Why a Sustainability University Assembly at VU Amsterdam?
The effects of climate change are experienced all over the world. They influence earth and biodiversity systems and also many social systems. What role can and should our university play in the face of all these developments? With this Assembly, VU Amsterdam wants to extend an invitation to students and staff to help shape how our university can more sustainable. The Assembly is about what VU can do as an entire community and that’s why we begin from the following question:
How do we become a sustainable university?
The Sustainability Office VU has taken the initiative for the Assembly. The VU Board has indicated that it will take the outcomes of the SUA seriously.
Independent facilitators: G1000.nu
VU Amsterdam has commissioned G1000.nu Foundation to provide the independent facilitation of the Sustainability University Assembly. We will be responsible for designing and facilitating the dialogue process. This includes the selection of participants and all participant communication during the SUA.
G1000.nu Foundation is a Dutch not-for-profit organisation specialising in democratic dialogue. Over the past ten years, G1000.nu has helped to organise citizens’ assemblies and other dialogue processes throughout the Netherlands. We operate as independent process facilitators with no stake whatsoever in the outcomes of the assembly. Our interest is exclusively with a fair and effective process. Please see our website for more information and examples of our work.
G1000.nu and the Executive Board of VU Amsterdam have signed a Letter of intent in which both commit to safeguarding the independence of the Assembly. The letter also sees the Board committing to taking seriously the outcomes of the SUA – they agree to either adopting the participants’ proposals or explaining why a proposal cannot be adopted (yet).
For the day-to-day support of the Assembly, G1000.nu and VU Amsterdam’s Sustainability Office have formed a joint project team.
The G1000.nu Supervisory Board ensures that the team adheres to our commitment to a high-quality independent process. If you have any concerns about our actions, you can contact the Supervisory Board directly. They will follow-up on your request or complaint.
Commissioned by VU Amsterdam
The Sustainability University Assembly is initiated by VU Amsterdam. Its Sustainability Office is responsible for organising the Assembly. The VU project team is working in close collaboration with us, G1000.nu, independent process facilitators.
The Executive Board of VU Amsterdam is commited to taking seriously the outcomes of the Assembly. They have signed a Letter of intent specifying that they will adopt the Assembly’s proposals where possible, and that they will provide an explanation where they cannot (yet) adopt proposals.
SUA informing VU research
The Sustainability University Assembly is part of a PhD research on sustainability within universities. The SUA is an example of a participatory approach in which a heterogeneous group of participants discuss and provide informed recommendations on a topic that matters to them through structured deliberation. In particular, the study looks at the influence of the SUA on participants of the assembly and its influence on the University at large. To this end, the process, outcomes and follow-up of the SUA are being analysed.
Additionally, a student of Environment and Resource Management is doing qualitative research on the SUA for their Master’s thesis. This way, the SUA contributes to both education and the scientific understanding of deliberative mini-publics and their influence on individuals and organisations. Want to know more? Email: ivar.maas@vu.nl.