Programa Formação Especializada

Sustainability and Ecological Footprint at OpenEU

Introdução

This training is a certified professional training action for Management, Administrative and Technical staff of the OpenEU Alliance who are directly involve on tasks related to the Ecological Footprint, in the scope of the Erasmus-EDU OpenEU Project.

The training adopts a blended learning (b-learning) approach and aims to strengthen participants’ knowledge and practical competencies in key sustainability topics relevant to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It focuses particularly on the conceptual foundations of sustainability, the methodological approaches used to assess the Ecological Footprint (EF) of universities, and the interpretation and use of EF results to support institutional decision-making for reducing their impact.

Participants will engage with both scientific and operational perspectives on sustainability assessment through the lens of EF, by exploring the main drivers of the EF in university contexts (e.g., energy use, mobility, food consumption, materials and equipment, infrastructure, etc.). The training will also provide opportunities for collaborative reflection and knowledge exchange among partner institutions.

Furthermore, participants will analyse current practices within their universities and explore how institutional approaches to EF can be improved. Based on this process, they will identify and discuss feasible strategies and actions that can be implemented to reduce the EF of their institutions, in alignment with evidence-based practices and the sustainability objectives of the OpenEU Alliance.

Objetivos

The main aim of this training is to strengthen the capacity of OpenEU Alliance staff in understanding sustainability concepts and the Ecological Footprint (EF) methodology in HEIs. The training supports participants in interpreting EF results and key impact areas within their institutions. Ultimately, it aims to enable participants to plan and implement concrete actions to reduce the EF at their institutions.

Competências

By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the key concepts behind sustainability, ecological overshoot, and the EF in HEIs.
  • Reflect on the main EF impact areas within their institutions.
  • Plan and contribute to the implementation of actions to reduce the EF at their universities.

Destinatários

Management, Administrative and Technical staff of the OpenEU Alliance partner institutions who will be involved in:

  • Supporting or coordinating the assessment, monitoring, and reporting of the EF at their institution.
  • Contributing to the development, planning, and institutional integration of EF reduction strategies and sustainability actions within their institutions.
  • Participating in the implementation, follow-up, and continuous improvement of measures aimed at reducing resource consumption and environmental impacts at the university level.

Nº of participants: 10–15 participants

Estrutura Curricular

Topic 1 – Foundations of Sustainability and Ecological Overshoot (E-Learning)

Focus: Introduction to the fundamental concepts of sustainability, including ecological overshoot and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a basis for understanding sustainability challenges in HEIs.

Topic 2 – Ecological Footprint: Concepts and Methodology of Calculation (E-Learning)

Focus: Understand the concept of the Ecological Footprint (EF), its calculation methodology, and how it can be used to assess the environmental impact of daily actions.

Topic 3 – Applying the Ecological Footprint in HEIs: Practices at OpenEU (B-Learning)

Focus: Explore sustainability in HEIs, including key assessment tools and the main categories used in the University Ecological Footprint Calculator, to understand how institutions can evaluate and improve their sustainability performance and reduce their footprint.

Topic 4 – Assessment: Development of the “Code of Conduct for Low EF Alternatives @ OpenEU” (E-Learning)

Focus: Final assessment of the b-learning Training on “Sustainability and Ecological Footprint at OpenEU”.