Opening Academic Year 2018 Symposium

 

Dr. Serdar Turkeli attended Opening Academic Year 2018 Symposium to present SITE4Society initative  at UNU-MERIT in the scope of the Maastricht University theme of the academic year, “The responsibility of universities for sustainable development” on the 3rd of September 2018.

The responsibility of universities for sustainable development in the broadest sense was the overall theme of the day. The morning symposium wasorganised by our student-run Green Office and focuses on behavioural change. How – if at all – can we encourage people to make the right decisions in their daily lives? Students and staff presented their project ideas on how to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

During the official opening of the academic year in the afternoon, our keynote speakers  elaborated on how collaboration is essential in achieving SDGs in particular for European Universities.

In the second part of the day,

  • Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission spoke about the role of European universities
  • Kate Robertson, Co-Founder of One Young World, looked at the responsibilities of institutions, especially with regard to their social impact and sustainability
  • Prof. Dag Rune Olsen, Rector of the University of Bergen, presented the much-lauded strategy he and his university are pursuing in this respect.