2.5 Digitally Responsible ULiège Professor Felix Scholtes, Advisor to the Rector on Digital Sobriety, reminds us that digital use has undesirable effects: «typically imperceptible, these undesirable effects include, for example, the [over]consumption of energy and resources (with the production of greenhouse gases (see image below); counterproductive systemic effects, such as the rebound effect, i.e., the increase in digital consumption and its carbon footprint that follows technological optimisation; indirect impacts, such as the potential for unsustainable development through indiscriminate digital use; the impact of digital technology on health; and the digital divide.» ULiège, which provides training for the players in our society, and is itself a major developer, provider and user of digital technology, has therefore committed itself to evaluating and optimising its digital uses. Since 2022, it has established responsible institutional governance of digital technology and, in addition to this ambition to set an example, is broadening its focus to include its training and research missions. The University’s digital governance and commitment have resulted in: • the creation of the post of Digital Sobriety Advisor within the rectoral team; • the signing of the Responsible Digital Charter in 2022 and membership of the Belgian ISIT (Institute for Sustainable Information Technology), which provides tools for assessing and adapting institutional digital operations; • the creation of a steering group for responsible digital technologies in 2022 and its training by ISIT; • the inclusion, in the Strategic Plan for Digital Education, of the principles of a reasoned, reasonable, «sober and inclusive» implementation of digital technology; • the explicit inclusion of responsible digital ambitions in the institutional strategic plan; • the planning of a new audit to subject our digital operations to critical scrutiny in order to optimise governance and IT infrastructure. In our post-industrial societies, digital advances are a source of hope for many. However, the digital ‘revolution’ - a complex, dazzling and pervasive phenomenon - also has undesirable effects. Faced with these challenges, ULiège is committed to transforming its practices and broadening the scope of its education and research missions. Laurent Debra Deputy Director of the SEGI Felix Scholtes Advisor to the Rector on Digital Sobriety 16 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
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