COPERNICUS Alliance

The 2026 Higher Education Summit was another exceptional experience. From 26-28 August, around 100 colleagues and friends from all over the world joined the exchange on "Unleashing Transformative and Decolonised Education for Sustainability in a Globalised World". The summit was filled with special moments, inspiring encounters and thought-provoking discussions initiated by our keynote speakers Darren Axe, Daniel Fischer, Blanchard Nsuka, Irène Pereira, Mandy Singer-Brodowski, Noah W. Sobe, Zintle Songqwaru, and many more. Photos and additional materials are available on the conference website.

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Edited by Audronė Telešienė (Kaunas University of Technology), Matthias Gross (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research) and Markus Hadler (University of Graz), this book examines how environmental attitudes and behaviours are evolving across Europe amid climate, health, economic, energy and other crises. Drawing on decades of ISSP Environment data, it combines longitudinal trends, cross-national comparisons and sociological analysis to explore changing worldviews, lifestyles and societal responses to environmental challenges.

How can students be encouraged to develop positive visions of the future for their own discipline and to map out pathways towards them? Zukunftswerk offers lecturers a flexible learning module that does just that. In four steps, students jointly develop ideas of a sustainable future while reflecting on their own perceptions, values and actions as well as those of others. The module requires no prior knowledge of sustainability, is designed for two to three sessions, and can be flexibly integrated into existing courses.

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TheLEN – The Learning Edge Nexus – is a new learning ecosystem where vision meets real action. Many of us look for learning that goes beyond knowledge: learning that changes perspective. Whether you're growing personally or strengthening your organisation, TheLEN offers experiences designed to deepen practice, broaden perspectives, and close the gap between vision and reality. The COPERNICUS Alliance is proud to be a co-founder, alongside Legacy17, Global Action Plan Spain, InEuropa, and others. 

As the global landscape evolves, the demand for sustainable leadership and robust legal compliance has never been more urgent. This summer, the École de Management Appliqué (EMA) in Paris is proud to host a specialized four-part seminar series designed for professionals, advocates, and forward-thinking leaders eager to master the complexities of modern international business.

Paris is calling this summer! Students can imagine spending their summer mastering Sustainable Decision-Making during the day and exploring La Seine during the evening. The Sustainable Academy is a programme, offered by the École de Management Appliqué (EMA) in Paris. It provides the perfect track for any goal - from 2-week "Discovery" seminars to an immersive "Bridge Term" programme in partnership with La Sorbonne and EnglishPath.

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This year’s SOS International Summit, "Student voices for a safe and just transition", took place 18-21 March 2026, hosted at the University and Green Office Konstanz, Germany. Despite the challenging financial backdrop facing higher education, over 70 student and staff delegates came together for an engaging and energetic program of keynotes, workshop sessions and panel discussions focused on the critical role of student-staff collaborative structures in Higher Education Sustainable Development. 

In our series "A conversation with..." this time we talked to Jule Neumann, who is currently Vice-President at oikos International and recently joined the COPERNICUS Alliance Advisory Board. She talks about being a role model and how young people can create real change.

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Organised by the Sustainable Campus Network (Portugal), the 8th Sustainable Campus Conference (CCS2026) will take place from 22-23 October 2026 in Peniche. Under the theme "What future for sustainable campuses?", CCS2026 brings together the academic community and offers a platform for collaboration and exchange on topics such as sustainability education, social inclusion, circular economy, energy and mobility, and digital solutions for greener campuses. While the conference will be primarily held in Portuguese, abstracts may be submitted and presentations delivered in English. Abstract submission deadline: 30 June 2026.

Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem (UJEP) has successfully concluded a series of five participatory workshops, integrating ESG principles into the university's core. This collaborative milestone drives the development of its Sustainability Strategy 2026–2030. UJEP is currently finalizing a comprehensive ESG analytical report, identifying key strengths and essential development areas. As it transitions from project-based initiatives to integrated strategic management, it remains dedicated to data-driven transparency and actively seeks to exchange best practices and insights with other leading European universities.

From 8-15 August 2026, the Eco Summer Camp brings 50 students, young professionals and lifelong learners from over 20 countries to Kolleg St. Blasien in the Black Forest for a week of interdisciplinary learning on sustainability. The programme integrates head, heart and hand, offers 4 ECTS through the Newman Institute Uppsala, and is held in English. 

The CA is glad to be again a promotional partner of the Sustainability Education Forum (SEF) hosted by AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) from 4-5 June 2026. The SEF provides a space to tackle the challenges of rising anxiety, political backlash, and systemic barriers to sustainability work. It uses an Open Space Technology format, where participants co-create the session agenda, alongside pre-scheduled sessions focused on climate justice and cultural climate change.

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The Ukrainian National Forestry University consistently implements the principles of sustainable development, environmental responsibility, and green governance, as evidenced by its results in the international UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. According to the latest evaluation results, UNFU has ranked 1st among higher education institutions in Ukraine for the 8th consecutive year, demonstrating a high level of compliance with international sustainability criteria.

In 2026, oikos International is launching a renewed vision: supporting student-led initiatives that are long-lasting and truly impactful. The new Chapter Incubator is an 8-week, hands-on program designed to support business and economics students in founding new oikos chapters at their universities. Participants develop the skills, structures, and strategic direction needed to build chapters that create sustained impact beyond one academic year. oikos International is seeking institutional partners to launch this new program in collaboration with seven committed universities.

Climate anxiety is real – and educators need tools to respond. The project CLARITY has delivered three open-access resources to support transformative climate resilience education. Discover the CLARITY Toolbox with ready-to-use activities, the Teacher’s Guide grounded in trauma-informed pedagogy, and a self-paced course with community and certification. Educators can also express interest in upcoming online CLARITY Teacher Training programmes planned for 2026. These materials help learners build resilience, agency, and collective capacity for change together.

The 7th Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-7), prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), marks a milestone in global environmental assessment. Produced by 287 multi-disciplinary scientists from 82 countries – including researchers from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) – GEO-7 evaluates current environmental trends, identifies key drivers of change, and explores pathways for transforming human systems to address interconnected crises such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and resource depletion.

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Kaunas University of Technology invites PhD students from around the world to participate in the 10th International PhD Summer School, that will take place on 1-5 June 2026 in Palanga, a beautiful seaside resort city in Lithuania. The PhD Summer School provides the opportunity for intellectually curious doctoral students to explore new knowledge, to expand cultural awareness and to exchange experience. It focuses on developing the key competencies needed to successfully defend the doctoral dissertation and to identify future research directions. Registration deadline: 27 May 2026.

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"Out and about sustainably in Bern" is a sustainable city guide for students at the University of Bern and other interested readers. The booklet encourages reflection on what is important for a satisfying and good life and includes facts, ideas, and tips in the areas of sustainable development, transport, food, housing, consumption, as well as culture and events. It follows the sufficiency approach, which values wealth in time and space over wealth in goods and money..

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