Sustainable Campus Initiative

Best Practices and CEU Applications

Central European University2011 January

Lea, Peter, Tom, Logan, Sarah, Lisa, Linda, Natasha, Nataliia, Mauricio

SCI’s aim is to institutionalize and implement a sustainable development strategy at CEU

on a long term basis, involving students, faculty

and staff members.

About CEU• Large turnover of students and faculty members from all

over the world• Tight-nit, diverse community of international students• CEU aspires a to be a model of excellence and leadership in

the region• Sustainable practices are a crucial component of achieving this• CEU lags behind

• Today, CEU has a window of opportunity with CREO & SCI

Progress at CEU

• 1994 – CEU signs the Copernicus Charter

• 1999 – Human Rights Initiative founded

• 2008 – Sustainable Development Policy adopted by CEU Senate

• 2010• Campus Redevelopment Office (CREO) founded• CEU Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC)

founded• Sustainable Campus Initiative (SCI) founded

Copernicus: Our Commitment

• Educate and foster environmental literacy, environmental ethics and responsible citizenship for all.

• Set an example to society by practicing ‘Institutional Ecology.’

• Utilize the university’s resources to adress the need for SD.

• Collaborate using interdisciplinary approaches on curricula, research initiatives, campus operations and outreach;

• Locally, Nationally, Globally.

The Why• Our commitment to this agreement• Decade of Sustainable Education

• We are in the 6th year of this decade• Business case for sustainable development

• These investments PAY OFF• Our responsibility as an institution of higher education

University of Sheffield

University of Óbuda

University of Macedonia

University of Gödöllö

University of Gothenborg

Leuphana University

University of Luxembourg

University of Guelph, Canada

Harvard, USA

Case Studies

Duke University, USA

Cornell University, USA

University of Georgia, USA

Organization

Organization

Key: dedication, action

•Sustainability Officer/Office•Coursework integration

• Students teaching students• Education for the Educators

•Environmental Management Systems

Processes

Processes & Activities• Outreach• Environmentally friendly purchases

• Stationary, printing, copies (e.g. Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany)

• “Sustainability Week” activities (University of Guelph)• Green cinema series

• Transportation (University of Gothenburg)• Establishment of a CEU Bike Swap/Rental program

• Cooperation with local Business/Industry• Item sharing

• Exchange activities, Community Closet

Case study: Duke University, North Carolina, U.S.A

• Creation of ad hoc “Green Dining Committee” made of students, faculty, staff and community

• Conducted dining facility inventory, outlines successes and failures; obtained current environmental impact• Food Ingredients• Solid Waste• Chemical Use• Energy Consumption• Consumer Education

• Extended local food sourcing relationships, establish green menu options, marketed changes to students

• Initiated waste reduction, recycling, energy

efficiency and earth friendly kitchen chemical programs

Infrastructure

Infrastructure• Building • Green roofs• Furniture• Appliances, Lighting, Efficiency

Green Roofs

Source: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/researchknowledge/greenroof/uos_buildings.html

Continued operations• Higher initial investments, but long-term payoff

• Photovoltaic cells, heat pumps, etc.• Consult experts when necessary

• Energy audit• Certification schemes

• Public involvement• Good selling point• Interaction of private sector

Source: http://blogs.furman.edu/com221sp09e/category/student/adim/

Examples of dormitory adaptations

Cornell University University of Georgia

Applications to CEU

Applications to CEU

Infrastructure• Hierarchy of goals: resource optimization > practicality > good looks • Long term planning• External experts• Finance

Student Involvement

Applications to CEU

Organization/Processes• Central organizational unit (“Sustainability Office”) tasks:

• coming up with projects/ coordination of projects, • public relations (including sustainability reporting)• Environmental Management System• Setting up/ enforcing rules for contractors of CEU • Voluntary effort of staff and students/ internships• Orientation week• Website to pass on knowledge about initiatives

Applications to CEUOrganization/Processes•Students

• Voluntary involvement in projects• Participation in class• Contribution to website• Career options (at CEU)

•Faculty • Top-Bottom regulation - link between subsequent years of students• promotion of work-study: Involvement of students in assessment/

implementation (interdisciplinary approach)• Empowerment of students by teachers• Integration of topics into thesis• Environmental Department: Offering follow-up projects throughout the

years

THREE PILLARS OF SUSTAINABLE CEU

CEU STUDENTS’ INITIATIVE

ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

NOW Periodic,limited to EnvSci dep.

Low level of support Limited to EnvSci dep.

FUTURE Continues-based on Sustainable Campus Initiative development

Sustainability Officer-totally committed to sustainability and independent

Sustainability Research and Education Group:-integrate faculty from the other departments to work on SD-introduce SD curriculum to other departments

NEEDS Special fund to support initiatives

Not to combine sustainability officer functions with health and safety

Administrative and faculty interests

• Central European University was established to prepare Leaders for Open Societies. Today, problem of unSustainable Development become more important than problem of openness of states.

• Our Initiative together with support of the Administration and interest of the Faculty can create the environment for Leaders of the Future, who come to the CEU from all over the world: Western countries, former Soviet Union, Eastern States. Learn how to be sustainable, contribute to the sustainability of CEU then come to their countries and make them sustainable.

Summary• We have a great window of opportunity

• The changes we implement now will benefit us in the long-term

• We are starting a process, creating a foundation that can be built upon• Continuity is essential. It is the responsibility of the entire CEU

community

• Sustainable development is not just an issue for environmentalists

• Our responsibility as an institution of higher education

Further Processes

January – April 2011:• Group work on Communication Strategy in Environmental

Politics, taught by Tamara Steger• Group work on “Book of Ideas” in Environmental Assessment

& Planning, taught by Aleh Cherp March 2011: • Presentation of Communication Strategy: Website, Video to

assess environmental awareness of CEU members, Poster • Presentation of Book of Ideas to the CREO

Thank you for your Attention