ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 2022-2023
Charting Our Course In the face of today’s societal challenges, new social projects are taking shape that combine an ecological contract, technological sobriety, social justice, solidarity, democratic consolidation and shared well-being. ULiège recognises the role it has to play in defining a desirable future and actively participating in its construction. In order to make a real contribution to «restoring the planet’s viability by implementing the objectives of sustainable development» (Jouzel & Abaddie, 2022), our university has been inspired to follow a path of transition that covers all its components. The annual Sustainable Development Report is testimony to the extraordinary dynamism demonstrated once again by the members of our university over the past year. The initiatives and efforts highlighted in this report have been carried out by our faculties, researchers, teaching staff, students, administrations and bodies dedicated to sustainable development, transition or more specific issues (Sustainable Development Unit, Sustainable Development Council, Green Office, Equality and Gender Council, Responsible Digital working group). ULiège is already in transition, and this is already everyone’s business. We now need to mark out this path more clearly to ensure greater coherence and institutional effectiveness. Our Strategic Plan (20222026) sets out certain guidelines very clearly. Firstly, it explicitly states this ambition for transition and sets out the trajectory for carrying out our missions (teaching, research, community service): support for transdisciplinary research, pursuit of an open science policy, transformation of our training programmes around transition issues, creation of a compulsory ‘sustainability and transition’ course for all our bachelor’s degree programmes, development of service learning (learning through experience and action in the service of the community and transition actors), creation of places for sharing and co-production of knowledge with the City by mobilising the transmission pathways that link the University to its environment. The Strategic Plan also expresses ULiège’s desire to accelerate the transformation of its campuses into genuine transition laboratories. In harmony with its own research work, ULiège is committed to making organisational choices that promote the well-being of the members of its community, improve mechanisms for inclusion and strengthen measures to combat discrimination and violence, reduce our environmental footprint and enable us to experiment on our sites with new ways of travelling, eating, consuming, financing, using digital technology, working and studying that are more in tune with contemporary issues. Finally, the Strategic Plan involves the entire University community in the dynamics of the expected transformations. By promoting participative and transparent governance, ULiège is betting on a double movement: on the one hand, it intends to respect and support autonomous initiatives (at faculty and group level), and on the other, it is making sure that everything is visible, coordinated and integrated. With the recent support of ARES, ULiège is now working to translate the guidelines in its Strategic Plan into a real ‘roadmap’ for the transition to greater sustainability. A sustainability officer was recruited this year and is working on - among other things - providing our institution with a tool to steer this transition, enabling us to internally monitor and refine our trajectory, as well as inform our community and external observers of our commitments and achievements. Echoing the impetus initiated by our rectoral team over the past year, the international QS Sustainability Ranking, which evaluates the response of 1403 universities worldwide to environmental, social and governance issues, has just awarded ULiège first place in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, second place in Belgium and 148th place worldwide. This ranking is an excellent sign. It reminds us - if we needed reminding - that the legitimacy of a university will henceforth also depend on its performance in terms of transition and its contribution to a desirable future. This international recognition of ULiège reinforces our approach and encourages us to continue in this way with conviction and determination. Anne-Sophie Nyssen Rector Sybille Mertens Advisor in Social and Environmental Transition 2 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
Summary 4 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DASHBOARD 2022-2023 P. 44 5 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BODIES AT ULIÈGE P. 49 3 TEACHING, RESEARCH AND FACULTY INITIATIVES P. 29 1 UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS 2 SUSTAINABLE CAMPUSES 6 PARTNERSHIPS P. 6 P. 50 P. 4 3 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
1 Sustainable Development Goals GOAL 1. Access to basic human needs of health, education, sanitation. GOAL 2. Providing food and humanitarian relief, establishing sustainable food production. GOAL 3. Better, more accessible health systems to increase lifeexpectancy. GOAL 4. Inclusive education to enable upward social mobility and end poverty. GOAL 5. Education regardless of gender, advancement of equality laws, fairer representation of women. GOAL 6. Improving access for billions of people who lack these basic facilities. GOAL 7. Access to renewable, safe and widely available energy sources for all. GOAL 8. Creating jobs for all to improve living standards, providing sustainable economic growth. 4 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
