Leading by example. CESAER University Network has adopted Declaration on Sustainability

Representatives of the leading technical universities associated in the international CESAER network, which includes BUT, adopted a Declaration on contributions of universities of science and technology to sustainability at the General Assembly in October in Madrid. Member universities thus accept their social responsibility. By their own example, they want to contribute to a future that is ecologically sound, socially just and economically.

“This declaration is the culmination of several years of work with the Members of this association and is a testament of our commitment as leaders of universities of science and technology, to further contribute to sustainability and lead by example. I look forward to working with the CESAER membership and beyond to implement the declaration and further advance our contributions to sustainability,” said Guillermo Cisneros Pérez, Director of CESAER, Chair of Task Force Sustainability & Rector of Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, on the adoption of the Declaration.

With this declaration, which aims to help achieve the UN goals summarised in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, CESAER members underline their responsibility and readiness to contribute to sustainability. The document contains six key principles and nineteen actions, reflecting principles such as scientific openness, innovation or a holistic approach (full text of the declaration). The association commits to present and evaluate its progress by 2028 at the latest.

The conceptual foundation for this declaration is provided in the accompanying white paper Leading by example: Boosting sustainability through good governance adopted by universities of science & technology, which aims at inspiring and supporting universities and their leadership to act as agents of great changes and transformations, and to assume their role as autonomous players in society.

The Brno University of Technology, as one of the 58 member universities, also accepts its role and commitment in the declaration "Who else but a technical university has the potential to develop environmentally friendly technologies? We deal with the issues related to the responsibility for the environment and climate on our planet not only in the form of education, research and creative activities, but also in the form of practical activities in the field of construction, investment and operation," stated earlier Ladislav Janíček, the Brno University of Technology rector on the topic of sustainability in his speech for the opening of the academic year.

More details on BUT activities in the field of sustainable development

Introduction of the CESAER University Network

Source: news on CESAER website