Challenges of regional sustainability

Challenges of regional sustainability

Sustainable Development Goals

Presentation

The University’s ‘Master Plan for Sustainability’ was developed in 2010 with ambitions to implement an environmental management system at UV and strengthen the presence of environmental sustainability within teaching, research and outreach. 

Main activities

The plan adopts a systemic strategy to:

1. Prevent, resolve and mitigate environmental impacts and problems generated by its facilities and surrounding areas as well as natural areas supervised by the university;
2. Contribute to academic innovation and curricular renewal in Education for Sustainability;
3. Implement a communication plan between academics and users of their services, to enhance their involvement in environmental management and sustainability.

This is to be achieved whilst improving the quality of its educational programming, and promoting sustainable regional development and improved quality of life.

Results

The Master Plan for Sustainability has resulted in the creation of a high-level council and a coordination committee as well as five regional working groups to support their implementation. The Master Plan was received with great enthusiasm by the university community and has focused its initial operation in the execution of eleven performance areas ranging from water management, energy, green areas and waste to maintenance and construction educational facilities, traffic on the campus and green purchasing by management, among others.

Strengthening sustainability in higher education requires transforming not only the curriculum, but also all ‘spaces’ of academic learning and creativity. Sustainability may be interpreted as an abstract concept, but putting it into action provides experience, power, participation, organization and different management decisions, amongst others, to those operating in education. Education for sustainability must be built, thoughtfully practiced, and embodied in the thinking styles, knowledge and interventions that are promoted in the university. That is the aim of the UV, and we are on the way.

Contact 

Edgar J. González-Gaudiano, Researcher, Institute for Research in Education, Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico
E-mail : egonzalezgaudiano@gmail.com