GOAL 9. Generating employment and income through innovation. GOAL 10. Reducing income and other inequalities, within and between countries. GOAL 11. Making cities safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. GOAL 12. Reversing current consumption trends and promoting a more sustainable future. GOAL 13. Regulating and reducing emissions and promoting renewable energy. GOAL 14. Conservation, promoting marine diversity and regulating fishing practices. GOAL 15. Reversing manmade deforestation and desertification to sustain all life on earth. GOAL 16. Inclusive societies, strong institutions and equal access to justice. GOAL 17. Revitalise strong global partnerships for sustainable development. In 2015, the members of the United Nations (UN) adopted the 2030 Agenda. This agenda defines 17 broad Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, see below), broken down into 169 more specific targets. They aim to address urgent global social, environmental and economic challenges. This agenda is deeply rooted in the fight against inequality, the well-being of populations, and the protection of the environment in its broadest sense. Since the adoption of the agenda, states, institutions, communities, private and public organisations have largely appropriated the 17 SDGs, which influence the analysis and orientation of their policies in favour of sustainable development. Universities play a major role in achieving these major objectives, through research, teaching and community services. Many universities are taking on this responsibility and are committed to improving understanding of the challenges of sustainable development, developing the skills needed to implement concrete solutions, strengthening research and innovation related to these societal challenges, reinforcing local and international collaborations in favour of the SDGs, and, above all, acting in favour of the transition towards sustainability in all internal operations. This sustainable development report highlights ULiège’s contribution to these global challenges. The report systematically references the 17 SDGs in presenting our actions. 5 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
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2 Sustainable Campuses 2.1. Operation Renovation 2.2. Ongoing, Committed Support for Active Mobility 2.3. Responsible Choices for International Travel 2.4. Gender Equality: Taking Action 2.5. Digitally Responsible ULiège 2.6. An Administration Serving a Sustainable University 2.7. Green Office Actions 2.8. A Promising First Edition of the Sustainable Development Call for Projects 2.9. “Gembloux Campus Durable”, for a Committed and Sustainable Campus 2.10. A Year of Acceleration for S’Lab at HEC Liège 7 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
2.1 Operation Renovation One of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is to reduce our energy consumption, and this naturally involves improving the insulation of buildings. Construction of the Sart Tilman campus began in the 1960s, «a time when little or no thought was given to insulation during construction», explains Rudi Cloots, the Rector’s Adviser on Infrastructure. Five buildings have therefore been identified as being particularly energy-intensive and in need of renovation. If we look at the entire life cycle of a building, its energy renovation is preferable to its demolition, both from an energy and environmental point of view. For the renovation of buildings, the criteria imposed by the EU are particularly strict. «The work must generate at least 30% primary energy savings and comply with draconian environmental standards,» explains AnneFrançoise Marique, Director of the Property Resources Department. These standards, known as DNSH (Do Not Significantly Harm), are designed to cause as little damage to the environment as possible. «The work itself, as well as the building after renovation, must emit as few greenhouse gases as possible, whether from electricity or heating, and must not emit pollutants,» explains Rudi Cloots. «Biodiversity must be preserved, as must water resources. Wastewater must therefore be treated appropriately. Lastly, building materials must be part of the circular economy, and construction waste must therefore be integrated into recovery and recycling channels.» For each renovation, the buildings will also be fitted with meters to measure consumption in real time. «ULiège has an Energy Unit that monitors consumption very closely, so we can intervene quickly if there are any deviations from the expected figures, and this has a very positive impact on our energy consumption,» says Anne-Françoise Marique. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the European Union has put forward a recovery plan designed to stimulate the economy while combating global warming. As part of this plan, the University of Liège is benefiting from funds allocated by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation for the energy renovation of its buildings. Anne-Françoise Marique Director of the Human Resources Administration Rudi Cloots Advisor to the Rector on Infrastructure 8 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVES In addition to the objectives set by the EU, ULiège wants each renovation to maximise the re-use of materials. «The buildings selected are representative of the modernist architecture of the 1960s and 1970s, so certain renovation techniques will be common to the various structures,» adds Anne-Françoise Marique. And as sustainable development is not just about using energy, the University also wants the renovations to be rooted in a local area that respects both people and the environment. «This involves two things,» explains Rudi Cloots. «Firstly, all contractors working with ULiège must comply with social anti-dumping criteria. Secondly, their specifications must include the use of sustainable materials, in short circuits whenever possible.» Finally, ULiège has also set itself innovation targets, calling on the University’s researchers. «These are self-imposed challenges that are not included in the EU criteria,» points out Rudi Cloots. «One example would be electrochromic glazing in buildings that are sensitive to overheating, i.e., glazing that filters infrared rays in summer and lets them through in winter. Of course, all this is complex, and will no doubt take the form of small