Our Commitment
At NOVA University, our dedication to foster academic excellence is inextricably linked with our commitment to contribute to the social, economic and environmental well-being of our planet. As we pursue our strategic vision of being a global and civic university, we understand that sustainability is a fundamental principle that must permeate all aspects of our operations and activities.
Sustainability is not just a passing concern; it is a pressing imperative and a core value that underpins NOVA’s mission. Over the past few years, we have witnessed it becoming increasingly more integrated into our educational programs, research initiatives, campi management, and community engagement, through the support and dedication of the interdisciplinary platform NOVA4theGlobe.
While the challenges we face are still significant, the potential for innovative and positive change is immense. By continuing to prioritize sustainability, we are not only protecting our planet for future generations but also instilling hope and demonstrating that a sustainable future is within our reach. Our unwavering commitment to this cause will drive us forward, and together, united as an academic community and working with partners from all sectors of society, I am certain we will achieve extraordinary things.
What does Sustainability mean at NOVA?
The term sustainability is widely used within various contexts and for different purposes, not always with the same definition. To ensure consistency and transferability within its community, NOVA adopted the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) framework to organize its agenda and measure its impact, as they provide an internationally recognized and common understanding of social, environmental and economic sustainability.
Environmental sustainability for NOVA refers to its responsibility to conserve natural resources and protect local and global ecosystems, now and in the future, in all activities that support its missions. Environmental sustainability includes the consumption of resources, such as energy, water, food and materials, as well as emission of pollutants and of greenhouse gases, and the practices in place for the preservation of the Planet’s environmental quality. NOVA University aims to contribute significantly to the Sustainable Development Goals and to the Paris Agreement.
Social sustainability reflects NOVA’s responsibility to ensure the well-being and health of its community, which includes its staff (both academic and non-academic), as well as all its students and alumni. This key dimension of sustainability is ensured through various internal systems, namely:
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The NOVA Social Action Services (SAS NOVA), which ensure equal opportunities and the well-being of NOVA students, covering non-academic areas such as access to scholarships, food, accommodation, and health (physical and mental), as well as encouraging and promoting participation in cultural activities, sports, and volunteer initiatives;
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The Equality and Inclusion Office at the Rectorate, which actively promotes social inclusion, equity, and diversity in all its missions;
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The Quality Management division, responsible for supporting and implementing Gender Equality plans in Higher Education and Research;
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The Socio-territorial Innovation area, which develops affordable housing projects for students.
Social sustainability also encompasses NOVA’s role in society, through an open and transparent governance model, promoting interaction and participation among all those who share common values and ambitions.
Economic sustainability at NOVA refers to the university’s ability to ensure the long-term financial viability of its research, teaching, value creation, and infrastructure activities, while simultaneously contributing to the well-being of society. It involves the efficient management of resources, obtaining stable and diversified funding, and making strategic investments that support both operational continuity and long-term goals, such as climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and innovation.
Zero Waste Policy, 2023Partnerships & networks
Know more about some of our networks and strategic partnerships with a focus on Sustainability:
NOVA signed the Letter of Intent of the Sustainable Campus Network, assuming its public commitment to principles and practices of sustainability in higher education.
Created in 2017, ORSIES is a collaborative network of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), with the aim of, amongst other goals, develop common, shared and socially impactful social responsability actions in HEIs. The partnership with ORSIES allows NOVA to share projects and initiatives with students, staff and teachers, as well as build bridges and synergies to boost new projects, tools and activities that promote transversal and human competences and increase the well-being of our students. Read more
In January 2023, NOVA University Lisbon was recognized as a member of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI), joining a group of over 1600 institutions from more than 152 countries that are working with the United Nations to promote global priorities such as peace, human rights and sustainable development. Read More
Created in 2023, on the initiative of NOVA, CEiiA, and Instituto Marquês de Valle Flor, SDSN Portugal aims to mobilize universities, research centers and other knowledge networks and CENTERS, civil society organizations and companies to create synergies for the promotion of transformative solutions to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda SDG and the Paris Agreement goal. SDSN Portugal is the national network of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) that works under the auspices of the UN Secretary General and is chaired by Prof. Jeffrey Sachs from Columbia University. Read More
NOVA participates actively in the sustainability officers’ network of EUTOPIA MORE alliance, which join 10 European universities, through regular online meetings. NOVA leads the network´s work under the priority area Climatre Impact, pursuing possibilities of collaboration and joint projects. Other working areas within SON are biodiversity, integrating sustainable development into education, and inclusion and equity.
MetaRed S is present in several Ibero-American countries, promoted by Universia and Santander Universities. The network focuses on the management of the positive and negative impacts produced by the university community, and the expectations and needs of the interest groups as established by the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility, adapted and applied to the educational field. NOVA University joins MetaRedS in 2023, being the Rector, Prof. João Sàágua the president and the Pro-rector Prof. Júlia Seixas, the executive secretary.