On October 13, 2022, together with the DECODE Sustainability partners, ACEEU launched the third main output of the project, the DECODE Toolkit.
The launch was held online in a webinar format led by the leader of the work package, Riga Technical University, and the dissemination leader of the project, ACUP/GUNi.
During the 1,5-hour webinar, the DECODE partners introduced the 3 main tools developed in the Toolkit which are:
- DECODE Impact Tree, a visual representation of the main areas (drivers and sub-drives) that an HEI needs to focus on, to contribute towards a more sustainable future
- DECODE Toolkit Instruments, a collection of instruments and best practices to drive contribution to sustainability through an entrepreneurial and engaged perspective, and
- DECODE Self-Assessment Tool, a short set of questions allowing higher education institutions to see how their institution is doing concerning each of the 8 dimensions of sustainability
During the webinar, the consortium also had the opportunity to gain insights from the attendees on how they perceived the Toolkit and what the project could do to improve its quality and usability. The feedback session was conducted in an interactive manner using Miro board, an online visual collaborative platform.
The webinar was completed with an insightful session given by Dr Maria Kirrane, the Sustainability Officer at University College Cork (UCC) Office of Sustainability and Climate Action. During this session, Dr. Kirrane shared the inspiring journey and best practices on how the UCC became the first University in the world to be awarded a Green Flag from the Foundation for Environmental Education and the first outside of North America to be awarded a STARS Gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
All in all, the webinar was a great success and ACEEU's and the rest of the DECODE partners are looking forward to continuing the work in the project by designing Impact Pathways And Impact Roadmaps, frameworks that can be used to support academic leaders of HEIs to advance their contributions to sustainability by outlining specific steps that can and should be taken by their departments to promote positive change.
Photo Credit:
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