prototypes, integrated into existing infrastructures, with a view to future development.» THE BUILDINGS CONCERNED BY THE RENOVATION The first building to be constructed on the campus, the bookshop designed by architect Vandenhove (B34 building) is finally set to benefit from a facelift. «The challenge of this renovation is to achieve ambitious energy performance without betraying the original architecture,» explains Anne-Françoise Marique. «Unfortunately, the building is very remote and cannot be connected to the heating network. We are therefore going to replace the oil-fired boiler with a wood pellet boiler, which should considerably improve its energy performance.» Renovations of the Faculty of Sciences’ library and Dean’s Office (B6b building), as well as the offices of the Nuclear Physics building (B15 building), are also well under way. «One of the major challenges of the project will be to carry out the renovations while guaranteeing access for students and members of the University,» notes Anne-Françoise Marique. «This is a major challenge, because the plan is to change the way the building is organised in order to rationalise and optimise the spaces, particularly the meeting rooms, to improve energy efficiency.» The amphitheatres on the 20-Août site are also part of the project: «As well as the energy renovations, the amphitheatres must be fitted with a ventilation system that complies with the new standards of the General Regulation on Protection at Work, guaranteeing the students spaces with good air quality.» Finally, the experimental farm at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is to be completely renovated to house an aquaculture centre. «Ultimately, the building will become an inter-university and interdisciplinary platform focusing on freshwater aquatic organisms,» explains Anne-Françoise Marique. With a total budget of €27 million, the overall renovation project began with the first works in September 2023. 9 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
2.2 Ongoing, Committed Support for Active Mobility CREATING A COMMUNITY All the useful information regarding travel to, and around, ULiège campuses, on foot, by bike or by public transport (secure car parks, showers, itineraries, incentives, etc.), can be found on My Mobility, the intranet of the Urban Planning and Mobility Unit. The Unit has also set up a Facebook group, a place for the University community to exchange thoughts, tips and good ideas «by and for» them, and a Teams group «ULiège, j’y vais à vélo» (ULiège, I’m going by bike) where information can be shared and suggestions and reports can be made. IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN ACCESS: PEDESTRIAN BAROMETER AND EXPLORATORY WALK For the first time in Belgium, a pedestrian barometer was organised in February 2023. It was instigated by ULiège, which wanted to assess the pedestrian potential of all its campuses. The high number of respondents to this survey (nearly 1,800) shows the interest of users on this issue. The initiative made it possible to gather information on pedestrian behaviour, confirm trends, assess needs and wishes, and identify the obstacles or difficulties facing walkability (lack of accessibility, unsafe lighting (particularly for women), inadequate signage, problematic paving, etc.) and to respond to the desire of the University authorities to reach out to pedestrians. The overall score from this satisfaction survey is equivalent to a B (on a scale from A+ to G) for ULiège sites, which can be translated as a favourable level of walkability. In addition to this survey, exploratory walks were organised with test users in order to assess what solutions could be proposed to alleviate the black spots in terms of walkability (such as the absence of pavements on certain segments). The promising results of this study attest to the effectiveness and relevance of the strong modal shift policy pursued by ULiège in recent years, and encourage us to continue along this path. To support the transition to more sustainable mobility, ULiège’s Urban Planning and Mobility Unit is leading a series of initiatives aimed at anticipating user needs and supporting sustainable mobility trends by developing numerous projects and contacts as part of the mobility policy adopted in February 2020. Uliège Arlon Gembloux Liège Sart Tilman Liège centre-ville Rating of walking conditions 1 Very poor 2 3 4 5 6 7 Very good 10 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
IMPROVING COMFORT FOR CYCLISTS TO ENCOURAGE MOBILITY BY BIKE To support the development of cycling as a means of internal mobility for the University community, ULiège is working to deploy suitable infrastructure on its campuses. In accordance with the ULiège Cycle Plan adopted in 2020, the University authorities have decided to add new links to the existing cycle network. In 2023, a works contract was awarded for the development of 10 new sections located in the northern zone of the Sart Tilman campus, which will complete the connection with the current network and make it a continuous loop. In addition to the cycling facilities, in autumn 2023 the Sart Tilman campus will also be equipped with more than 200 new secure bicycle parking spaces (with badge access, cameras and appropriate lighting) for students and staff, divided between ten outdoor shelters and rooms within buildings. At the same time, new shower and changing facilities have been installed. The University has invested nearly €1.5 million of its own funds in these facilities on the Sart Tilman campus. OPTIMISING THE LOCATION OF CLASSROOMS Another way of influencing mobility is to optimise the location of lecture theatres in order to reduce demand and thus avoid having to move large numbers of students from one site to another in order to attend a lecture. Following on from the mobility surveys, which highlighted the difficulty students had in travelling to different sites to attend their course on time, an exploratory simulation study was carried out to compare course attendance and room location. Thanks to the Room Management Service, it was possible to reallocate auditoriums from the start of the 2023 academic year for around twenty courses, thereby reducing weekly travel for several hundred students. "S "S "S "S "S "S "S "S "S "S "S "S Limite quartiers Abris/ Locaux/ Couvertures d'arceaux existants à réaliser "S Abri "S Couverture "S Local "S Parking Pierre Duysinx Vice-Rector for Mobility and International Affairs 11 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
