The University of Malta’s Committee for Sustainability (C-SUM), in collaboration OPAD, CEER and HRMD, organised a training event aimed at promoting a sustainable university on Tuesday 14 May 2024. Sustainability issues and sustainable practices impact everyone, both individually and at the community level.
The training, developed and led by Prof. Mark Mifsud and Dr Censu Caruana from the Centre for Environmental Education and Research (CEER) was attended by academic, administrative and research members of staff working at the University and Junior College. Insights into the broad interpretations and subsequent impact of sustainability were shared as an introduction. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which may serve as a foundation for building sustainable practices, were also presented.
Participants had the opportunity to reflect on their personal practices through a sustainability behaviour quiz and consider steps which can be undertaken to bring about change to their own personal behaviours as well as to sustainable practices which can be promoted in their environment. Further interaction was encouraged through Mentimeter responses, where participants identified four personally meaningful SDGs and two assessment statements about the perceptions concerning sustainability practices across UM Campus and sites.
Prof. Valerie Sollars, the Pro-Rector for Strategic Planning and Sustainability, concluded the session by highlighting the importance of collaboration over competition when dealing with sustainability initiatives and their promotion. She reiterated the importance of engaging everyone to get on board and become aware of how individual practices have the potential to impact both the immediate and wider community. In addition to further training and awareness raising, C-SUM is seeking sustainability champions from across the university community. Individuals designated as such will be a channel for C-SUM to promote initiatives and policies, but will in-turn offer the space where staff and students at UM can exchange ideas, make suggestions and discuss sustainable practices. Sustainability champions will motivate each other, offer support to implement change, thus contributing towards strengthening a sustainable university.
Following the success and the interest generated from the first workshop, a second workshop will be held on Monday 10 June 2024 from 09:00 till 12:00 noon. This workshop has been revised and refined based on participant feedback. Interested participants may register online.
