Strategic sustainability goals

Strategic Sustainability Goals of BOKU

Strategic sustainability goals

I. BOKU Establishes the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a Framework in Teaching and Research

As the "University of Life," BOKU aims to contribute to achieving the SDGs at both national and international levels. It takes a clear stance on sustainable development, strengthens SDG-relevant, transformative research and teaching, and makes the SDGs visible and effective externally. As a university, BOKU also addresses the goal conflicts within the SDGs, identifies them, and makes the decisions taken to address them transparent and understandable. BOKU research projects contribute to achieving the goals or reflect their work in the context of the 2030 Agenda. The SDGs are integrated with BOKU's areas of expertise and, where possible, incorporated into study plans and learning objectives. Teaching fosters awareness of the sustainability goals and the associated societal challenges and opportunities, contributing to the development of normative competence in terms of ethically grounded, critical evaluation and judgment skills among students and teachers.

II. BOKU Promotes Research and Teaching that Supports Sustainable Development

Interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity, system-oriented and transformative approaches for sustainable development, and alternative methods that offer different perspectives on contemporary challenges (imagination, creativity, art) are strengthened in teaching and research. The promotion is financial, idealistic, and structural, oriented towards international discourse. It includes established research and teaching, as well as student (qualification theses) and early-career research. In promoting sustainability-relevant teaching, the focus is on developing (holistic, forward-looking, strategic, normative, interpersonal) sustainability competencies alongside subject-specific content. This is reflected in curricula and corresponding teaching and learning methods. Student engagement is encouraged and demanded to strengthen students' self-responsibility and increase the effectiveness of teaching.

III. BOKU Promotes Debates and Reflection on Topics and Tensions of Sustainable Development

The transformation towards a sustainable society implies numerous tensions and goal conflicts. These need to be addressed and made manageable: BOKU promotes corresponding discussion and reflection processes. Sustainability research highlights tensions and contradictions and shows where non-sustainable trends are supported and promoted by research. This results in different perspectives and solutions for sustainable development within and between research fields. Overarching questions include the freedom of research versus orientation towards normative concepts (e.g., SDGs), the evaluability of research in terms of scientific excellence and societal impact, and the prioritization and role understanding of scientists in the context of sustainability. These contradictions must also have a place in teaching. Therefore, spaces are needed that allow for creativity, critical debates, and self-reflection, involving the adequate design of the idealistic teaching and learning environment as well as physical teaching and learning spaces.

IV. BOKU is the Primary Contact for Stakeholder Groups in Sustainable Development and Involves Affected Societal Groups in Formulating and Addressing Issues

Due to its research topics and the expertise of its staff, BOKU is the primary contact for external individuals and groups from politics, administration, civil society, the population, and the economy who need expertise on sustainable development issues. BOKU actively shapes societal debates on sustainability-relevant topics and addresses societal questions through research and teaching. Through mutual exchange between BOKU members and practitioners, BOKU can address research needs in the context of sustainable development and respond to socially relevant research questions. In sustainability-relevant areas, affected societal groups should be involved in research processes in the sense of transdisciplinary research approaches or citizen science. Additionally, the participation of BOKU members in discussion and information events, stakeholder processes, and dialogue with politics, administration, and civil society actors is encouraged. Through this cooperative exchange relationship, BOKU can proactively set thematic priorities for sustainable development, highlight possible future paths, and identify misdevelopments and dead ends. BOKU sees itself as an important driver of societal transformation towards sustainable development.

V. BOKU Supports Broad Public Relations in the Sense of Sustainable Development

BOKU is perceived as an actor and pioneer in the context of sustainable development. Through repeated fact-based education and broad public relations, BOKU makes a significant contribution to raising awareness and increasing society's capacity for action in the sense of sustainable development. Corresponding socially impactful science communication is structurally anchored at BOKU and gains importance. Additionally, BOKU supports its members in acting critically and socially effectively in public debates. BOKU members are encouraged to proactively position themselves on sustainability-relevant topics based on their scientific work and are trained in dealing with the media and the public to engage openly and critically in societal debates.