2.3 Responsible Choices for International Travel Inherent in university activities, international travel often involves the use of aircraft. Yet the aviation industry has high greenhouse gas emission factors and is growing structurally (with an expected global increase of 3.7% per year). Some of these emissions cannot be avoided, but the urgency of the ecological transition reinforces the need for sober and responsible mobility. In a bid to reduce its carbon footprint, and move towards carbon neutrality by 2050, ULiège has adopted an environmental policy for international travel, which came into force on 1st April 2022. The policy aims to raise awareness among members of the University community, offer them digital alternatives to travel, and limit the use of air travel. 1 This means that flights from Belgian and neighbouring towns to the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, the north and centre of France and the south of England are prohibited. 2 To the south of France, central England, Switzerland and Austria . POLICY MEASURES To make virtual participation in scientific events possible, and avoid unnecessary travel, ULiège has set up a network of rooms equipped with state-of-the-art videoconferencing equipment. Where travel is essential, train travel is now compulsory to green destinations (accessible in less than 6 hours1) and strongly recommended for orange destinations (accessible in less than 8 hours2) or to airport hubs accessible in less than 6 hours (for flights with stopovers). This measure is supported by the possibility of travelling first class by train, for both domestic and international journeys. At a time when its institutional policy aims to develop the internationalisation of its activities, the University, aware of the impact of air travel on greenhouse gas emissions, has strategically decided to pursue a policy of responsible international travel at the same time. An analysis of staff travel in recent years shows both a change in the habits of the University community and the effectiveness of the institutional measure. Destinations less than 6 hours by train Destinations less than 8 hours by train Destinations more than 8 hours by train 12 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
INCREASINGLY RESPONSIBLE MOBILITY ULiège’s Sustainable Development Unit (Cellule institutionnelle du Développement Durable (CiDD)) has analysed changes in staff mobility by comparing data for 2019 with that for 2022 and 2023. This study showed a very clear reduction (over 25%) in the total number of kilometres travelled by air. In addition, in 2022, Brussels-Berlin plane journeys had fallen by almost half, and Brussels-Lyon journeys by two thirds. As for Brussels-Munich journeys by plane, these have been virtually eliminated. Of course, the reasons for this decline are multifactorial. At the beginning of 2022, few conferences were being organised because of the post-covid recovery. Rising transport costs linked to inflation have also probably contributed to the slowdown in travel. Finally, digitalisation, which allows meetings to be held virtually, may also explain the reduction in travel. Sophie Blain, ULiège’s Sustainability Officer, adds: «Despite the internationalisation of the University’s activities, the number of kilometres travelled by plane in connection with university activities is falling. Whether we’re talking about the impact of the policy or changes in behaviour, the overall result is positive.» These results are therefore very encouraging. An analysis of the results would suggest that ULiège staff are moving towards greater sobriety in their mobility in general and abroad in particular. The initial results of this analysis are undeniably a source of motivation to continue along this path. IS IT NECESSARY OR USEFUL FOR ME TO GO TO THE SITE? To find out more: VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION IS ENCOURAGED I'm taking the train first class I prefer the train to the plane whenever possible I plan to take the train whenever possible THE DURATION OF THE TRAIN JOURNEY FROM THE PLACE OF DEPARTURE TO THE DESTINATION IS WWW.DURABLE.ULIEGE.BE/TRAJETS-INTERNATIONAUX I've been invited to an event abroad Yes I have to be there No I can take part remotely Less than 6 hours by train Between 6 and 8 hours by train Over 8 hours by train I'm travelling with a group, I can travel by car. OFFSET THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS GENERATED BY ANY JOURNEYS → Tool to help you decide to travel and the most suitable mode of transport. 13 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
2.4 Gender Equality: Taking Action ULiège is committed to following the Sustainable Development Goals defined by the UN. Florence Caeymaex, the Rector’s Adviser on Ethics and Equality Policies, points out that «development that is to the detriment of women and other gender minorities in the broad sense is not sustainable development.» So, together with all those who wanted to get involved in these issues, she suggested that the University Board set up a ‘participatory’ body. As such, the Gender and Equality Council was created in October 2022. In May 2023, the Council published a very concrete Action Plan, a series of proposals made to the Institution with the aim of making ULiège more egalitarian. It is based on a number of observations, the first of which is that gender equality is, above all, a question of justice and that its absence has an impact on the production of knowledge. «Scientists work