The vice-rectorate for Sustainable Development

Mission

The mission of the Vice-Rectorate for Sustainable Development is to develop the implementation of sustainable development policies within the institution.

The elements of the current rectoral policy in this field are the following

- To develop and coordinate actions and projects with society actors in the field of waste management, transport and energy.

- To plan and implement coherent, transparent, and sustainable developments in the university district, taking inspiration from the Master Plan and meeting the requirements of making the campus safe.

- Establish and implement the company mobility plan (CMP) as well as projects (Candle) that minimise the UNamur environmental footprint.

Contact: Juliana Bolzonello,

The Sustainable Development Coordination Unit

The Sustainable Development Coordination Unit replaces the former Institutional Sustainable Development Group. It is attached to the Vice-Rectorate for Sustainable Development.

Composition 2022-2023
  • The Vice-Rector for Sustainable Development, Laurent Schumacher (leader)
  • Simon Hauser, eco-advisor, mobility manager and manager of the Haugimont forest estate,
  • Nicolas Michot, Environment delegate of the General Assembly of Students (AGE),
  • Antoine Egueur, president of AKàP - Assembly of Kots-à-projet of the AGE,
  • Margaux Wasseur, Guillaume Sergent and Benjamin Lapierre, representatives of the Co-Kot, Kotélokal and BioKot projects involved in Sustainable Development.

The Sustainable Development Coordination Unit meets regularly with people or representatives of departments/faculties/groups involved in Sustainable Development, depending on the projects and needs. Its objective is to share information, initiate and coordinate cross-cutting projects, provide as much support as possible to the various initiatives, depending on the requests, and to set up federating information channels.

Contact: Juliana Bolzonello,

History of sustainable development at the UNamur

2007

The Sustainable Development Group was set up as a result of the voluntary commitment of some members of the academic, scientific and administrative staff. It was a federating body representing the various faculties and services of the institution. The objective was to call on the university authorities to take this dimension into account. It was also to enable and facilitate exchanges between the different members of this group.

2011

Strengthened by the dynamics of the Sustainable Development Group and the first results achieved, the UNamur officially integrated a Sustainable Development policy into its priorities. This commitment was quickly confirmed by endorsing the the RIO+20 Higher Education Declaration for Sustainable Development decided at the June 2012 United Nations Conference in Rio de Janeiro. In it, the University publicly committed to:

- Teach the concepts of Sustainable Development,

- Encourage research in this field,

- Empower eco-responsibility on its campus,

- Support local and regional sustainability efforts.

2012

Launch of the Interdisciplinary Research Group on Sustainable Development (NAGRIDD), whose main objective was to federate the approaches of the UNamur researchers in natural sciences and humanities, in order to constitute a privileged place for interdisciplinary research on sustainable development.

2013

Creation of a Sustainable Development Vice-Rectorate, whose main mission is the elaboration and implementation of Sustainable Development policies within the Institution, with the opening of a Mobility Manager and an Eco-Counsellor position.

2014

First call for "Sustainable UNamur Campus" (CaNdLE) projects launched to invite the University Community to propose actions whose objective is to make the campus and university activity more sustainable in the short, medium and long term.

2015

Second call for "Sustainable Namur Campus" (CaNdLE) projects.

2018

The Sustainable Development Group is replaced by a smaller and more flexible Sustainable Development Coordination Unit. The Unit regularly invites actors invested in sustainable development and transition within the University.

The ILEE and TRANSITIONS institutes take over the missions of the NAGRIDD group.

2020

Establishment of an Environment Unit within the SIGEC support division, the service for infrastructure and campus management.