The Network of Venetian Universities for sustainable development, called Rus Venetoconsisting of University of Verona, Ca’ Foscari, Iuav and University of Padua,. The announcement was made on 11 June in Udine, during the conference “Universities for the sustainable development of the country” by the sustainability delegate of the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Elena Semenzin, following the signing of the agreement between the universities of Veneto for the establishment of the collaboration network which has the aim of promoting the culture and good practices of sustainability at regional.
The four Veneto universities are already active members of the Rus – Network of universities for sustainable development established at national level since 2017 by the Conference of Rectors of Italian Universities (Crui), which has among its main objectives the dissemination and transfer of good practices and the joint development of initiatives and projects on sustainability. These goals are widely shared and put into practice also at a regional level, through close collaboration between universities on sustainable development issues.
For years, joint initiatives on these issues have been launched at the level of the Veneto Region, to encourage the diffusion of the culture of sustainability inside and outside the universities, also through collaborations with entities in the Veneto area. Examples of this are Sustainable Art Prize and the memorandum of understanding on green public procurement. The award organized in collaboration with ArtVerona to encourage the diffusion of the culture of sustainability through the artistic medium with the involvement of university communities and the territory, saw the four universities join the award jury in 2022, and work together in 2023 to the realization of the winning artist’s project. In 2019, the memorandum of understanding on green public procurement was signed with the Veneto Region, which also involves Union Camera del Veneto and Arpav, with the aim of creating positive synergies between institutions operating across the entire regional territory through the establishment of work tables.
With the establishment of Rus Veneto, the universities further promote the creation of common intervention spaces by defining the network’s sustainability objectives and directing their institutional activities towards achieving them.
To direct and monitor the activities of Rus Veneto, a coordination committee is established, composed of Rus delegates from each university, chaired by a president. For the first year, the coordination of the Network will be the responsibility of the University of Verona.
“Together with the other Venetian universities, the University of Verona is at the forefront in the training and diffusion of sustainability – he comments Matteo Nicolini, contact person for the rector for environmental sustainability at the University of Verona –. The creation of Rus Veneto is a tangible manifestation of this commitment and it is only by “networking” that it is possible to convert critical knowledge into skills and the ability to regenerate the economic and environmental paradigm”
“Today more than ever it is necessary to network, spread good practices and systematize the knowledge of individual universities, going beyond the boundaries of their own university, to implement a profitable exchange and obtain a tangible impact at territorial, regional, national and international” adds Elena Semenzin of Ca’ Foscari University
“The establishment of Rus Veneto is the formalization of a collaboration that has already been in place for some time. The universities of Veneto have already demonstrated a notable capacity for cooperation, sharing resources and good practices and working side by side to serve local institutions. – he claims Francesca da Porto, vice-rector for sustainability at the University of Padua – However, I believe that the creation of a formal network is particularly important to promote and strengthen the role of universities as bodies capable of guiding the transition towards a more sustainable future for the territory through the production of knowledge and innovation”.
Valeria Tatano, rector’s delegate for policies and actions relating to inclusion, disability and sustainability of the IUAV University of Venice concludes “Rus Veneto formalizes an already existing relationship between the universities of the Veneto which for years have been pursuing common objectives through discussion, sharing of interests and the implementation of projects built for and with students.”
Sara Mauroner