on the basis of models that highlight certain aspects of reality and neglect others. They may therefore contain biases, i.e., unconscious choices linked to the researchers’ specific social experiences. For example, the fact of being a man means that some aspects of reality are taken into account and not others, which may be important from the point of view of a woman or a person of a particular race, creating an imbalance. So it’s very important to be aware of the limits of these models, and gender diversity is crucial to doing this.» This position of the Gender and Equality Council therefore recommends, first and foremost, that statistics be gathered on these issues. «Figures are important because they allow us to objectify a reality. For example, despite a slightly higher number of girls entering university, men are over-represented as you move up the career ladder, especially at the highest academic level. The figures therefore show that there are many obstacles to the presence of women in these careers.» A BALANCED LIFE Although society is undergoing changes in this area, «family responsibilities are still mainly the responsibility of women.» The Action Plan therefore recommends a series of measures to ensure that maternity is no longer detrimental to their careers, such as automatically extending research contracts in the event of pregnancy, installing more breastfeeding facilities, and running information campaigns aimed at department heads on the rights and risks associated with maternity. «This also involves organisational measures, such as avoiding late afternoon meetings so as not to penalise women who are still managing the family organisation.» We’re also looking at the possibility of teleworking, as well as the creation of a crèche. «There are several avenues to explore on this subject, in order to take into account the diversity of the ULiège community and the challenge represented by having different campuses.» Giving things a name makes them happen. By publishing the position of the Gender and Equality Council, the University of Liège is moving towards an explicit policy of gender equality in the broadest sense, including LGBTQIA+ people. Gender equality is a fundamental right. 14 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY Decision-making structures and academic posts must achieve a reasonable gender mix that takes account of the reality on the ground. «To make the University more welcoming, we need to transform our environments by changing our attitudes. This also means that men need to stop behaving in ways that could be perceived as intimidating or harassing. Changes to mundane, everyday things, such as comments about hairstyle or clothing, also need to take place.» But the institutions themselves have levers at their disposal. For example, the cascade model enables ULiège to support an ongoing transformation in the gendered distribution of the academic world. «For example, during a promotion campaign, the ratio of men to women at level N is taken into account so that the ratio is identical at level N+1. Once gender diversity has been achieved in an environment, its transformation is much quicker, because minorities carry more weight». This measure implies a major change in the mentality of scientific culture at universities. «We need to give more weight to qualitative assessment, which runs counter to the massive use of quantitative criteria currently in use which assesses research solely in terms of bibliometric criteria. This is detrimental to the careers of people who may have career breaks, such as women - or, it should be noted, anyone, male or female, who may have to deal with a long-term illness or care for a dependent person.» MORE ROOM FOR GENDER As well as promoting career paths, it is also important to make more room for intersectional teaching and research. And in order for more dissertations and theses to be devoted to these issues, it is important that the teaching staff themselves are made aware of them. «We are touching on an important area, that of interdisciplinarity. We must, at all costs, encourage exchanges between the humanities and social sciences and the other so-called ‘hard’ sciences. This will help us to respond to the current transitions that we are facing. For example, this means integrating a social science dimension into a computer science dissertation, or vice versa. And by doing so, we will reduce the bias that can exist in scientific productions.» Finally, the University must take action to eradicate gender-based violence, starting with a clear commitment to recognise that it exists and to declare that it is unacceptable. «Naming things, for example through a charter, has a powerful effect, because no one will be able to say that they don’t know. It would consolidate, and make visible, the work of the services responsible for helping people and the measures adopted by the Institution, because they do exist. Ultimately, it would give greater legitimacy to the victims of such violence, who are often reluctant to talk about it and seek appropriate help. Acting against violence is a moral obligation for the University; refraining from doing so contributes to the perpetuation of such violence.» Le pire ce n’est pas les remarques les pressions le malaise l’humiliation c’est que personne ne réagit. L’ULiège s’engage How about not mentioning my legs my dress my chest my walk and talking about my research instead? L’ULiège s’engage Une femme on lui parle de ses enfants. Un homme on lui parle de ses projets. L’ULiège s’engage L’ULiège Si vos blagues sexistes sont trop lourdes pour prendre cet ascenseur prière d’emprunter l’escalier. L’ULiège s’engage Il se sentait très fort tout puissant irréprochable dans son droit avant qu’un·e collègue lui demande d’arrêter. L’ULiège s’engage Il semblait impossible de faire cesser ses intimidations humiliations blagues homophobes remarques déplacées. Mais il a suffi qu’un·e collègue intervienne. L’ULiège s’engage Parfois sourire être sympa porter une robe être une femme est un comportement à risque. L’ULiège s’engage Vos blagues racistes sont insupportables dégradantes méprisantes humiliantes même si je souris. L’ULiège s’engage The worst thing is not the remarks the pressures the discomfort the humiliation is that no one reacts. L’ULiège s’engage It felt impossible to stop the intimidation humiliation homophobic jokes inappropriate remarks. But all it took was for a colleague to intervene. L’ULiège s’engage Vos blagues homophobes sont si bien trouvées si originales si drôles que je peux désormais les raconter au tribunal. L’ULiège s’engage Et si au lieu de commenter mes jambes ma robe mon décolleté ma démarche vous commentiez ma recherche ? L’ULiège s’engage L’ULiège s’engage Florence Caeymaex Advisor to the Rector on Ethics and Equality 15 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
