The preconditions for responsibility and sustainable development are created in cooperation

Theses 11-12

Universities integrate sustainability and responsibility work in their strategy and allocate more resources and monitoring tools to it

The sustainability change at universities requires direct financial investments in the structures, services and personnel. Universities allocate more resources to the work and modify existing activities and practices from the point of view of sustainability and responsibility.

The following concrete measures must be taken:

Universities appoint a person in their organisation to be responsible for the coordination, monitoring and development of sustainability and responsibility work, and for national and international cooperation.
Universities designate competent personnel, resources and strategic funding to the development of sustainability research, education for sustainability and other related activities, and to the promotion of equality and equity.
Universities take care of their staff’s sustainability and responsibility training and competence. Universities develop peer learning and mentoring concepts to accelerate the sustainability change.
Universities create internal incentives for the promotion of sustainable development and responsibility in research, teaching, administration and societal interaction.
Universities involve students and student unions actively in the activities related to sustainability and responsibility.

The pioneering role of universities in sustainable development and responsibility work is strengthened

Universities need sufficient resources for research, education and social interaction in order to promote the sustainability transition. At the same time, universities must be able to demonstrate the results and impact of their work.

The following concrete measures must be taken:

Universities work together to increase resources and opportunities to support the promotion of sustainable development and responsibility through research, teaching, social interaction and their own activities.
Universities report annually on the responsibility and sustainability of their activities and explore the development of harmonised reporting.
Universities work in closer cooperation with each other, other academic actors and external funders, strengthening shared approaches to the promotion of sustainability and responsibility work.