Sustainability Report

Outlook on the need for action and next steps

As outlined in the Governance & Organizational Development section, the University of Innsbruck is working to embed sustainability more firmly in its structures and thus also to flesh out and implement its sustainability strategy. One component of this process is a university-wide survey conducted in October 2024, which was used to identify key sustainability issues, which are listed below:

  • Communication, awareness raising, and organizational culture
  • Resource management: procurement, waste, and repairs
  • Mobility
  • Building infrastructure – cooperation and exchange with the Federal Real Estate Company (BIG) and the Innsbruck Real Estate Company (IKB)
  • Greening of university locations
  • Governance (Rectorate)
  • Sustainability in teaching
  • Social dialogue and sustainability

In all these areas, it is important to exploit untapped potential with regard to sustainability. The topics listed in the survey provide an initial point of reference for the further concretization and implementation of the sustainability strategy. The next step is to conduct a more comprehensive analysis based on this, develop concrete objectives and measures, and define responsibilities.

To continuously evaluate and ensure implementation, the development of a monitoring and management system (including indicators) is also necessary, as is the Provision of sufficient resources. The latter also applies to future reporting in the area of sustainability.

In order to continuously evaluate and ensure implementation, it is also necessary to develop a monitoring and management system (including indicators) and to provide sufficient resources. The latter also applies to future reporting in the area of sustainability. The QS Sustainability Ranking provides further indication of areas where there is room for improvement at the University of Innsbruck.

Definitionen der einzelnen Kategorien und Indikatoren sind hier abrufbar: https://support.qs.com/hc/en-gb/articles/8551503200668-QS-World-University-Rankings-Sustainability 

The ranking takes into account the three main categories of “Environmental Impact,” “Social Impact,” and “Governance.” The “Environmental Impact” category includes the aspects of environmental education, environmental research, and environmental sustainability. “Social Impact” is measured on the basis of employability & opportunities, equality, health & wellbeing, impact of education, and knowledge exchange. In the “Governance” category, good governance is used as an indicator, among other things. In addition to data from research and teaching as well as surveys from the QS World University Ranking, aspects such as the carbon footprint and institutional structures verifiable through documents or links in the areas of sustainability, climate, transparency, equal treatment, inclusion, anti-corruption, etc. are also included.

The University of Innsbruck has actively provided data for this purpose. The results of the ranking suggest that there is room for improvement, particularly with regard to employability and opportunities, knowledge exchange, and good governance.
In terms of good governance, this means strengthening democratic processes and open decisionmaking processes, which are documented accordingly, as well as ensuring a balanced distribution of (decision-making) power and, consequently, participation in shaping the university. With regard to good governance, this means strengthening democratic processes and open decisionmaking processes, which are documented accordingly, as well as ensuring a balanced distribution
of (decision-making) power and, consequently, participation in shaping the university. With regard to good governance, this means strengthening democratic processes and open decisionmaking processes that are documented accordingly, as well as ensuring a balanced distribution of (decision-making) power and, consequently, opportunities for participation. In the area of employability and opportunities, the survey asks how well students are prepared for the professional world and to what extent research in the area of SDGs is effective. The knowledge exchange indicator addresses the extent to which there is exchange and cooperation with institutions in the Global South, e.g., to exchange and share knowledge and resources. In the
process of further concretizing and implementing the sustainability strategy, it will be important to take a holistic approach and focus on the connections and interactions between individual fields of action. It should also be taken into account that the University of Innsbruck has other strategies that are relevant in terms of sustainability. These include the diversity, nternationalization und digitization strategies.

The key here is to create synergies and connect the stakeholders involved. Another important step will be to strengthen and raise the profile of the student-organized Green Office (see Governance & Organizational Culture action area) to ensure that student perspectives are adequately represented and heard in the (strategic) implementation processes. At the same time, the Green Office students can support the implementation of sustainability-related projects at their respective locations and contribute significantly to strengthening visibility and raising awareness. Staff at the Green Office can support the implementation of sustainability-related projects at their respective locations and contribute significantly to strengthening visibility and raising awareness. In the process of further concretizing and implementing the sustainability strategy, it will be important to take a holistic approach and focus on the connections and interactions between individual fields of action. It should also be taken into account that the University of Innsbruck has other strategies that are relevant in terms of sustainability. These include the diversity, internationalization, and digitalization strategies. It is crucial to create synergies and connect the actors involved.

Another important step will be to strengthen and raise the profile of the student-run Green Office (see Governance & Organizational Culture section) to ensure that student perspectives are adequately represented and heard in the (strategic) implementation processes. At the same time, the student employees of the Green Office can support the implementation of sustainabilityrelated projects at their respective locations and contribute significantly to strengthening visibility and raising awareness.

  • Development of a climate neutrality roadmap for 2035
  • Creation of an implementation concept for climate neutrality 2035 and decarbonization of university buildings together with participating stakeholders
  • Annual preparation of a CO2 balance sheet
  • Annual preparation of a sustainability report
  • Annual organization of events on sustainability or with a sustainability focus

Even though the focus of the 2025-2027 performance agreements is on the area of operations, it is nevertheless important to set the course for a sustainable University of Innsbruck in other areas of activity and in connection with the cross-cutting themes of diversity, internationalization, and digitalization. The fact that fundamental considerations and discussions on the design of universities have also reached the University of Innsbruck and are playing a role is demonstrated not only by some of the projects and activities presented in the individual fields of action, but also by specific events such as “Transforming the University!? Yes, but how?”, which took place during Sustainability Week 2024. The discussion showed, on the one hand, that when it comes to shaping universities towards sustainability, it is essential to take into account the respective legal, economic, political, and social context and related historical developments (keyword: neoliberalization of universities). On the other hand, it is important and possible to use one’s own spheres of influence to shape the university in terms of equality, diversity, and inclusion— without ignoring the fact that there are existing structural problems that cannot be “solved” by
individuals, but require a comprehensive institutional or even cross-university approach.

Essentially, the path taken by the University of Innsbruck is nothing less than a comprehensive transformation process in which there is no hesitation to critically question the status quo and create space for a living culture of sustainability in all its facets.

Areas of action at the University of Innsbruck Overview Poster exhibition on examples of good practice

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