Launch of the “2021 Green Challenges” Campaign

Intended for students and staff at the University of Montpellier as part of the European UNI-ECO project.

This call for proposals is part of the European UNI-ECO project.

The UNI-ECO project is a “Strategic Partnership” co-funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ program. It is an initiative led by the University of Montpellier in partnership with the University of Barcelona, Utrecht University, Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, and Trinity College Dublin (all members of the CHARM-EU alliance), as well as with the UNIMED university network and the NGO CESIE.

This project aims to raise awareness about sustainable development and to encourage cooperation and action among all university campus users (students, academic and non-academic staff) toward a sustainable campus.

During the first phase of the project, an “assessment of the state of sustainable development in higher education institutions” was conducted. Analysis of the results of this study at partner institutions—which included self-assessments by universities and surveys of students and staff—helped identify priority areas for action and define common “green challenges,” which form the core of this call for proposals.

The partner universities participating in the European UNI-ECO project are simultaneously launching a call for projects titled “Green Challenges 2021” for their students and staff.

What is a “green challenge”? It is a challenge issued to campus users to develop projects aimed at improving sustainability on their university campuses, with the goal of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.

This year, the themes under which projects must be submitted are as follows:

• Practices that will bring the university closer to “Zero Waste”;
• Reducing the university's transportation-related carbon footprint;
• Actions aimed at strengthening and improving biodiversity;
• Reducing the environmental footprint of university dining services.

Are you a student or staff member at the University of Montpellier who would like to help build the sustainable university of tomorrow? Then join us and help make our campus greener!

Form a team of 2 to 5 people and submit your project online via the UNI-ECO platform. You can also join a team that’s still looking for members to share your skills and increase your chances of winning.

The selected projects will receive support to help them take shape and may be eligible for funding of up to €1,000 per project. A winning team will be chosen and will have the opportunity to present its project to an international audience at the UNI-ECO summer school, thereby gaining a unique opportunity for international networking.

The call for projects is open from March 15 to April 4, 2021. So choose a challenge to tackle today and submit your vision for a sustainable campus!

For more information, please refer to the brochure and the general terms and conditions of the call for proposals.