Representatives from nine universities around Europe will visit the University of Skövde on September 19–21. It's time for the kick off for the European University INGENIUM's work project Sustainable Development.
The University of Skövde is part of the European University INGENIUM, an alliance that brings together ten universities from just as many EU countries. The European Higher Education Alliance is to build a common framework for future higher education and touches on many different areas, one is sustainable development. The University of Skövde leads the group that will work with and pursue issues of sustainable development. For a couple of days, about twenty representatives from the different universities, will gather in Skövde for a kick-off.
“It is about creating commitment and increasing awareness among both students and employees, when it comes to sustainability in various areas. All participants have different backgrounds and different skills, but we are all motivated to collaborate on this important topic. More specifically, we will, among other things, produce common course material, arrange a Challenge Lab for students and a Hackathon,” says Christine Mulder, Innovation Advisor at the University of Skövde and Project Leader for the work package.
Keynote speakers from Ireland and the Netherlands
Two keynote speakers are invited: Catherine Carty, Unesco Chair project manager at Munster Technological University, Ireland who lectures on "The Principles of the Sustainable Development Goals" and Arjen Wals, professor Transformative Learning for Social-Ecological Sustainability at Wageningen University, the Netherlands, who talks about "The Role of Higher Education in Preventing Socio-Ecological Collapse". The lectures are open to the University's employees and students. Presentations on sustainable development are also held by Constantine Manasakis, Economist and associate professor, University of Crete and Alexandre Geffroy, Research engineer in sustainable development and social responsibility, University of Rouen. The program also includes a tour of the campus.
“We will all win by working on these issues. Sustainable development is one of our most important core issues and it is great to see what we can achieve when working towards common goals, across borders and together. Educational institutions around the world have a responsibility to teach students to deal with the societal challenges we face and where sustainable development is one,” says Christine Mulder.
Visit to church from the Viking age
The visitors will spend their second day at ASSAR Industrial Innovation Arena in Skövde and, apart from a tour of ASSAR, the participants will work with various parts of the project. The University's partner Industrial Development Center (IDC), Skövde Municipality and Skaraborg Hospital will also give presentations. In connection to the Kick off, there will be an opportunity to visit the monastery church in Varnhem and Kata farm – shelter (the ruin of one of the oldest churches in Sweden, a private farm church from the Viking age) and the Visitor center at Lake Hornborga (probably Sweden´s most well-known bird lake).
INGENIUM is largely funded by the EU and the alliance between the ten universities is initially funded until 2026. In addition to the University of Skövde, the alliance includes universities from Germany, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Ireland, Finland, Greece, Spain and France.
