The Student Mobility Summit successfully concluded its second edition, “More mobility, less carbon footprint”. Hosted at the University of Barcelona and supported by ACA, ESU, ESN and EURASHE, this event brought together more than a hundred sustainability experts, policymakers, university representatives, and student voices to tackle one of the most pressing challenges in higher education: how to reconcile ambitious student mobility goals with environmental sustainability.
The SET project was proudly represented in various conference sessions. On Day 1, Afra Schacher Sierra, Head of Global Student Experience at the University of Zurich, contributed to the “Institutional initiatives to tackle green transition in international higher education” by showcasing the SET Connectivity Reports (available on the Resources page), among other institutional efforts for sustainable student mobility.
On Day 2, Neli Kalinova-Schmieder, Project & Policy Officer at ESN, facilitated the hackathon on “Addressing student behaviour and decreasing their carbon footprint before and during mobility – understanding, supporting and nudging”. The session provided insights from the Green Erasmus and SET project research into student behaviours, challenges and needs related to environmental sustainability during different phases of mobility. To mend the awareness-behaviour gap, participants co-created practical and impactful interventions to encourage eco-conscious habits, ranging from organising “sustainability fairs/tours/weeks” on campus to including sustainability aspects in orientation and preparatory sessions for outgoing students or connecting more students to local ESN branches and Green Office, where possible.
On Day 3, Ana Paiva, Erasmus+ Projects Manager at the University of Porto, and Salome Dermati, Policy and Research Officer at the EUF, delivered a training session on “Green transversal competencies”. The objectives were threefold: a) present the main European frameworks for competencies and skills (i.e., GreenComp, ESCO, etc.), b) understand the potential and added value of green travel for environmental sustainability, personal growth and employability, and c) learn how to promote green travel to students and integrate the existing resources to institutional practices.
For more information about the agenda, speakers, and useful resources, visit the official summit website. To read the full recap, click here.