The partnership with QMS Norway eased the access to a valuable source of inspiration and learning: the exchange of experience with Norwegian universities. Between September 10-15, 2023, the project team had the opportunity to observe strategies, actions, examples of good practices undertaken by Norwegian universities with experience in incorporating sustainability into teaching, research, and campus administration activities.
The itinerary of the visit included:
- University of USN, BØ Campus
- INN-Høgskolen I Innlandet, Hamar Campus
- UiS—Universitet i Stavanger
Following the objective set by the national Ministry of Education and Research, Norwegian universities explicitly aim to incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals from the United Nations 2030 Agenda into all academic and managerial activities. Some universities have set up structures to develop the “green transition” strategy and seek solutions to the challenges of reducing the environmental and climate impact of their organizations.
Sustainability is classified as one of the three interdisciplinary themes addressed throughout the educational curriculum. The three themes aim to develop the skills needed to face the complex social challenges of the 21st century. These themes are also closely linked to the idea of ‘social/democratic competences’. Sustainable development as an interdisciplinary theme aims for learners to understand fundamental dilemmas, developments in society and how to solve them.
Sustainable development is about protecting life on earth and meeting the needs of the people living here now, without destroying the possibilities of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainability is based on the understanding that social, economic, and environmental aspects are interconnected. The approach differs from one university to the other.
The visits revealed these differences, but the display of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs – 2030 Agenda) is present in all of them. The representatives of the visited universities showed interest in the project “USE – REC” and appreciated that conducting information and awareness campaigns among students is a significant way to develop environmentally responsible skills and behaviors among the young generation.
