Masaryk University to place greater emphasis on environmental protection

Masaryk University is already applying a responsible approach to the environment and society in its everyday operations and is likely to become even greener in the upcoming years. Recently, the university students and staff who signed the “Universities for the Climate” petition have met with the leaders of Masaryk University to discuss and help draft the new university strategy for 2021-2027.

One of the outcomes of the meeting between the students and staff who signed the “Universities for the Climate” petition and the Masaryk University leadership is a pledge for a more active participation of students in drafting the university strategy plan for 2021-2027, which should place bigger emphasis on environmental protection and sustainable development.

Students can promote their suggestions for the Masaryk University Strategic Plan for 2021–2027 through student senators, who are members of the working groups drafting the document. “We really appreciate the fact that at our university, we can openly talk about social responsibility, environmental protection and sustainable development and discuss it directly with the leadership,” said Jan Zálešák from the MU Faculty of Medicine, who also signed the petition.

Other students who signed the petition were happy that the meeting resulted in a promise of being able to participate in the strategic plan working groups and with the university leadership’s positive attitude to the sustainability committees. Vendula Svobodová, a student from the Faculty of Science, claimed that she hopes to have a single place at the university where students could ask questions and submit their suggestions in the area of environmental protection and sustainability. According to the leadership of the university, the school should contribute to the debate primarily through expert reports from the university departments specialized in this topic.

Creating a framework for further principles of social responsibility and sharing experience in this area across the university will be one of the objectives of the Masaryk University Strategy for 2021–2027. With both staff and students across the university currently developing this strategy, it should be ready next year.

Masaryk University (MUNI) in Brno has long been committed to constructing new buildings and renovating old ones in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, the University Campus Bohunice uses swales that capture rainwater and allow some of it to evaporate, so that only one to two-thirds of the overall rainfall enters the sewage system. MUNI also uses renewable sources of energy and energy management in facility management. The university works on achieving low energy consumption in its buildings, while some buildings feature green roofs and rainwater retaining systems.