAIN aims to establish a worldwide network of scholars focused on “refugee, other forced displacement, and statelessness issues”. 

Collaborations and capacity building activities focuse on a broad range of areas including sexual health, sustainable rivers and the use of machine learning to fight forest fires. The renowned ‘Essex Spirit‘ has also been on view, with students playing their part through studies, volunteering and activism. In December 2020, the University responded to calls from students and staff by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, and, in the same month, it was recognised as a University of Sanctuary, reflecting a commitment to promoting a culture of welcome, safety and inclusion for refugees and asylum seekers across its campuses and communities. >>> Find out more!

Maastricht University wants to contribute to a more sustainable future on earth with its education, research and operations. Its aim is to integrate sustainability in the DNA of the entire organization by 2030. To reach that aim UM has created the taskforce Sustainable UM2030 that will work on sustainability issues. The taskforce consists of researchers, teachers and UM policy makers and works with students via the Green Office.

In order to be a sustainable university by 2030 the taskforce wants to achieve: that students, academics and other staff have the competencies and skills to work on the transition towards a more sustainable world; a more climate neutral university; that knowledge and values from different backgrounds and disciplines generated at UM can be applied for sustainable solutions; that more interdisciplinary research for sustainability is taking place; establishing partnerships within the university, the region and beyond to implement sustainability together; connecting top-down and bottom-up initiatives for sustainable development. >>> Find out more!

One of UNIRI’s main focuses within the process of creating institutional policies and strategies is to achieve the SDGs. This endeavour is also part of numerous projects carried out by the university. In the 2020 Erasmus+ calls, UNIRI received financing for more than 10 projects relating to the SDGs, two of which are coordinated by UNIRI. "E-laboratory for digital education" is to develop sustainable partnerships between higher education institutions in the EU to develop digital pedagogical competencies of teaching staff and find innovative solutions to provide high quality and inclusive digital education. Consequently, the goal of the project is to strengthen the ability to introduce and enhance e-teaching and e-learning by developing modern e-tools and digital content. Achieving these goals will contribute to SDG4 (Quality education), SDG9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), and SDG17 (Partnership for the goals). “Development of European Curriculum in the Field of Sustainable Camping Resort Management” (CAMPMASTER) has derived from recognizing the need of the fast-growing camping industry for quality-trained staff with specific knowledge and skills. The main goal of the project is to develop the first European curriculum in the field of sustainable management of a camping resort – CAMPMASTER. >>> Find out more!

Brunel University London is committed to using sources and disposing of materials in a responsible way. Many are, in fact, the initiatives taken by Brunel to ensure a sustainable approach to the university’s life: food and supplies are sourced ethically, through a responsible procurement strategy; the use of plastic is minimised through an updated environment policy, and through the research of the Partnership for Sustainable Food Future. The university has put in place policies on reducing the waste sent to landfill, through elimination, reduction, reuse and recycling – and it has increased the proportion of recycled waste. It has also put in place a tracking system of the way in which handle hazardous and toxic materials is handled.

This strong showing reflects the importance of sustainability and responsibility to the university’s plan – and of tackling global challenges, front and centre as part of the new Brunel 2030 Research Strategy, which prioritises interdisciplinary research for the benefit of individuals, societies, economies and the planet. >>> Find out more!