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Relatore: Dott. Dario Cottafava


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Abstract:

The GO Model aims to develop a platform for students and employees with the goal of reaching higher university sustainability. The theory of this model is based on 6 principles developed by rootAbility, a social business established in 2012 as a spin-off organization from Maastricht University Green Office. The GO principles entail: (1) student and staff engagement, (2) officially mandated institutional commitment, (3) dedicated resources and budget, (4) a real integration into the university structure, (5) the establishment of partnership and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders and (6) a training process for students and staff. The Green Office Model has been propagating rapidly across Europe, becoming a source of inspiration for students and staff to establish new sustainability hubs or Green Offices. Such GOs or Sustainability hubs have been set up at already 22 universities in 4 countries and were recognized with the UNESCO Prize on Education for Sustainable Development in 2015. Students, staff and faculty work together in these hubs to initiate, facilitate and implement change towards sustainability in education, research, operations, community and governance. In the GO framework, ideas for sustainability and projects are structured and initiated. Consequently, greater awareness, knowledge and connection amongst students and staff have been achieved. The presentation will feature different case studies of GOs to showcase good practices and projects developed. Case studies of Green Offices in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium would be discussed as well as the projects developed as part of Terracini in Transizione at Bologna University and UniToGO at the University of Turin. Several examples of projects aiming at reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainability awareness will be presented (e.g. energy reductions and renewable energy, sustainable food consumption, mobility, waste management projects, etc.). The contribution will be a joint effort of rootAbility, Terracini in Transizione and UniToGO, the University of Turin Green Office. These three initiatives are currently working together to better adapt the GO model to the Italian context and specifically to Bologna and Turin University, with a specific focus of setting up student-led and staff-supported sustainability hubs. The University of Bologna has implemented several sustainability projects and initiatives with the involvement of students, staff and academia such as the Sustainability Action Plan and Terracini Campus Transition initiatives. UniToGO is an interdisciplinary network within the University of Turin with the collaboration of students, researchers, professors and administrative staff, based on five different working groups: Energy, Waste, Mobility, Food and Green Public Procurement. UniToGO has several active projects such as an electrical audit with the student’s support and an online platform for energy monitoring.

 

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