Main policies and initiatives

Financial Support

The construction and renovation of green universities cannot be achieved without financial support. In Europe and the United States, funds are mainly provided through the following channels:

• At the EU level: The NextGenerationEU plan is one of the main sources of funds. For instance, after achieving the green and digital goals, France received 326 million euros in funding support for 11 projects such as energy efficiency, digitalization, mobility, and public services.

• At the member state level: Each member state will also provide supporting funds. The EU supports member states in achieving the goals of the "European Education Area 2025 Action Plan" through the European Structural and Investment Funds and the Recovery Fund.

• At the local level in the United States: Taking New York State as an example, its "Environmental Bond Act" allocated 10 billion US dollars for school clean energy projects. Recently, New York State announced that it would provide 150 million US dollars in decarbonization funds for its public university system (including the State University of New York and the City University of New York), to support clean energy projects such as geothermal systems, solar installations, and thermal energy networks.

• University self-investment: Many universities also allocate a portion of their own funds for green renovations. For instance, the Free University of Berlin, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025, will inevitably invest the corresponding funds.

Core areas and measures

The construction and renovation of green universities in Europe and America mainly focus on the following areas:

1、Infrastructure Greening:

• Carry out energy-saving renovations on existing campus buildings, such as upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC), installing high-performance windows, and improving insulation, etc.

• Promote the application of clean energy technologies, such as installing solar photovoltaic panels and ground/air source heat pumps to replace traditional fossil fuel heating and cooling systems.

• Build a thermal energy network and upgrade the building automation system to optimize energy usage.

2、Integration of Curriculum and Teaching:

• Integrate the themes of sustainable development and climate protection comprehensively into the teaching plan and international exchanges.

• Encourage women to participate in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields, and develop new higher education courses in engineering, information and communication technology.

• Develop new curriculum plans around the development of clean energy systems, and use the renovated facilities as teaching resources.

3、Research and Innovation

• Strengthen cooperation with European innovation and research institutions

• By establishing the European Research Zone, the research and innovation capabilities of European universities can be enhanced.

4、Campus Management and Operations:

• Formulate a carbon neutrality roadmap and fully consider the impact on the climate when making decisions.

• Improve indoor air quality and safeguard the health of teachers and students.

• Promote green transportation and build charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

• Establish a committee composed of students and faculty members to guide the campus' sustainable development efforts.

5、Digital empowerment:

• The "Digital Education Action Plan" of the European Union aims to promote the digital transformation of education in terms of infrastructure, digital devices and software, teacher capabilities, and teaching resources.

• The pandemic has prompted universities to accelerate the establishment of virtual campuses, open online and offline hybrid courses, and ensure teaching and cooperation through digital means.