'Universities as Change Agents in Sustainable Development'
Photo: Lauri Veerde
- Date
- 18–19 March 2026
- Location
- Tallinn University
- Type
- Conference
- Web page
- https://www.haw-hamburg.de/en/university/newsroom/news-details/news/news/show/symposium-universities-as-change-agents-in-sustainable-development/
- Organiser
- Tallinn University and Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
- Contact person
- The BUP Coordinating Secretariat
This symposium is founded on the belief that the academic sector needs to move beyond siloed initiatives and theoretical discourse to become integrated, proactive, and measurable change agents. The event will provide a platform for forging new partnerships and co-creating actionable strategies that harness the full potential of universities to address the most pressing ecological, social, and economic challenges of our time.
The symposium takes place on 18-19 March 2026. Hosted by Tallinn University and organised in collaboration with Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, SustainERA and the BUP. Accepted presenters affiliated with a BUP participating university may apply for a grant to cover the participation fee. The number of grants is limited; apply via the registration form.
Presentations, workshops, and posters will be organised around the following interlinked themes:
- Curriculum for a Sustainable Future.
- Sustainable University and Smart Campus.
- Research for Impact.
- University-Community Partnerships.
- Digital Innovation for Sustainability.
- Policy Engagement and Advocacy.
- Green Skills and Future Labour Markets.
- Social Justice and Inclusive Sustainability.
- Student-Led Initiatives & Changemaking.
Papers accepted for the event and presented during it may be submitted as chapters to the book Universities as Change Agents in Sustainable Development, to be published by Springer Nature within the World Sustainability Series, a leading peer-reviewed series on sustainability in higher education.
The deadline to submit an abstract was 20 December 2025.
Read more about the symposium, register to attend and submit an abstract via the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences website.