SDSN Southeast Asia Fosters Dialogue on Advancing Campus Sustainability
On March 7, 2025, in collaboration with Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo Institute of Sustainability, SDSN Indonesia, SDGs HUB Universitas Indonesia, and SDSN Malaysia, United in Diversity Foundation and SDSN Southeast Asia organized the SDSN Southeast Asia sustainability regional webinar “Working towards Sustainable University Campuses in Southeast Asia,” welcoming 140 participants internationally.
Professor John Thwaites, Chair of the SDSN Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific, opened the session by discussing how universities can promote sustainability through research, education, and policy advocacy. He emphasized that universities can achieve net-zero emissions by following the SDSN’s Net Zero on Campus guide.
Then, Prof. Nasaruddin Umar, Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, shared his ministry’s efforts to promote sustainability in state Islamic universities across the country by accrediting them as "green campuses." "In the future, we are planning to develop more green campuses," said Minister Nasaruddin. "This is also essential to raise awareness among lecturers, staff, and students about protecting our earth."
The event featured an engaging discussion with speakers from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Speakers included Prof. Riri Fitri, Chairperson of UI Green Metric; Dr. Emmanuel Delocado, Director of the Ateneo Institute of Sustainability at Ateneo de Manila University; and Prof. Wan Zuhainis Saad, Director of the Centre for Academic Development and Leadership Excellence at Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Prof. Riri Fitri highlighted UI GreenMetric’s efforts to rank universities worldwide based on sustainable criteria, including infrastructure, energy use, waste management, transportation, research, and education. Meanwhile, Dr. Delocado and Prof. Wan discussed the implementation of sustainable practices on their campuses, such as rainwater harvesting systems, waste management initiatives, and relevant courses, emphasizing the critical role of leadership support in these efforts.
Furthermore, Prof. Mats Hanson, Faculty Chair at United in Diversity Foundation and Tsinghua Southeast Asia Center, presented the Transforming Higher Indonesian Education into Engines for Economic Development and Sustainability Program, targeting key university leaders and preparing them to lead the transformation by focusing on the main pathway, which is knowledge exchange in the form of educated students, discoveries, and catalyzed innovations.
The event successfully brought together academics, students, faculty, and sustainability advocates to inspire actionable change on university campuses. Participants gained valuable insights into eco-friendly practices and the importance of sustainable development. The event reinforced the university's commitment to environmental responsibility by encouraging innovative solutions, fostering a culture of sustainability, and promoting long-term initiatives such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, and green infrastructure. Moving forward, continued collaboration and active participation will be key in ensuring that the momentum from this event translates into lasting, impactful change for a more sustainable campus community.
To learn more about impact initiatives organized by SDSN Southeast Asia, visit the Network’s page on the SDSN website.
