GENERAL INFORMATION
TAM title: The Sustainable Campus
Type of Event: 17.03 – Conference with all policymakers from the different governmental offices and representatives from HEIs to present best practices in the field.
18.03 - Gathering of hands-on operators of operations and energy consumption in HEIs as well as policy makers from relevant offices for hands on experience and tips in the field.
Modality: Presential
Location: Tel Aviv
Country: Israel
Dates: 17 – 18 March 2024
Participants: 40 participants – academic and technical staff from universities
THEMES COVERED
- Sustainability in teaching & education.
- University sustainability rankings.
- “Zero emissions campuses”.
- University carbon footprinting statistics worldwide.
KEY OUTCOMES
During the workshop participants:
Enhanced their knowledge of initiatives, platforms and calls for proposals in the field of sustainability and greening in higher education.
Analysed case studies from Israeli Academic Institutions.
Discussed the opportunities for national and international collaboration in the field of sustainability in HE.
OVERVIEW
The TAM event on campus sustainability brought together policymakers, HEI stakeholders, and campus leaders to discuss strategies for greener universities. On the second day, the inclusion of CFOs and operations managers deepened the focus on energy and resource management. A key takeaway was the importance of inter-institutional collaboration and peer learning in driving effective sustainability initiatives. The experts emphasized the use of robust assessment tools to ensure quality self-evaluation and avoid superficial “greenwashing.” The event also underscored the value of aligning government and HEI efforts to shape national sustainability goals. Participants praised the event’s practical relevance, with strong engagement and positive feedback. It established a network of professionals and laid the groundwork for continued collaboration, including future events and policy development.
THE FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY
- Title of the activity: Forum for energy efficiency and Think tank on national projects on sustainability in HE
Dates: 7 May 2024 - Best practice workshop/ forum; 3 June 2024 - Sustainability in HE & Erasmus+
- Audience: The first workshop was attended by 60 participants while the second follow-up session was attended by 38 participants. Attendees included members of greening and operations forums, student union representatives, and NGO representatives.
Description: Following the Technical Assistance Mission (TAM), two dedicated forums were launched—one for Greening in Higher Education and another for Energy and Operations Managers at HEIs—to support continued collaboration and knowledge exchange. As part of the follow-up, the National Erasmus+ Office organized a best practice workshop on 7 May 2024. The session focused on strategies to influence energy use among campus communities and showcased the Technion’s pilot initiative rewarding faculties for energy savings, along with broader energy efficiency upgrades such as solar installations and monitoring systems.
A second follow-up event, held on 3 June 2024, was a closed think tank exploring Erasmus+ opportunities for Green Campus initiatives. The session sparked discussions on national project ideas and resulted in a proposed Agro-Sustainability project in partnership with Adama Haya Biodynamics and the Weizmann Institute. Participants rated the session highly and expressed interest in further workshops on topics like waste management and sustainable catering.
ENHANCING IMPACT: PROPOSED NEXT STEPS
- Increase Government Funding: HEIs require additional financial support from the government to effectively implement emission reduction measures.
- Institutional Leadership Support: University directorates must actively endorse and facilitate sustainability initiatives at the institutional level.
- Appoint Sustainability Commissioners: Each university should designate a dedicated sustainability and emissions commissioner to oversee and coordinate environmental efforts.
- Sustainability Forum Continuity: Maintain regular meetings of the sustainability forum, including workshops and exchanges of best practices to drive ongoing improvement.
Follow-Up Event in 2025: Organize a dedicated event in 2025 to evaluate progress, share lessons learned, and highlight implemented changes.
RESOURCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL
- All resources from the event available here: https://www.erasmusplus.org.il/sustainable-campus-conference#Presentations
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