DECODE Sustainability Project - Newsletter Issue 3, July 2022

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Newsletter Issue 3

July 2022

The DECODE Sustainability Project addresses the need of strengthening the link between Higher Education and sustainability by providing Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with a suitable tool-based process to integrate Sustainable Development at the department level and contribute to its impact.

DISCOVER THE DECODE TOOLKIT!

The DECODE Toolkit consists of a collection of instruments and best practices that can help drive direct and indirect departmental contributions to sustainability through an entrepreneurial and engaged perspective. Our work here has been to crowdsource and identify a list of various tools and instruments that deans and their representatives can adopt and use to drive sustainability in their HEI in an impactful way. These tools have been structured in a logical and userfriendly manner. That is why we have developed the «Impact Tree», a visual representation of all the drivers and sub-drivers that need to be put in place to move towards a sustainable university.

How we did it

It was very important for the DECODE project that our approach matches the expectations and practical requirements of the DECODE members in their efforts to support sustainability-related initiatives in their HEI departments.

This is why, in addition to eight interviews with industry experts on sustainability, four separate focus groups with DECODE Council Members were held this spring. The participants were the first ones to view, comment, and suggest improvements to the Impact Tree. The results were used to evaluate and test the approach we have chosen, as well as crowdsource some new ideas and tools.

We were happy to find out that our direction and approach to the DECODE Toolkit was positively received by the participants, and we gained some invaluable suggestions to improve the structure, as well as to guide further activities and focus on the project. For example, the focus group participants pointed out how important best practices and case studies are to highlight and prove diverse options to various stakeholders. Additionally, we got some valuable insights in certain challenges that are faced by deans and their representatives, such as embedding sustainability in every course, especially in humanitarian study directions.

We want to give a special thanks to those who participated in the interviews and focus groups for their contributions!

NEXT STEPS

The European Deans Council for Sustainable Development has a clear pathway towards improving sustainability contributions in and through Higher Education. As the Toolkit is being finished up, we have already started working on the definition of Impact Pathways that will help university departments advance their contributions to sustainability, as well as a framework for the creation of department-specific Impact Roadmaps, which will outline the specific steps to be taken by departments to promote positive change.

Check out our Impact Vision Plan here.

SAVE THE DATE!

Do you want to know more about the DECODE Toolkit?

On the 13th of October, from 15:30h to 17:00h CEST, we will present the Toolkit and discuss it during the 3rd DECODE Webinar.

The webinar will foster the exchange amongst the participants, who will have the chance to test the DECODE self-assessment tool beforehand. This will give them the opportunity to get a picture of their institution or faculty in terms of sustainable development and share thoughts about it with other participants. During the webinar we will also have the chance to explore some best practices from European universities.

With this session, a part from fostering the debate and provide tools to the participants, we hope to get useful feedback for the improvement of our tools.

Do you wish to participate? Register here to attend the webinar!

OTHER RESOURCES

Blueprint For Council Establishment: Practical Guide
DECODE HEI Sustainability Analysis: Final Report
DECODE HEI Sustainability Analysis: Deans & Academics Survey Reports
DECODE HEI Sustainability Analysis: Literature Review

NEWS

First Face-To-Face

Transnational Project Meeting

The DECODE Consortium met in Riga, Latvia, for the first in-person meeting!

Our Erasmus+ project had so far been fully online due to the pandemic, so this was a great opportunity to see each other and exchange after more than a year working together.

The meeting was hosted by Riga Technical University (RTU), leaders of the work on Intellectual Output 3 (IO3), the DECODE Toolkit.

Read all about the meeting here!

JOIN THE EUROPEAN DEANS COUNCIL!

In order to support deans in their efforts to embed Sustainable Development within HEIs, we are establishing a European Deans Council for Sustainable Development (DECODE).

You are invited to shape the foundation of the Council by joining the Deans Council as a founding member (free of charge).

Requirements:

Being an active dean or head of faculty, department, school of a Higher Education Institution in Europe.
Being a representative appointed by the dean or head of faculty, department or school of a Higher Education Institution in Europe to drive Sustainable Development at the management level of the academic unit.

Information about the DECODE Council and organization and policies can be found in the DECODE Deans Council Statute and Council Policies and Procedures here: