Successfully adapting to ecological and societal transitions

France Universités and its members are working to meet major societal challenges that are changing our way of life and our relationship with the world, including the climate emergency, social divisions, and divergent quests for meaning.

Building a shared prospective vision with students

Students are particularly sensitive to the issue of climate change, and they expect exemplary measures from the university community.

Indeed, universities are important actors in education and research sectors. As such, universities have an essential role to play in anticipating and accompanying society’s effort to adapt to rapidly changing landscapes in the fields of ecology, energy and digital technology. France Universités is committed to putting these transitions into perspective and to co-constructing with its members a collective narrative that will provide a sustainable vision of the world by 2050.

Recently, France Universités has devoted much of its work to ecological transition initiatives. We have sponsored ambitious events, including the symposium “Training for the ecological transition: challenges and solutions” (October 2022), the “New youth” symposium (May 2021), the 50th anniversary congress of France Universités (January 2022), and our Summer School dedicated to the role of universities as the drivers of transition (August 2022).

Working together to build relevant course offerings

In line with the recommendations of the Jouzel report, which calls for “100% of students to be trained in the ecological transition in the near future,” France Universités is working to set up dedicated training courses within all academic programs.

France Universités supports universities in their own transition initiatives. We have adopted new tools, such as the DD&RS evaluation standard and label, which helps institutions adopt a systemic approach towards their transition efforts. France Universités is also working to promote energy efficient buildings through the “PEEC 2030” initiative. Finally, France Universités also focuses on campus life, student well-being, and quality of life at work. We support efforts to explore new ways of working and offer a forum for managers to share and reflect.

Creating exemplary campuses

France Universités is working to make our campuses into places where the ecological transition is exemplified. It welcomes the recovery plan launched by the current government, which sets aside significant funds for renovating university buildings, improving their energy efficiency and changing their ecology.