Universities pledge global cooperation on sustainability

Fifty-six universities have signed a joint statement promising cooperation on 바카라사이트 United Nations¡¯ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as 바카라사이트 world faces unprecedented post-Covid challenges.

¡°With 바카라사이트ir unique advantages in generating knowledge, uniting stakeholders and enabling transformation, leading universities around 바카라사이트 world should play an active and essential role in forging a sustainable future through dialogue, solidarity and collaboration,¡± said , announced at a Zhejiang University (ZJU)??on 24 March.

An institution¡¯s civic responsibility was ¡°a matter of fundamental morality¡±, Rocky Tuan, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), told?온라인 바카라?on 바카라사이트 sidelines of 바카라사이트 forum. He called 바카라사이트 UN¡¯s sustainable development goals (SDGs) ¡°practical and intellectual channels to focus academic activities¡±.

Professor Tuan told 바카라사이트 forum that international collaboration was vital to reaching 바카라사이트 UN¡¯s varied goals.

¡°It¡¯s like a multiple-choice test where 바카라사이트 last option is ¡®all of 바카라사이트 above¡¯. Partnerships are needed to achieve ¡®all of 바카라사이트 above¡¯,¡± he said. ¡°Research excellence must include global partnerships if we are going to achieve SDGs.¡±

CUHK, which opened a social responsibility and sustainability office in January, has set a goal of being carbon neutral by 2038.

¡°Universities need to go beyond teaching, learning and research,¡± he said. ¡°They should voluntarily go beyond what 바카라사이트 legal requirements are.¡±

Wu Zhaohui, ZJU¡¯s president, said that 바카라사이트 world was facing a ¡°critical moment¡± and was ¡°more conflicted than it was before¡±, a situation exacerbated by 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic. Therefore, it was important for universities to link ¡°바카라사이트 global to 바카라사이트 local¡±.

¡°If we want to change 바카라사이트 world, we have to change ourselves first through our daily operations,¡± he said.

For example, ZJU¡¯s International Campus is surrounded by wetlands and designed as a ¡°sponge campus¡±, where rainwater is collected and reused for irrigation.

¡°Sustainability is as important as teaching and learning,¡± said ZJU vice-president?He Lianzhen.

Tan Eng Chye, president of 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore, said that ¡°바카라사이트 complexity of 바카라사이트 SDGs requires integrated solutions and coordinated actions¡±. Two examples he offered were NUS¡¯ U Town campus and a retrofit of 바카라사이트ir School of Design and Environment.

¡°The campus should work as a ¡®living lab¡¯ and be a constant reminder to students and staff,¡± Professor Tan said. ¡°It will be a sandbox for sustainability practices.¡±

NUS, located in a tropical climate, has goals to reduce campus temperatures by four degrees Celsius, plant 10,000 trees a year, and be carbon neutral by 2030.

Pam Fredman, president of 바카라사이트 International Association of Universities, emphasised 바카라사이트 need for governments and societies to recognise and support 바카라사이트ir higher education institutions.

The key roles that universities play in sustainability have to be ¡°promoted to policy- and decision-makers¡±, especially given how much institutions suffered this year due to Covid-related travel bans and funding cuts, she said.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com?