UNICA Green & SDGs webinar “Approaches to Greening Academic Travel”

More and more universities are setting ambitious goals in the areas of sustainability and climate change mitigation. These commitments are reflected in measures that affect all areas of the university. One area of particular importance for the carbon footprint of the institutions is international mobility of researchers and students. This area is clearly part of university’s DNA – international exchange strengthens science and creates important opportunities for intercultural encounters for researchers, managers and students alike. The challenge is to reconcile these goals with the demands of mitigating climate change. While some universities already publish policies and recommendations in this regard, this area is largely dependent on the guidelines of national, European and international funding programs. Fortunately, funding agencies are also becoming increasingly committed to sustainability and climate change performance and are taking this into account in their calls for proposals.

This webinar highlighted the approach of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions’ Green Charter of the European Commission. It provided an opportunity to learn about the MSCA Green Charter and to discuss the role and value of sustainable travel policies in the higher education context.

The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the European Union’s flagship programme for the mobility and training of researchers, as well as the development of doctoral programmes, with a strong structuring effect on participating institutions. Following the European Commission’s commitment to tackling climate and environmental-related challenges, the MSCA Green Charter lays down a set of general principles and objectives that promote the sustainable implementation of research activities in line with the European Green Deal, the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. The MSCA Green Charter constitutes a code of good practice for all recipients of MSCA funding – both individuals and institutions – and promotes the mainstreaming of environmental considerations in all aspects of project implementation. In so doing, the Charter seeks to reduce the environmental footprint of MSCA-funded projects, to raise awareness of environmental sustainability, and to serve as a catalyst in promoting best practice in sustainable research management.

Find out more about the EC MSCA Green Charter here | Download the MSCA Green Charter

PRESENTATIONS

Sustainability and Climate Action in Higher Education, by Katrin Schweigel, Coordinator University Alliance for Sustainability, Freie Universität Berlin

Towards greener Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), by Marléne Bartés, Policy Officer, Directorate General for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (DG EAC), European Commission

Reporting on the involvement and experiences from the expert group in the process of establishing the MSCA Green Charter, by Katinka Elisabeth Grønli, University of Oslo

MSCA Green Charter in a doctoral network, by Marit Eldholm, Senior Advisor at the ARENA Center for European Studies, University of Oslo


UNICA Green & SDGs webinar “Approaches to Greening Academic Travel”

online

Promoted by University of Oslo and Freie Universität Berlin

Schedule

13:00 – 14:45 pm CET

Contact

Laura Brossico (laura.brossico@unica-network.eu)

Laura Colo’ (laura.colo@unica-network.eu)