Strategy

Long committed to an ecological transition, the University of Montpellier has taken a new step forward with the development of its Ecological Transition Master Plan (SDTE). This strategic document meets the expectations of the relevant government ministries while affirming the institution’s strong political commitment: to make the ecological transition a pillar of its governance and institutional operations.

Through its “Strategy and Governance” pillar,UM fullyUM the culture of ecological transition into its decision-making bodies and operational management. This effort is based on collective engagement: students, staff, academic departments, schools, institutes, central administrative offices, shared services, and research units are all key players in this transformation.

Thanks to this commitment and this cross-functional approach, theUM strategyUM concrete, widely embraced, and sustainable. It embodies a unifying vision for a university that is resolutely forward-looking and committed to an ecological transition toward sustainable development.

Network of Ecological Transition Correspondents (CTE)

In October 2024, the network of Ecological Transition Correspondents (CTE) was established. This initiative aims to embed sustainable practices throughout the institution’s various units by implementing the Ecological Transition Master Plan (SDTE) in the academic departments, schools, institutes, research units, central administrative offices, and shared services, and by establishing a direct link between each unit and the sustainable development office to streamline the flow of information, facilitate the monitoring of actions, and ensure greater consistency among initiatives.

The CTEs play a key role as operational liaisons. They share data, indicators, and projects related to the ecological transition, while participating in exchanges of best practices. The network is active year-round through quarterly news updates, an annual meeting led by the Vice President for Environmental Issues, and surveys designed to highlight initiatives and gather feedback from the community.

In the long term, this network aims to foster a culture of sustainability at all levels of the university by driving the collective momentum essential to the success of the ecological transition.

Responsible Travel Policy

As part of its Ecological Transition Master Plan (SDTE), the University of Montpellier is implementing a responsible transportation policy aimed at reducing its carbon footprint while meeting the needs of its community.

With operations at 25 sites across 5 departments,UM challenges related to coordination and accessibility, which it addresses in collaboration with local governments and regional stakeholders through a collaborative approach to developing solutions.

A survey of mobility practices, conducted in conjunction with the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report (BEGES), helped identify the expectations of its employees and areas for action to offer alternatives to private vehicle use. This initiative is part of the development of an Employer Mobility Plan (PDME), a strategic tool that identifies available mobility solutions by region, encourages sustainable transportation, and promotes alignment between employees’ needs and local transportation policies.

Supported by staff, management, and local partners, this policy aims to reduce the carbon footprint of business travel and commuting, while strengthening the coherence of the ecological transition at both the institutional and regional levels and actively contributing to public policies on sustainable mobility.

Responsible Business Travel Policy

As part of its ecological transition efforts, the University of Montpellier has implemented a responsible business travel policy aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of its activities. This initiative, which is part of the SDTE, aims to reduce the environmental impact of travel while ensuring that university staff can continue to carry out their duties effectively.

Accordingly, the institution recommends prioritizing sustainable transportation options, particularly public transportation with low environmental impact (trains, buses, trams), carpooling, and vehicles with low_CO2 emissions—such as electric or hybrid cars—when travel by car is necessary. Air travel is limited to long-distance trips.  Staff are also encouraged, whenever possible, to use videoconferencing when in-person meetings are not necessary.

Responsible Procurement Policy

As part of its Master Plan for Ecological Transition (SDTE), the University of Montpellier is strengthening its responsible procurement policy by incorporating environmental and social criteria into its procurement procedures. The goal is clear: to make every purchase a concrete driver of ecological transition, in line with the institution’s commitments.

UM to include environmental clauses in its public procurement contracts and is optimizing its supply chain to reduce deliveries, travel, packaging, and waste generation.

The institution is committed to implementing the Plan for the Promotion of Socially and Environmentally Responsible Public Procurement (SPASER). This initiative aims to set clear objectives, ensure monitoring, and encourage purchasers to adopt sustainable practices in line with national and international commitments.

This policy reflects the entire university community's commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (BEGES)

As part of its commitment to the ecological transition, the University of Montpellier has completed its first Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory (BEGES).

The BEGES is part of a regulatory and voluntary initiative that involves theUM leadership, all departments, staff, students, and partners.

It serves three main purposes:

• Quantify greenhouse gas emissions associated with the institution's activities
• Guide strategic decisions toward practices that ensure a reduction in emissions
• Monitor progress made in the implementation of the Ecological Transition Master Plan (SDTE).

Implementing the BEGES poses major challenges due both to the complexity of the multi-site institution and to the diversity of the data to be collected and the stakeholders to be involved. Following the collection of data from multiple sites and stakeholders, a large-scale survey of students and staff on travel patterns and practices, and the presentation of the results, the institution began developing a transition action plan to reduce its carbon footprint. The goal is to identify priority actions to be implemented—particularly regarding student and staff travel—in order to work toward a 5% annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, the institution is committed to conducting its BEGES internally every three years to assess the effectiveness of its action plan.

Beyond its strategic importance forUM, the completion of the BEGES project demonstrated a strong level of involvement from the university community. It highlighted a collective commitment to climate issues, thereby confirming that the ecological transition is not only an institutional priority but also a goal shared by all members of the university community.