Around 175 participants from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across the country attended the 7th Sustainable Campus Conference (CCS 2025), co-organised by the Sustainable Campus Network and the Polytechnic University of Coimbra, held on 16 and 17 October at PUC’s Higher Institute of Accounting and Administration of Coimbra (ISCAC). Under the theme ‘Sustainability in Action: Connecting Higher Education Institutions and the Community for a Green Future,’ this conference aimed to highlight the transformative role of HEIs in training citizens and leaders committed to a more sustainable future.
The event aimed to foster the co-creation of solutions, the sharing of knowledge and the exchange of good practices in HEIs that contribute to the implementation of measures in favour of sustainable development, amplifying the impact of HEIs as catalysts for change. Students, teachers, and researchers gave around 80 oral presentations and 35 e-posters on topics such as the circular economy, sustainable food production, waste management, energy efficiency and rational water use, gender equality, noise, health and well-being, among others.
During the event, the annual meeting of RCS members was also held, where the main challenges for the future of the network were discussed, namely the possible greater formalisation of the role of HEIs in this movement. The Sustainable Campus Network – Portugal aims to promote cooperation between people from national HEIs in order to implement principles and promote sustainable development. Its main objectives are to share knowledge, initiatives and success stories, promote joint actions within the Sustainable Campus theme and work on sustainability issues in Portuguese higher education institutions, thereby contributing to a more sustainable society.
