This autumn, we hosted the first Sustainability Summit in the Netherlands. Almost 300 participants from more than 15 Dutch universities and knowledge institutions gathered to explore innovative solutions and share insights on creating a more sustainable future.
Did you miss the event? Or would you like a recap? This article features a summary of the event, the outcomes and a gallery with all the event pictures.
From Words to Action: here are the Summit highlights
The Summit started with a surprise performance from the Erasmus Women Choir.
The Summit hosts, Ginie Servant-Miklos and Derk Loorbach, welcomed Wijnand van den Brink, member of the Executive Board of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, and Annelien Bredenoord, president of the Executive Board of Erasmus University. Both emphasized that changes need time: “It is my moral duty to be optimistic” as Annelien Bredenoord stated. The morning panel consisted of Michiel van den Hout, director of the Climate Initiative Netherlands, Aniek Moonen, who completed the Master Societal Transitions at the EUR last year, Heleen de Coninck, expert on socio-technical innovation and co-author of the IPCC report, and Ted Veldkamp, lecturer in Climate and Water at the Hogeschool Rotterdam. They talked about urgency, how to deal with climate anxiety and what it will take to scale up our efforts. Then activist, researcher and lecturer Kees Klomp emphasized once again the urgency of the climate crisis we are amid. He called for teaching students to become activists so that they will do socially relevant and impactful work, instead of preparing them to go work for business focusing on making money. There was one common thread that connected all contributions to the plenary session: we need to be creative and have the courage to take bold action to accelerate sustainability before it's too late. The morning plenary was then closed with the intervention of Rik van der Linden and his documentary on nature and communities in Rotterdam.
After the plenary, participants engaged in "Discipline Dialogues" to share ideas and experiences on transforming their disciplines to support sustainability. Discussions included sustainable health care, why the current neoclassical economics curriculum needs to become more sustainable, and how to create sustainable communities on campus.
During the lunch break, participants could visit the Sustainability Fair with a variety of initiatives on display, each one bringing different perspectives on sustainability. Attendees had the chance to connect with new people, learn about new projects, and discover potential collaborations.
The Thematic Workshops section in the afternoon, aimed at providing the participants with awareness on the specific topics and ongoing strategies, addressed several topics, such as sustainable education, building sustainable partnerships and local communities, creating contexts for meaningful transdisciplinary collaboration, the Academic Green Deal (see below) and methods to deal with yet unknown futures.
During the closing, Arwin van Buuren, Strategic Dean Impact & Engagement of Erasmus University and Arjen van Klink, Director Knowledge Center Business Innovation of Hogeschool Rotterdam and Anna Abad Kolotouchkina and Guiliana di Dato, students at Erasmus University reflected on the day. While both emphasized all that is already happening and the current transformations, the students expressed concern about the too slow pace and the lack of inclusivity. As also happened during the start of the day, the administrators clashed with their interlocutors about the pace of sustainability and the risk that the upcoming budget cuts will have on inaction. Different—and sometimes opposing—visions clashed, making one thing clear: our students, researchers, teachers, and professionals are calling for more than standard institutional responses. Deeper reflection is needed on how we can build spaces that embrace friction to enrich our differences, rather than pit them against each other.
Finally, the Summit wasn’t just about discussions and workshops as the team made a deliberate effort to incorporate art into the event experience. Three talented artists, Greta Windfur, Marin De Heij and Karlfancy added a creative layer to the event. Marin and Greta curated art installations that attendees could explore throughout the day, offering a visual reflection on the themes of sustainability. Karlfancy moved through the event and captured the energy of the day in a live sketch.
Outcomes
All Summit participants contributed to an impressive, inspiring and rich body of results. Below you will find links to the report of the Summit and the main points of the discipline discussions and workshops. In the report of the Summit, we also pay attention to what did not go (so) well. Moreover, every story has its successes and failures: it is the responsibility of the storyteller to show both sides. At the end of the event, 3 interuniversity initiatives were announced. These initiatives show the Summit’s motto: From Words to Actions! A practical commitment to bring our ideas outside of our walls and to impact academia across the country.
- Academic Green Deal will describe how higher education can and should respond to the climate crisis. It will provide guidelines for issues such as climate-neutral campuses, teaching and research. If you would like to co-write, contact Sanli Faez.
- Network of Sustainable Educators in the Netherlands aim to write a book on Pedagogy for a Sustainable Future. For more information contact Rosa Groen.
- Community of Practice for Transdisciplinary Work is an initiative of Het Groene Brein and Klimaatonderzoek Initiatief Nederland (KIN). Members share their knowledge and experiences, and work on stimulating transdisciplinary work to accelerate transitions around climate. The third meeting takes place on December 12th. To learn more and get an invite, contact Laura Termeer.
A full report of the Sustainability Summit 2024
Online meetup
Join our end of the year online meetup: connect and discover how you can contribute to the next Sustainability Summit! The meetup takes place on December 6th from 10:00 til 11:00 hrs on Teams.
Photo album
- More information
Did you find an initiative you would like to collaborate with? Get in touch and kickstart your involvement! Reach out to us and we’ll see how we can facilitate you or with whom we can connect you through sustainabilitysummit@eur.nl.
- Related content
