The conference "Preparing the Universities of the Future: (Re)building Inclusive and Sustainable Campuses" has started

"Preparing the universities of the future: (Re)building inclusive and sustainable campuses" is the name of the two-day conference organized by UNICA - Network of Universities from the Capitals of Europe and the University of Sarajevo, which takes place on April 25 and 26, 2023. The conference was opened with speeches by the conference organizers, followed by the first session, which answered the questions of how universities and cities coordinate mutual transformations through their interaction.

Rector of the University of Sarajevo, prof. Ph.D. Rifat Škrijelj welcomed everyone to this important event: "As rector of the University of Sarajevo, I am satisfied with the fact that in the role of host of this event, the University of Sarajevo continues to demonstrate its commitment to establishing and maintaining an academic platform that gathers academic communities of universities from European metropolises for academic exchange and further strengthening of our unique network."

Success in developing synergy between universities and their local communities, as Rector Škrijelj states, will be the best promoter of universities and their importance for community transformations aimed at sustainability, inclusiveness, and openness. "As the University of Sarajevo, we are fully aware of this challenge, as we are currently developing our new campus master plan," he concluded.

The coordinators of the UNICA & City project Katarzyna Wojnar from the University of Warsaw and Tobias Reckling from the University of Vienna greeted the present audience. Wojnar pointed out that it is necessary to find ways to develop and cooperate with universities during the economic and pandemic crisis. Accordingly, this conference is a place that will unite experiences, opinions and ideas from all over Europe.

Professor Reckling said that Sarajevo is the place where the conference will present the results, exchange knowledge and at the same time enjoy this city.

The Mayor of Novo Sarajevo Municipality, Mr Hasan Tanović, spoke about whether the city needs a campus or a campus needs the city and said that it is impossible to answer this question until we come to the realization that educated young people are the bearers of social progress and development in the community. "To become an educated young man, you must first be a student. Students represent the most significant population of every city and, therefore, every country. Today, unfortunately, we are facing a negative trend - the decline of the student population, not only in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina but also in the whole of Europe," said Mayor Tanović and explained that it is precisely for this reason that the location of the Campus is not an ordinary project but an obligation and duty.

As part of today's session, a panel discussion was chaired by Prof. Ph.D. Nihad Fejzić, director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies "Prof. Ph.D. Zdravko Grebo" of the University of Sarajevo.

The opening address was given by Lejla Hajro, director of the Directorate for Construction and Maintenance of the University of Sarajevo Campus. Director Hajro presented experiences from the University, which is currently in the phase of significant renovation and construction of the Campus with funding from the government and the European Investment Bank. She spoke about the specificity of the University of Sarajevo Campus, its design, projecting and reconstruction, which is located in the city's administrative centre and was originally a military barracks.

Urban green areas and quality of life is the topic that Mirzeta Memišević Hodžić, senior assistant at the Faculty of Forestry of the University of Sarajevo, spoke about, and Wendy Bos, in front of the City of Amsterdam, presented how universities can be a catalyst for change. The attaché for the cooperation of the French delegation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr Sylvain Rigollet, also participated and contributed to the panel discussion.

Three case studies were presented today: Science Shop: Drawing Locals and University Closer (Andras MARTONI, Science Shop manager, Central European University); the University of Edinburgh Delivering Positive Change for Local Communities (Matthew LAWSON, Senior SRS Learning, Teaching and Reporting Manager, University of Edinburgh); The Climate House and Oslo Science City (Vebjørn BAKKEN, Director at the Energy and Environment Office, University of Oslo).

As part of the first day of the conference, there will also be a visit to the University of Sarajevo Campus.