Impact › Impact Area
Governance
The impact the university creates through its own structure, policies and operations (organizational impact).
Impact by Building the Structure That Makes Impact Last
Governance is one of the four areas in which the university creates impact. It covers the institutional framework that ensures the continuity of the impact generated in the areas of research, education and community engagement. Policies, offices and committees, management systems, campus operations, accessibility infrastructure and incentive mechanisms fall within this area.
Sustainability-focused governance ensures that work in the areas of environmental and social sustainability is tied to a defined standard. For every topic, from water and waste management to energy and emissions tracking, and from occupational health and safety to gender equality and accessibility, a responsible unit, a monitoring criterion and a decision-making process are defined.
This standard is maintained through certificates based on independent audits, management system certifications and regular reporting. The audit and renewal cycles required by these certifications make it possible to track performance over the years. Action plans, campus practices, training, funds and stakeholder collaborations form the on-the-ground counterpart of this framework.
In the sections below, each theme is presented under three headings: Unit/Office, Certification/Reporting and Activity/Action. The page covers the building blocks of the governance approach and the Sustainable Development Goals they relate to. Annual data on energy, water, waste, emissions and social indicators are available on the sustainability data dashboard.
Sustainability Data Dashboard COMING SOON The link is being prepared for publication.
What institutional structures, rules and systems do we establish to make this theme lasting?
1Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Digital TransformationSDG 8SDG 9
What do we do in this theme?
The institutional structure and platforms that enable entrepreneurship and digital transformation, and the governance of university–private sector–public sector–investor (Triple Helix) partnerships.
Examples: technology transfer office; incubation center; the university taking equity stakes in startups - providing funding; university–industry collaboration protocols; OpenFab, Center for Entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence Platform
2Social Justice, Equality, Well-being and InclusionSDG 3SDG 5SDG 8SDG 10SDG 16
What do we do in this theme?
Institutional structures, offices, policies and support mechanisms that safeguard equality, well-being and inclusion, including units and facilities that support mental and physical well-being.
Examples: Wellbeing and Equity Office; Psychological Development Unit; disabled students unit; discrimination / harassment reporting and ethics hotline; accessible campus standards; Gender Equality Office; 360 and peer counseling; Intercultural Awareness Office; sports, arts and health / medical center facilities; accessibility policies.
3Transformative EducationSDG 4
What do we do in this theme?
The institutional framework that establishes the transformative design of education and the recognition of acquired competencies, quality / accreditation processes, and student development units.
Examples: Defining program learning outcomes; accreditation processes (e.g., ABET, AACSB); competency recognition (badge / portfolio) policy.
4Environment and Climate ActionSDG 7SDG 12SDG 13SDG 15
What do we do in this theme?
Systems that manage and improve the environmental performance of the campus, and transparency / open-data infrastructure. Reducing carbon, waste, water and energy loads falls within this scope.
Examples: QHSE (waste, energy and water efficiency, environmental management standards / ISO); ISO 14001 environmental management system; waste separation and energy monitoring infrastructure; green building certifications (LEED); sustainability report and open environmental data.
5Community Empowerment and Local DevelopmentSDG 1SDG 2SDG 10SDG 11SDG 13SDG 17
What do we do in this theme?
Covers the sustainable and accountable conduct of activities within the theme through institutional ownership, multi-stakeholder partnership management, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting processes, as well as the institutionalization of the university's 'bridge institution' role.
Examples: Institutional structure of the Community Empowerment Program (SP); collaboration protocols with development agencies, municipalities, cooperatives and NGOs; local procurement policies.