The university in the colours of sustainable development

A rich programme

In April, tomatoes and other plants were planted in the courtyard of the Panthéon centre, second-hand books took up residence in the pit of the Pierre-Mendès-France centre, and vegetarian cooking workshops were held at the Bourg-la-Reine centre, etc. The programme for Sustainable Development Month was rich, allowing people to approach the concept in a variety of ways and to pick up lots of good advice. "I'm happy to be going home with tomato plants. It was also an opportunity to learn how to look after them", says Hélène, in her first year of a Masters in Private Law.

Students also had the opportunity to take part in the Sorb'eau quiz. "A total of 242 students received water bottles, a symbol of their commitment to the environment. The quiz raised awareness of plastic pollution and responsible water consumption within the university", explains Ariane Dupont-Kieffer, Deputy Vice President in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility.

Fifteen events were organised in six of the university's centres. "Devoting a month to sustainable development has enabled us to organise more events and a wider range of activities than would be possible with a stand. It also means that we can go to more sites and cover more time slots."  
Raising community awareness

The entire university community was involved in organising and participating in the event. "This event was organised by Sandra Drané with the help of Marine Croce-Maisonneuve. A number of staff from the logistics, property management and communications departments were involved in the project. Students on contract with the sustainable development team were also very involved", explains the vice-president. The Planète Sorbonne student association was also heavily involved, offering a book exchange and a solidarity second-hand shop, as well as a conference on the social and ecological crises.  

"For my part, I validated the scientific aspects of the events. Students spontaneously asked us to promote their events on this theme. Their enthusiasm and desire to contribute were extremely motivating for us. I'm already thinking about the next edition", confides Ariane Dupont Kieffer.

"Our transformation is everyone's business on a daily basis and in our missions. Each and every one of us is part of the change towards an eco-responsible university. This transformation is within our grasp", she concludes. The university continues its commitment and action throughout the year in favour of sustainable development.  

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