VI. BOKU Aims for Climate Neutrality by 2030

Austria is committed to the Paris Climate Agreement, which requires climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest. In the interest of climate justice, Europe should achieve this goal by 2040. The Austrian government has also committed to this goal. Universities should lead by example. Therefore, BOKU aims to reduce its CO2 emissions by 2030 through a broad range of measures. This requires a fundamental organizational restructuring of university operations. Comprehensive measures in mobility (business travel), nutrition, energy supply and consumption (electricity, gas, steam, district heating/cooling), buildings, and accompanying user awareness and involvement are necessary. Additionally, BOKU aims to expand its CO2 compensation system to offset unavoidable emissions.

VII. BOKU Promotes Sustainable Business Travel and Mobility for Employees

All BOKU members are empowered to take responsibility for the transformation towards a sustainable society in their daily lives and (future) professional lives. Mobility is particularly climate-relevant in Austria and contributes significantly to BOKU's CO2 emissions. Therefore, it is crucial for everyone to reconsider their behavior. Additionally, teachers have a significant role model effect, for example, in climate-friendly travel to work, conferences, and congresses. BOKU works to raise awareness among employees and students about the impact of their mobility, promote debate on the topic, and actively support alternative actions in the mobility sector (e.g., using public and CO2-neutral transportation, online conferences, avoiding air travel).

VIII. BOKU Uses Material Resources Sparingly and Optimizes Its Waste Management

The efficient use of material resources in the sense of sustainable development is a key concern for BOKU. Procurement aims to promote products from sustainable raw materials and second use, as well as to prefer high-quality products with long lifespans. BOKU's waste management ensures that waste generation is minimized and that unavoidable waste and hazardous materials are properly separated and disposed of. In the interest of ecological sustainability and budgetary frugality, opportunities for shared use of equipment and operating resources are optimally utilized (establishment of BOKU Core Facilities).

IX. Sustainability is Lived in Everyday Life at BOKU, and the Sustainability Awareness of BOKU Members is Actively Promoted

Sustainability is an integral part of everyday work at BOKU. To further improve sustainable practices, both new and long-standing employees are continuously informed and trained on sustainability practices at the university. BOKU actively promotes awareness and action opportunities for each individual to contribute to a sustainable BOKU and provides space for reflection on sustainable values. BOKU takes targeted actions to empower its members to engage in sustainability and actively involves them in developing such measures. This includes preserving built-up know-how in the sustainability field, designing core processes in the sense of sustainability, and enabling the implementation of sustainability-relevant activities and tasks within everyday BOKU life.

X. BOKU Strengthens Transparency, Participation, and Internal Communication as Fundamental Principles of a Sustainable University

BOKU members are involved in organizational changes through transparent participation opportunities. Participatory process design and clear internal communication promote motivation and acceptance for (sustainability-relevant) decisions. Additionally, adherence to voluntarily set behavioral standards, which ensure good scientific practice and sustainable development, is of particular importance to the university. Furthermore, BOKU is committed to the sustainable development goals (SDGs), including SDG 16, which aims to build effective, accountable, and transparent institutions.

XI. BOKU is a Workplace and Educational Institution in the Sense of Comprehensive Social Sustainability

As a key pillar of social sustainability, BOKU fosters a mindful and appreciative interaction with people. Diversity, inclusion, gender equality, and anti-discrimination are fundamental principles at BOKU—in daily interactions and especially in teaching, where an equal footing between students and teachers is emphasized. The social competence of leaders, employees, and students is actively promoted to ensure a pleasant working environment and strengthen successful cooperation and team spirit. Cooperative actions between researchers, students, institutes, departments, and service units are encouraged, and cooperation is upheld as an important principle and counterbalance to competitive pressure in science. BOKU also takes social responsibility by going beyond legal requirements to address the needs and well-being of its employees, regularly evaluating these aspects. A balanced work-life integration is facilitated through a variety of offerings.

XII. BOKU Establishes an Integrative Sustainability Management and Integrates Sustainability into Cross-Sectoral, Consistent Strategy and Planning Processes

Strategic orientation and decisions are guided by sustainability principles and contribute to societal transformation towards sustainable development in the long term. In terms of coherent strategic orientation, the sustainability strategy aligns with other BOKU strategy papers, such as the development plan and communication strategy. BOKU's leadership ensures synergies and consistency, making sure that sustainability processes at BOKU are designed as goal-oriented and consistent as possible by regularly coordinating activities in the sustainability field, such as the BOKU sustainability strategy, the BOKU sustainability report, and environmental management, and utilizing potential synergies.