Call for Papers: 16th IRDO International Science and Business Conference
The 16th IRDO International Science and Business Conference SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND CURRENT CHALLENGES 2021 is organized by the University of Maribor and puts a focus on "Challenges, opportunities and digitalisation for sustainable future". The main purpose of the conference is to explore the impact of digitalisation on the formation of relations and interactions between people, organizations, nature and society that enable the development of a common sustainable future. Submit your abstract by 15 February 2021 and participate in this forward-looking event that will take place from 10-11 June 2021 in a hybrid form in Maribor (Slovenia) and online.
Researchers at the Wuppertal Institute, Leuphana University of Lüneburg and Freie Universität of Berlin developed a handbook for the promotion of transformative and transdisciplinary competences within the framework of a new learning format called "Transformative Innovation Lab".
The Postdoc Academy for Transformational Leadership is a unique program that develops the next generation of leaders in sustainability research affiliated with a European research institution. Postdocs who conduct sustainability research and deal with challenges regarding pathways for regenerative development are invited to apply for the fourth cohort of the program. Applications can be submitted until 15 February 2021.
The University of Bern has set itself the goal of becoming a climate-neutral institution by 2025 in all areas in which it has direct influence. This ambitious goal is not only a necessity for the University of Bern due to continuing unchecked global warming, but also a question of credibility, as it is one of the world’s most acclaimed research institutions in climate change research. Furthermore, in its Strategy 2021, the University of Bern commits to integrating sustainability as an interdisciplinary issue in all areas of the university and promoting the respectful use of ecological, economic and social resources.
Frontiers in Sustainability, Section Sustainable Organizations, will shortly announce a Call for a Special Collection on “The role of the human dimension in promoting education for sustainable development at the regional level”. The theme is closely associated with ESD and learning processes on regional level, where diverse actors are involved.
The CA is an official partner of the International Transdisciplinarity (ITD) Conference “Creating spaces and cultivating mindsets for learning and experimentation”. The #itdconf2021 will take place online from 13-17 September 2021 and we invite CA members to attend! The conference aims to provide a platform for engagement, discussion, and action that links transdisciplinary research, learning, and practice. It is co-organized by the Transdisciplinarity Lab (TdLab), ETH Zurich, and the Network for Transdisciplinary Research (td-net) of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. The Call for Contributions will open in January 2021.
How to teach sustainability in a disciplinary university landscape and reach students from all disciplines? The University of Graz addresses this common dilemma with a university-wide ”Basic Module”: Six optional introductory courses deal with interdisciplinary topics and provide an orientation, especially for young people at the start of their studies. Initiated by the RCE Graz-Styria, recently a new course dedicated to ”Sustainable Development” was added to the Basic Module, tailor-made for beginners.
Since the pandemic crisis, Higher Education Institutions have adopted a more agile approach by streamlining their processes for evaluations and exams. As experience and knowledge increases, resistance to digital technology diminishes and at the same time leads to a pedagogical transformation of Higher Education Institutions which also affects sustainability issues.
In the second edition of its report on actions towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, CRUE (Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities) reflects on its commitment to the SDGs through implementation of dedicated conferences, debate sessions, workshops, and other initiatives. The Annual Report 2019 summarizes and analyses activities of the CRUE network and different working groups at Spanish Universities, discussing how they fostered the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at national and international levels.
The Global Universities and Colleges Climate Letter is now official partner to the UNFCCC Race to Zero. As a proud signatory of the Global Climate Letter the CA encourages its members and friends to sign up and be part of the Race to Zero. The aim is to get as many networks and institutions as possible on board in order to showcase the commitments towards the attainment of SDG 4 (Education) and 13 (Climate Change). 
The Environment, Development and Sustainability Journal accepts contributions to a Special Issue on “Transformative learning for Urban Sustainability: futures of transdisciplinary educational models, structures and tools”. The ultimate ambition of the special issue is to gather forward thinkers in suggesting how to trigger processes of integration of education institutions with other urban stakeholders to promote sustainable urban transformations. The submission deadline is 31 March 2021.
Over 230 participants from 35 countries gathered online for the Virtual Higher Education Summit 2020 (HES2020) from 31 August to 2 September 2020. A variety of formats enabled participants to engage in interactive sessions, leading to concrete outputs as well as fruitful discussions guided by internationally renowned speakers: Rietje van Dam-Mieras, Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, Christoph Grolimund, Elizabeth Lange, Mandy Singer-Brodowksi, Arjen Wals, Hilligje van’t Land, Giorgio Zanetti and Marie-Claire Graf. Additional material and session recordings are available now to registered participants on the conference website.
Since 2018, the working group “critical discourse on excellence” – consisting of members of intermediary and professorial staff originally at the University of Bern but now also at other Swiss HEIs – has been discussing the scientific practices we consider appropriate for achieving “academic excellence”. From this nucleus, an initiative emerged and is gaining momentum: the Better Science Initiative. COPERNICUS Alliance members are invited to sign the initiative and check on the programme of an upcoming online conference (20-21 November 2020).
