Symposium "Universities as Change Agents in Sustainable Development"

Universities are well placed to act as change agents:

• i. They produce the transdisciplinary research needed to understand complex problems and develop innovative solutions for sustainable development.
• ii. They equip millions of students annually with the sustainability literacy, skills, and values required to lead in a rapidly changing world.
• iii. Campuses function as micro-cities, providing testbeds for implementing and refining sustainable technologies, policies, and social practices.
• iv. As trusted institutions, they have the responsibility and capacity to engage with civil society, government, and industry to foster sustainable regional development.
• v. Universities uphold the values of evidence-based reasoning and long-term thinking, acting as a crucial counterbalance to short-term political and economic pressures.

The  Symposium "Universities as Change Agents in Sustainable Development" aims to catalyse collaboration, foster international and cross-sectoral partnerships between universities, municipalities, NGOs, and businesses to amplify their impact. It also aims to showcase innovative, scalable, and transferable models for integrating sustainability into curricula, research, campus operations, and community outreach. It will address Education for Sustainable Development. In addition, the event will provide a platform for PhD candidates and post-doctoral researchers to present their work and connect with established leaders in the field contributors to sustainability.

Presentations, workshops, and posters will be organised around the following ten interlinked themes:

•  a) Curriculum for a Sustainable Future: Pedagogical innovations, integrating SDGs across all disciplines, and fostering systems thinking and resilience in students.
• b) Sustainable University and Smart Campus: Implementing green infrastructure, achieving carbon neutrality, circular economy models on campus, and leveraging smart technology for sustainability.
• c) Research for Impact: Designing transdisciplinary research projects that directly address local, regional and global sustainability challenges and lead to tangible societal benefits.
• d) University-Community Partnerships: Models for co-creation with local communities, social innovation hubs and businesses, and contributing to just urban and regional transitions.
• e) Digital Innovation for Sustainability: Exploring the role of AI, big data, and digital twins in modelling sustainable solutions and optimising resource use.
• f) Policy Engagement and Advocacy: How universities can effectively inform and influence environmental and social policy at local, national, and international levels.
• g) Green Skills and Future Labour Markets: Aligning educational outcomes with the growing demand for sustainability expertise in the global economy.
  h) Social Justice and Inclusive Sustainability: Ensuring the transition to a sustainable future is equitable and addresses issues of diversity, inclusion, and indigenous knowledge.
• i) Student-Led Initiatives & Changemaking: Harnessing student passion and leadership through incubators, green offices, and activist movements within universities.

This Symposium promises to be a landmark event, providing a dynamic forum for leading thinkers and practitioners to shape the next chapter of higher education's role in building a sustainable future. 

The event will be of special interest to:     

• a) Teachers and researchers in fields related to sustainable development; 
  b) Students and professional learners interested in sustainability challenges and solutions; 
  c) Government officials and policymakers involved in environmental and sustainability planning; 
  d) business representatives who are collaborating with universities; 
  e) Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) focusing on environmental conservation and sustainable development.

There are two possibilities for attending the symposium: 
1.  By only attending the symposium (without a paper presentation): please register on the following form: https://forms.office.com/e/mgjL6ZVMZG
2. By delivering an oral or poster presentation: Researchers may submit any complete, original, and unpublished research papers, either conceptual or empirical. To participate, participants need to submit an abstract of 200 to 300 words, along with the authors' names and full contact details, before 15th December 2025. Abstracts should be submitted by using the following form: https://forms.office.com/e/R6r96YnNQY 

For those who submitted an abstract: The authors will receive an email with the registration and payment details. In case you already want to proceed with it, please register here: https://forms.office.com/e/mgjL6ZVMZG 

• Deadline for submission of abstracts: 20 December 2025    
• Deadline for registrations: 20 January 2026     
• Deadline for full papers (submission for the book after the symposium): 30 April 2026

Papers accepted for the event and presented during it may be submitted as chapters to the book Universities as Change Agents in Sustainable Development, to be published by Springer Nature within the World Sustainability Series, a leading peer reviewed series on sustainability in higher education:  https://www.springer.com/series/13384 

Submission is optional, it is a suggestion rather than a requirement. Detailed instructions for chapter preparation will be shared with authors whose abstracts are accepted. Each author will receive a complimentary PDF of their chapter and of the complete book.

A registration fee of EUR 290 (plus taxes) will be charged to delegates, to offset preparation costs. The fee includes coffee breaks and lunches on both days. Invoices will be sent to registered delegates, using the details provided at registration.

Students at the bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD level are eligible for a discounted fee. Proof of student status will be required, for example a valid student ID or enrollment certificate. The registration fee, in this case, will be EUR 100 (plus taxes) per delegate.

Accepted presenters affiliated with a BUP participating university may apply for a grant to cover the participation fee. The number of grants is limited; applications can be submitted via the registration form.

The Symposium is organised by the Research and Transfer Centre "Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management" at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany, the Cluster on Adaptation and Mitigation of Environmental Change KEKO and the ERA Chair project on Sustainable Futures (SustainERA) at Tallinn University  and the Baltic University Programme. 

The associated partners are: the European School of Science and Sustainability Research (ESSSR), the UK Consortium on Sustainability Research (UK-CSR), the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP) and the European North-American Sustainability Research Consortium.

The symposium will be organised as part of Green University Week in Estonia, which takes place from 16 to 20 March in 2026 and involves all public universities and university partners. Hosting this symposium in Tallinn, Estonia, is not merely a logistical choice; it is a thematic statement. Estonia is a global leader in digital innovation, e-governance, and cybersecurity. This provides a unique backdrop for discussing how digital technology can be harnessed as a powerful tool for sustainability, from smart city solutions to reducing bureaucratic waste. Delegates can experience a truly digital society firsthand. Also, Tallinn was awarded the European Green Capital title in 2023, being recognised for its commitment to biodiversity, sustainable transport, and green governance. The city serves as a living case study for the symposium's themes. Estonia's geographic and cultural position creates a unique meeting point, encouraging dialogue and perspective-sharing between Western European, Nordic, and Eastern European academic traditions and approaches to sustainability.

Tallinn's medieval Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the city is remarkably compact and walkable. This fosters a cohesive and engaging experience for delegates, with venues, accommodation, and cultural sites within easy reach. The well-connected airport and public transport system further underscore the theme of sustainable mobility.

The symposium will be organised with sustainability at its core. Efforts will include minimising paper use, prioritising digital materials, encouraging low-carbon travel options, offering plant-based catering, and selecting venues and suppliers committed to environmentally responsible practices. The conference is supported by the Tallinn University Training and Conference Centre, which follows the university’s “Good practice in organising environmentally friendly events and training courses”.  

If you have any questions, or need further details, please contact the organising committee at: FTZ-NK-Events (at) haw-hamburg (dot) de