COPERNICUS Alliance

"Bold Education in Scary Times" – who would be able to take on such an ambitious topic? Well, we have gathered a group of engaged educators, students and changemakers to make the 2025 Higher Education Summit become an online conference with impact. Initiated by the COPERNICUS Alliance, this year, oikos International, Students Organizing for Sustainability International and Students4Sustainability have joined the organizing team. Learn more about their motivation!

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We are living in scary times! The 2025 Higher Education Summit aims to explore how the higher education community can drive systemic change that fosters transformative learning, inner development, regenerative leadership and a pedagogy of hope. The conference will bring together different audiences involving students, educators and changemakers providing a unique opportunity for dialogue and collaboration. The program will be full of brave, creative and interactive sessions based on the submissions we received as well as thought-provoking keynotes. Organized as joint event by the COPERNICUS Alliance, oikos, SOS International and Students4Sustainability, the summit will be held online from 19-20 November 2025. We invite you to reserve your virtual seat now! 

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In light of the global challenges, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU) is advancing its sustainability activities with the goal of making a proactive contribution to sustainable development. Across 156 pages, the sustainability report provides a comprehensive overview of BOKU's diverse sustainability activities, highlighting successes and areas for improvement. The report is structured around six areas, that cover both university-specific topics such as teaching and studies, research, and social impact, as well as ESG topics such as environment, social affairs, and governance.

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Few topics have received so much public attention and yet have been so widely misunderstood as international migration. Migration is embedded in the UN Sustainable Development Goals – but what does that mean? Does migration exacerbate issues such as brain drain, inequality, and social tensions? Will climate change bring about another refugee crisis? These questions will be addressed in a panel discussion on 19 November 2025, organized by the Competence Center for Sustainability Transformation & Responsibility (STaR) at Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU), in collaboration with Migration, Business & Society global research and policy initiative. 

Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) has joined the Cleantech Cluster Lithuania. The partnership, initiated by the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design Centre and the Institute of Environmental Engineering, will help strengthen the University’s study and research activities focused on environmental well-being and the development of sustainable technologies in both national and international contexts.

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In our series "A conversation with..." this time we talked to four colleagues of our most recent member institution Ukrainian National Forestry University. Rector Volodymyr Zahorskyi, Vice-Rector Vasyl Lavnyy, Ihor Soloviy and Uliana Pavliuk emphasize the importance of belonging to an international community and explain how they manage to sustain teaching and research under the current challenging circumstances. 

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The Ukrainian National Forestry University (UNFU) continues to lead in sustainability and international collaboration. This fall, the university will reaffirm its top position in the UI GreenMetric ranking and expand its role in the ConnectED German–Ukrainian network. Through EU-funded projects like CireHive and SysMind, policy dialogues, and student initiatives, UNFU integrates sustainability into education, research, and governance – contributing to Ukraine’s green recovery and European future. UNFU also supports academic reform through the national UIHERP program.

The annual conference of the International Association of Universities (IAU) is a unique global platform for higher education leaders to meet, network and exchange on the development of higher education. In today’s dynamic global landscape, universities face heightened complexity and uncertainty. The 2025 Conference will explore the inextricable relationship between universities and the trust afforded to them. It will be held from 21-23 October 2025 at the University of Rwanda in Kigali.

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We warmly welcome the Ukrainian National Forestry University (UNFU) as new member of our network! Thanks to the initiative of Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, contacts were established and an official ceremony was organized during a visit by representatives of UNFU to Eberswalde.

The new publication “Recommendations for Innovating Teacher Education for Sustainable Development: An International Perspective” provides a comprehensive, yet adaptable framework for reimagining teacher education through five critical dimensions. It is the result of a the JSPS Core-to-Core Programme, involving Leuphana University Lüneburg and Okayama University with contributions by the international network of UNESCO Chairs in Higher Education for Sustainable Development.

The Leaders of Learner Empowerment (LoLE) project, funded by The German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) and led by Leuphana University Lüneburg, is developing a free training program on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) specifically designed for school leaders. Through hands-on projects, participants will drive systemic change in schools using a Whole School Approach. Running from 2025 to 2026, the programme includes international cohorts and aims to create a global ESD leadership network.

The Sub-Saharan Africa Teacher Leadership for Education for Sustainable Development (SSATL-ESD) project is a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening teacher leadership in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. This multi-country collaboration between 15 institutions from SSA and Europe, co-ordinated by Leuphana University Lüneburg and funded by the European Commission empowers educators and teacher leaders with competencies to improve the next generation’s knowledge, skills, and values for sustainable development, green economies, and culturally diverse and inclusive societies.

The first edition of this booklet was published in 2023 – now an updated version is available: "Out and about sustainably in Bern" is a sustainable city guide for students of the University of Bern (and other people interested in the topic). The book invites readers to consider what they need for a satisfied and good life and contains facts, ideas and tips in the areas of sustainable development.

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The next CA Exchange is coming up! With this webinar series we highlight great activities in our network and foster interaction and exchange between colleagues from different member institutions and beyond. On 2 June 2025, 15.30-17.00 CET, Jordan King (University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, US), will join former CA President Anne Zimmermann and current CA Co-President Elisabeth Hofmann to explore ways of rethinking how we assess, mark, and learn in higher education. 

From April to September 2025 oikos International will host another edition of its flagship leadership program LEAP. LEAP is a free, transformative program designed for students and early-career researchers to grow personally and develop responsible leadership skills. For over a decade, LEAP has supported hundreds of changemakers on their leadership journeys. 

University of Zurich (UZH) started a new Strategic Project on climate neutrality called "Decarb UZH Climate Neutrality 2030" in November 2024. The Strategic Projects are an instrument for giving priority to topics of university-wide importance. The project will thus strengthen efforts towards achieving climate neutrality at UZH. Initial focus areas are emissions related to air travel, energy use, food and waste. 

The Leuphana University Lüneburg is leading a transformative initiative to enhance biodiversity education in the Carpathians through the ProBioTIC project. Despite its ecological significance, the Carpathian region struggles to link biodiversity and sustainability science with policy and community action. The project fosters collaboration between young researchers, students, and local stakeholders, emphasizing the integration of traditional knowledge and sustainable consumption practices.

The SDG-iLevel project has launched a Massive Open Online Course designed to equip university staff with the knowledge and tools necessary to actively participate in achieving the SDGs. Six modules cover topics ranging from the basics of sustainable development to integrating the SDGs in teaching, research and university-community engagement. Each module includes theoretical content as well as practical activities and quizzes. Upon successful completion participants can get a certificate. 

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