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
This governance can draw on extensive local expertise, which has long been involved in energy efficiency, as well as in-house IT management within the General IT Service (SEGI (Service Général d’Informatique)). According to Laurent Debra, Deputy Director of the SEGI, «several actions have already been implemented: • rationalisation of equipment (for example, pooling the technical IT infrastructures of the University and the hospital (CHU), centralising data centres and network equipment); • increasing the useful life of terminals by extending the support warranty and adapting public procurement contracts to make them even more repairable; • targeted donations of computers in working order to schools in Africa, ensuring that they do not end up in unauthorised landfill sites; • energy-efficient data centre cooling systems (using free cooling); • data compression and deduplication systems; • virtualisation systems to optimise hardware resources.» ↑ Source of the figures in the infographic: https://infos.ademe.fr/magazine-avril-2022/faits-et-chiffres/numerique-quel-impact-environnemental Per person, this figure represents: → The same environmental impact as a 2,259 km car journey. → The equivalent electricity consumption of a 1000W radiator powered continuously for 30 days. What is the breakdown of greenhouse gas emissions linked to digital technology? % The manufacture of digital equipment: televisions, computers, smartphones, tablets, etc. of environmental impact % of annual electricity consumption comes from digital uses % Networks of environmental impact % Data centres of environmental impact DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY AND CO2 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Gt CO2 2013 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100 Annual global C02 emissions (+1.5°C trajectories) COP21 C02 emissions from the digital sector +6%/year C EMISSIONS FROM THE DIGITAL SECTOR VS. + . °C TRAJECTORIES From now on, the continued implementation of responsible digital technology at ULiège will have to be based both on institutional responsibility and exemplarity and on responsible individual autonomy. Felix Scholtes explains: «In addition to the institutional measures that will be stepped up, our policy will not only offer training, support and advice to users, but will also welcome and coordinate initiatives in the field. We are also aiming to provide current and future citizens with a university education that will enable them to be critically and independently autonomous in this field, and we want to encourage research in this area and in relevant related fields». ← Evolution of greenhouse gas production by digital means, on the one hand, compared with a «1.5° trajectory» (IPCC), on the other hand, which are likely to intersect around 2030. Based on Fighiera 2021 17 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
2.6 An Administration Serving a Sustainable University There are many positive actions for the environment and society, but it is sometimes difficult to draw up an inventory, given the complexity of the organisation of a university. That is why Anne Girin, ULiège’s Administrator, set up a working group at the beginning of 2023, bringing together all the directors of administration, in order to make the administration more responsive to the transition, and to list existing actions and what remains to be done in this area. «We have been proactive in this area, and today this inventory is practically complete,» Anne Girin is delighted to report. «We can see that many actions are already being taken, and this inventory will enable us to step up our efforts in the right direction.» ON THE PLATE When it comes to sustainable development, food is obviously a central issue, as it touches on so many areas. The aim of Liège’s university restaurants is to offer healthy dishes at lower prices. «We have set aside an additional budget to specifically subsidise foods such as fruit, salads and soups,» explains Anne Girin. «Our objective for 2024-2025 is to obtain official ‘sustainable canteen’ certification.» As far as possible, the ingredients we use come from local sources, and all the meals are presented on « youmeal » sheets that include health and ecological criteria. And to avoid any waste, ULiège has created Flash sales, where everything is 50% off during the last half-hour of opening. In addition, waste reporting and sorting tables have been set up in the various restaurants, and single-use crockery has been eliminated wherever possible. «We have also increased the number of water fountains on campus, and this effort must be continued,» says Anne Girin. The fight against precariousness is also a priority for the Institution, which has lowered the criteria for financial aid, making 50% more students now eligible. In addition, ULiège and the Ceinture AlimenTerre de Liège (CATL) are partners of the «Nourrir les Campus» festival (Feed the Campuses Festival), which took place from 17th to 21st April 2023. This event, linked to the « Nourrir Liège » festival (Feed Liège Festival), aimed to involve campuses in questioning our food production and consumption patterns. Anne Girin Administrateure de l’ULiège Sustainable development has been a reality at the University of Liège for several years. In 2019, it took concrete form with the creation of a unit dedicated to sustainable development. And in 2023, a working group was set up within the administration to support what already appears to be a profound and systemic change. 18 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
