Sharing sustainability efforts, activities, experiences and good practices at BME

Last modified: 11. March 2025

The conference and workshop "Results and experiences in the process of making universities sustainable" was held on 7 February 2025 at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). The event was organised for the second time under the auspices of the Hungarian Universities Sustainability Platform (Magyar Egyetemek Fenntarthatósági Platformja, MEFP), with the aim of sharing the sustainability-related efforts, activities, experiences and good practices of the Platform's member universities. 

11 universities were represented at the event of the Platform, which now has 18 member universities. The event was opened by the Rector of Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Prof. Dr. Charaf Hassan. In his speech, he outlined the steps BME has taken over the past year to promote sustainability. For example, they are actively working to modernise their buildings, last year they collected data on the subjects in which sustainability is present, they have a special section on sustainability in the Scientific Student Conference (TDK), and in the summer they will be offering sustainability workshops at the children's university.

University representatives then reported on developments related to sustainability at their institutions, and ideas for inter-university cooperation such as a joint Living Lab network, measuring the digital carbon footprint or providing field placements for an existing course were discussed. The presentations highlighted the need to transform attitudes and thinking, and many pointed to the importance of sustainability as a mission and a commitment with long-term goals.  

On behalf of the University of Pécs, which initiated the MEFP, Fanni Bianka Navreczki, Programme Manager, reported on the experiences of the online course "Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS)". György Keglevich, Head of the BME Panel for Sustainability, summarised the presentations and said that he believes that all universities are outstanding in the field of sustainability and that there is a need for similar meetings. He stressed that educating the public is a missionary activity. He also welcomed the representatives of our university, Ildikó Czeglédi, course leader of the "Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)", an optional online course offered for the first time at MATE, Flóra Vitális, a science strategy analyst, and Tünde Szendi, a science strategy coordinator.

Tünde Kulcsár, Programme Coordinator of the PTE Green University, encouraged participants to contribute to the common knowledge that each university is best at and thus spread it to others.  

Finally, the participants brainstormed with Brigitta Molnár-Ferenczik, Director of the Sustainability Competence Centre at the University of Pannon, on the factors that help and hinder the achievement of the goals. 

Detailed report on the event - in Hungarian: https://www.bme.hu/hirek/250213/magyar-egyetemek-fenntarthatosagi-platform-bme-konferencia
Detailed programme of the event - in Hungarian: https://www.bme.hu/esemenyek/20861