The document summarizes the University of Siena's strategic plan for integrating sustainability into their academic research, teaching, and facilities. Key points include: 1) Developing an interdisciplinary sustainability research network (Ne.S.S.O.) across multiple departments. 2) Innovating sustainability-focused teaching, such as a new course on integrated perspectives of sustainability issues. 3) Implementing behavioral changes among students and staff through initiatives reducing plastic water bottle and waste consumption on campus. 4) Pursuing new cross-cutting opportunities like the PRIMA partnership for Euro-Mediterranean research collaboration and hosting the 2015 Regional SDSN conference on sustainable development goals.

1. Angelo Riccaboni
Rector, University of Siena, Italy
Chair, Regional SDSN for Mediterranean
Chair, International Association of Universities WG on HESD
Integrated Sustainable
Academia!
Research, Teaching and Facilities at the University of Siena!
!
ISCN Int'l Conference – June 3, 2014 – Cambridge, MA, USA
!

2. 1. Strategic development plan
2. Holistic perspective in
developing research projects
3. Innovative teaching methods
4. Behavior change in final users
(students and staff)
5. New cross-cutting
opportunities
2!
How do we achieve integration in sustainability?!

3. 3!
1. Strategic Development Plan UNISI
2013-15 !
Internationalization!
Strategic
Vision!
Student Services!
Occupability!Sustainability!

4. • A territory unanimously considered an example of good
governance and desirable interaction between man and
nature
• A community with unique social values and traditions
• A University among the ten most ancient universities
in the world and a point of reference in the international
debate on sustainable development
4!
Why Siena?!

5. 6!
2. Holistic Research Development!
Ne.S.S.O. (Siena Sustainability Network)
is an interdisciplinary group promoting
joint reesearch projects and operating
solutions
Departments, research centers, individual scholars
(geographers, biologists, geologists, chemists,
engineers, physicians, jurists, economists, social
scientists and transport experts) and administrative
offices
http://www.unisi.it/nesso!

6. 11!
The University supervised Siena Carbon Free, a project
making the Province of Siena the largest area in Europe
with a zero emissions balance by 2015. The goal was
achieved in 2013.
!
http://www.provincia.siena.it!

7. 9!
3. Innovation in Teaching !
• Sustainability course
• Elective class held at the Department of
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Sustainability
• Facilitating the exchange of teaching and research
from an integrated perspective, including biology,
energy, global changes, ecology, waste
management, green economy, globalization…
• To train students, educators and participants in
general to think in sustainability terms.
http://www.dsfta.unisi.it/it/didattica/
sostenibilita!

8. 10!
• independent, neutral
• focus on ecology, biodiversity and sustainability
• interdisciplinary approach, combining scientific and
academic aspects with the importance of individual habits
• participated in the consultation process on Action Agenda
for Sustainable Development (June 2013)
http://greeningusiena.org/

9. 12!
4. Changing behaviors: our facilities!
Working Group UniD.E.A.
Shaping behaviors that are
sustainable environmentally, economically
and socially
• Water fountain: target by 2014 is to bring down the
consumption of plastic water bottles by 150.000
units/2200 users/75.000 liters
• Waste recycling: project “Colora i rifiuti” based on
agreement with local waste management agency
• Glass/multi-material: 1827 cubic meters yearly
• Paper: 2270 cubic meters yearly

10. 7!
Research and teaching to enhance
partnership, prosperity and SD
among Mediterranean countries
Euro-Mediterranean initiative PRIMA
Partnership in Research and Innovation in
the Mediterranean Area, under Article 185
B. SDGs
Regional SDSNetwork for the
Mediterranean - MED Solutions
5. New cross-cutting opportunities
A. Scientific Diplomacy!

11. 11!
• PRIMA (mini-framework program)
• Co-financed, co-designed and co-owned partnership on
research and innovation for the Euro-Mediterranean Area on
food systems and water resources, aiming at avoiding:
• Fragmentation
• Duplication of efforts
• Proposal to be submitted to European Commission by the end of
2014
!
in research and innovation!

12. 9!
SDSN MED Solutions (UN SDSN) is a network of
universities, research centers and businesses
interested in identifying and promoting SDS in the
Mediterranean Region
• The University of Siena coordinates the first regional
center with 25 MED partners
• Facilitating the identification of SDGs and the post-2015
agenda
• 2nd Siena Conference 5-6 March 2015
http://www.medsolutions.unisi.it/!

13. PlasticBusters: 2013-14 in the Pelagos Sanctuary and in
the Adriatic Sea!
DIRECT
MONITORING
OF MACRO-
AND MICRO-
DEBRIS IN THE
PELAGOS
SANCTUARY
AND IN THE
ADRIATIC SEA!
25 - 30 September 2013
Pelagos Sanctuary, 24 - 31 May 2014, Adriatic
Sea!
Amerigo Vespucci
Italian Navy!
Mediterranea
Mediterranean Expedition!

14. Thank you for your attention
http://www.medsolutions.unisi.it/!
The role of NETWORKS
2015 Med Solutions Conference, March 4 and 5, on
Food Systems and Water Resources
IAU International Conference, 28-30
October 2015, Siena, Italy