PROPERTY AND TRAVEL In a university, property is an important part of management, whether in terms of energy consumption, construction, or energy renovation. ULiège is therefore stepping up its efforts in this area, regularly increasing its photovoltaic electricity production capacity. «We have also set aside a substantial budget to replace conventional light bulbs with LEDs, and to install intelligent thermostatic valves on radiators,» explains Anne Girin. The University has also set itself ambitious targets in terms of infrastructure. «Sustainable development is now an important criterion when awarding public contracts, both for construction and renovation, with a clear objective of achieving 30% energy savings for each building renovated,» explains Anne Girin. The architectural firm responsible for developing the Faculty of Architecture’s new Fonck campus was chosen for its expertise in this area: «We’ve even done away with the car parks completely, to encourage staff to come by bike or public transport!» Mobility is also a major factor in the energy transition. Having drastically reduced international air travel in recent years, ULiège is now focusing its local initiatives on promoting working from home and soft mobility. «We have developed a very strong policy in favour of cyclists, with a very democratic bicycle workshop available to the community,» explains Anne Girin. «In the long term, we also want to make Sart Tilman a fossil fuel-free campus thanks to soft mobility and new autonomous electric shuttles.» MACHINES AND HUMANS This electrification of transport must not, of course, cause us to lose sight of the fact that the best energy is still that which is not consumed. In addition to a major #SaveEnergy communication campaign on energy sobriety, ULiège has taken a number of concrete measures. The IT servers have been reorganised for greater efficiency, in particular by sharing them with the CHU, and the lifespan of the equipment has been increased. An institutional repair café was inaugurated in October 2023, to increase the lifespan of all the University community’s electronic equipment and domestic appliances,» adds Anne Girin. The fact remains that, used properly, digital technology can considerably reduce our material footprint, and all parts of the University are moving towards a paperless environment, with invoices and contracts now signed electronically. Finally, sustainable development also concerns a less visible but equally important aspect: health in the workplace and living together. In addition to the #Respect campaign, information about which was displayed wherever possible, ULiège has set up a committee dedicated to psychosocial risks, which includes problems of moral and sexual harassment «so that they are treated with all the seriousness they require.» And in order to tackle these problems at the source, a staff training programme has been set up to give team leaders the keys to good management. «This training has even become compulsory within the central administration» Anne Girin points out. 19 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
The 2022-2023 academic year got off to a flying start for the Green Office. Following a competition organised by the UN the previous year, this driving force behind sustainable development at ULiège won the Coup de Coeur prize from the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie. This prize enabled us to present the commitment strategy at COP27 in Sharm el‑Sheikh in November 2022. «There was a real energy there, which was extremely exhilarating,» remembers Cécile Van de Weerdt, coordinator of the Green Office. «It enabled us to make a lot of contacts, and climate scientist and former IPCC vice-president Jean-Pascal van Ypersele even pledged to become an honorary patron of the UNI for Change programme. This clearly shows the importance of our work and the quality of the programme.» This importance was confirmed when the Green Office won the International Sustainable Campus Network’s 2022 Award of Excellence in the «Culture Change for Sustainability» category. In the same year, Green Office coordinator Cécile Van de Weerdt was also awarded the title of « Sustainability pioneer » by the Belgian Federation of Enterprises and Time4Society, and in 2023 she received the distinction of Honoured Citizen of the City of Liège for her commitment to sustainable development. A SERIES OF HIGHLIGHTS Throughout the year, the Green Office has developed various activities to liven up campus life. At the start of the new academic year, the Green Office team organised a screening of the film «Animal» and attended a debate with Cyril Dion and ULiège students on the Arlon campus. As part of the Biodiversity of the Anthropocene course, the Green Office invited students studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences to design projects related to the themes of the film. «We are continuing to support two of these projects today,» explains Cécile Van de Weerdt. The number of student trainees and volunteers is rising all the time, showing that the drive is proving more and more successful. SUSTAINABLE WEEK At the end of March 2023, the Green Office’s Sustainable Development Week was a real highlight, providing the opportunity to carry out a wide range of activities. «Several national and international events take place at the same time, and we wanted to make it a real event on campus,» explains Laura Germain, Community Manager at the Green Office, «all through fun activities, with themes that make sense to everyone, so that we are not just preaching to the converted.» At the initiative of the Green Office, this Sustainable Week began with an activity to calculate environmental footprints, offered on various campuses in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation on 24th March 2023, the day on which the Belgian environmental footprint was exceeded. «Participants were able to calculate their footprint and choose actions to reduce it, and were given a number of challenges to complete in order to improve their result,» explains Laura Germain. 2.7 Green Office Actions Created in 2020, the Green Office has now become a key player in sustainable development at ULiège. Here’s a look back at a year rich in projects and positive energy. 20 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
