Universities in the face of the climate and nature crises: Redoubling our commitment to a sustainable future

This insight paper expresses the commitment of The Guild's member universities to contribute to the Green Deal objectives and urges EU and national policymakers to collaborate with higher education institutions to ensure evidence-informed knowledge for a safe, affordable, just and sustainable transition.

Harvard University holds the record for the largest number of Nobel laureates, with over 120 laureates associated with the institution as either professors, researchers, or alumni. Join us on 15 May for a talk by eminent microbiologist Professor Richard Losick, and explore the unique research culture and environment of the institution.

The Guilds Secretary-General Jan Palmowski warns that the European Commission’s proposed restructuring of research funding threatens Europe’s long-term competitiveness and innovation capacity.

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The Guild underscoresLink opens in a new window the importance of health research in maintaining the EU's global competitiveness and the well-being of its citizens. In this statement, the Guild advocate for the EU to invest in skills for future health research. Universities play a key role in equipping the next generation of health professionals and researchers with the necessary skills. Therefore, the EU must address the funding gap to maintain global competitiveness by overcoming national funding disparities and supporting innovation ecosystems. This is essential not only for Europe’s competitiveness but also to positively impact national health systems and contribute to the population’s healthy life expectancy.

This eventLink opens in a new window marks the launch of The Guild’s Insight paper on ‘Universities in the face of the climate and nature crisis: Redoubling our commitment to a sustainable future’, which urges policymakers to strengthen universities’ capacities to address the climate and nature crisis alongside other central societal and economic goals. And it discusses, through concrete examples from its members, how universities must redouble their efforts to inspire each other in addressing complex challenges in the climate and nature crisis.

The Guild welcomesLink opens in a new window the objectives of the Union of Skills strategy to boost high quality education and skills development, and to foster shared EU values. We particularly welcome the broad definition of skills which goes beyond the immediate needs of the labor market and the recognition of the strategic importance of investing in people’s competences.

Following the editions in Paris (February 2022), Ljubljana (March 2023), and Brussels (March 2024), the University of Warwick (Dr. Rosie Doyle) will host the 2025 flagship event of the Connected Learning Community in Legal History, with the support of the participating institutions (University of Warwick, CY Cergy Université, University of Ljubljana, Vrije Universiteit Brussel).

In her Political Guidelines, President von der Leyen championed the creation of a 'Union of Skills' to address labour and skill shortages across the EU. To implement this vision, on 5 March the European Commission will present a new strategy focusing on improving basic skills, upskilling and reskilling of adults, circulation of skills across borders and ensuring Europe's leadership in talent attraction