The three-day program in Vancouver, entitled Professional Development Program in Sustainability for the Leadership Team of Masaryk University, offered an inspiring look at how a university can take a truly holistic approach to sustainability.
Participants had the opportunity to learn about the process of developing and implementing UBC´s strategic plan and see how the campus is being transformed into a “living laboratory” where new technologies and approaches are being tested in practice. An interesting moment was a visit to the Centre for Clean Energy Research or the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems with its urban farm that links teaching, research and university operations. The program also showed how UBC is upholding the principles of responsible investment and, in innovative projects, linking sustainability with sport and community life in the Wesbrook residential student-academic neighbourhood.
Professor Anna Kindler and her team were in charge of the implementation of the entire meeting and residency, having already led a program on excellence in teaching and learning at Masaryk University in 2018.
The University of British Columbia is one of the top 50 universities in the world and a world leader in integrating sustainability into all areas of its operations and identity. It is currently ranked 40th in the QS World University Rankings and 41st in the THE rankings, and is currently ranked 5th in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability and even first in the Social Impact area.
Its strength lies in its systematic approach, with clearly defined action and climate plans with measurable targets, whose performance is regularly and transparently evaluated. It has a strong profile in the field of green infrastructure - iconic examples are the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) building and the biomass facilities, which serve not only for operations but also as living laboratories for research and innovation. Here, sustainability is not separated from academic activities. Thanks to the SEEDS (Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability) programme, students and scientists are actively involved in solving real campus problems in the areas of energy, waste, food or biodiversity. Community engagement also plays a significant role through initiatives such as Green Labs and Zero Waste Squad, which promote practical changes in everyday life. Thus, UBC is demonstrating that by combining strategy, technical innovation and active participation of students and staff, sustainability can be firmly embedded in the university's culture and values.
In Vancouver, selected members of the university´s leadership team, who represent the various priorities of the Sustainable Masaryk University (SMU) strategy, along with experts in education, research, technology transfer and institutional governance, received new insights and inspiration on how to foster change and advance the implementation of the strategy. “At UBC, you can see the complete integration of sustainability into the internal culture of the university. The principles of sustainability are not just a 'project' or part of the curriculum, but permeate all areas of the institution – from the management of buildings to the values the university transmits to students and staff,” noted Monika Jandová, Masaryk University's Vice-Chancellor for Lifelong Learning, Technology Transfer and Sustainability.
The text of the Memorandum of Understanding between Masaryk University and the University of British Columbia was also finalized during the visit, with the signing of the Memorandum planned for the end of this year. “The Memorandum includes the specification of future areas of close cooperation and partnership, especially in the Living Lab concept, including infrastructure development, support for student exchange and cooperation on education and research or exchange of experience on key performance indicators for sustainability,” added MU Bursar David Poč, adding that this is the second activity during the visit to Canada, adding that this is another successful collaboration with the University within the framework of the National Renewal Plan project, Promoting Green Skills and Sustainability at MU. MU is currently working with the University of Regensburg in Germany.
The educational experience at UBC will have practical and concrete impacts and outcomes, according to Richard Hubl, director of administrative support, who has long been involved with sustainability strategy at MU. “For example, in a modification of the Community Fund project, which supports ideas and activities by students and staff that have a positive impact on the university community and respond to sustainability themes.”
Masaryk University was ranked No. 1 out of 12 Czech institutions in last year's QS Sustainability ranking, a dynamic ranking of universities on the topic of sustainable development, No. 99 in Europe and No. 215 out of 1,744 universities worldwide. Masaryk University has been active in the field of sustainable development and socially responsible behaviour as a whole and within all its units for a long time.
The education and partnership programme took place within the framework of the activities of the project "NPO 7.4. - Promotion of green skills and sustainability at MU" 0016/NPO74_PZDU_VS.