It was during this week that the «Greeners» meetings took place, meetings organised by students to raise awareness of a specific theme among as many members of our community as possible. «Students working on sustainable food or digital technology wanted to provide training and pass on what they had learned,» explains Cécile Van de Weerdt. These workshops also coincided with a successful collection of used mobile phones and batteries. A fashion sale was also organised on campus, with 70 students taking part as exhibitors. «The event was a real success,» says Laura Germain with satisfaction. «Two student singers even played their own compositions, which created a warm atmosphere that made a real difference and appealed to everyone. It just goes to show how important entertainment can be in raising awareness of sustainable development and uniting a community around positive emotions.» Also as part of Sustainable Week, the food-related events were a huge success, with a low-carbon breakfast made from local produce, and a fair trade snack. «The idea was to show that it is possible to eat well for a modest sum, using local produce,» comments Cécile Van de Weerdt. «As for the fairtrade snack, we really wanted to emphasise the link between sustainable food and the fight against poverty, thanks to fair remuneration for farmers,» adds Laura Germain. «The whole thing is a low-carbon diet, with vegan products that are full of flavour, allowing people to discover and want to cook them at home.» Finally, Sustainable Week ended with the final of the Boulet Durable competition, which took place in the presence of a prestigious jury, including the Grand Chef from Restaurant Toma in Liège, the head of the university canteens, the ULiège authorities, Belgium’s representative to the United Nations at the time of the creation of the Sustainable Development Goals, students, leaders of the Ceinture Alimen-Terre de Liège, members of the Liège magazine Boulette Magazine and members of the Confrérie du Gay Boulet, who provided a great atmosphere throughout the afternoon. «It’s a project we’ve been thinking about for a long time,» reveals Cécile Van de Weerdt, «because despite the ever-increasing number of healthy dishes on offer in university canteens, Boulet frites is still the most popular dish. So it was important to involve the students in a project aimed at making it more sustainable through an innovative recipe created by our community.» «We not only had sustainability criteria, but also nutritional quality and taste,» explains Laura Germain. «It also had to be transferable to university canteens, and the chefs also added criteria to be met in this respect.» AWARENESS-RAISING GUIDES Aware that the Internet is full of a plethora of often contradictory information, the Green Office has also set about writing clear and concise awareness-raising guides to help everyone adopt more sustainable consumption habits. «For food, digital technology and clothing, we have chosen 3 or 4 dimensions», explains Cécile Van de Weerdt. «The issues are set out in simple terms, with advice for action. These guides appeal to the intelligence of the reader, who is once again made a player in the face of the challenges of our transition to a sustainable society». Each of these guides is associated with challenges available on an engagement platform. Cécile Van de Weerdt Green Office Coordinator Laura Germain Project Manager and Communications Manager at the Green Office 21 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
2.8 A Promising First Edition of the Sustainable Development Call for Projects In May 2023, ULiège launched its first call for sustainable development projects to support members of the community with projects or ideas that contribute to the Institution’s environmental and social transition on a local scale. The scheme, which will be organised twice a year (in May and October), offers financial support totalling €5,000 per edition. This amount may include labour costs (maximum 80% of the budget), equipment, services, etc. Projects are assessed according to five criteria: 1. The relevance of the project in terms of the various dimensions of sustainability, and its integration into the ULiège structure or existing initiatives. 2. The quality and mobilising nature of the project: mobilisation of stakeholders or targets in the construction of the project or in its implementation, size of the target (number of people affected by the project, its inclusive nature, etc.), communication planned around the project, etc. 3. The proposed methodology and implementation methods: consistency of phasing, technical feasibility and consideration of constraints. 4. Sustainability of the project: integration of a postproject reflection and sustainability of the action. 5. Compliance with the budget: amount and purpose of the subsidy; financial feasibility of the project. In order to support the members of its community who are involved in the sustainable transformation of the Institution, ULiège has set up a «Coup de Pouce» scheme to help sustainable development projects run by students and/or members of staff. 22 | ACTIVITY REPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT ULIÈGE | 2022 – 2023
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