Radboud Sustainable Development Network

The Radboud Sustainable Development Network (RSDN)) has been at the forefront of a number of important steps in making Radboud University more sustainable, including the 2016-2020 Sustainability Agenda and the establishment of the Radboud Green Office. The network is made up of an enthusiastic group of employees.

The RSDN is a place where like-minded people meet to critically think about and help with the implementation of sustainability-related themes on campus.

Next meeting: Join us in dreaming: our university in 50 years' time

Date: 3 - 5 pm
Location: Huize Heyendael 02.10
Open to everyone

This year Radboud University celebrates its 100th anniversary. Over the years, there have been countless developments that have made the university what it is today. And in the coming years too, our organisation will continue to move, especially in terms of sustainability. The Radboud Green Office invites you to help think and dream about the university of the future: how will it be built in 50 years, taking into account climate change, biodiversity, AI, inclusiveness, etc?

We will present the ideas from this RSDN meeting during the lustrum week on campus. We’ll then invite students and staff to add their dreams to it.

Will you join us? Let us know
Submit your ideas here.

Topics and results 2019-2021

Procedure

The RSDN and its meetings are open to everyone who works or studies on the Radboud campus. The RSDN meets three times a year: in May, October and January. We jointly determine the themes of each meeting, and everyone can propose a theme (e.g. IT, food, energy, transport). These theme meetings are prepared together with the ‘problem owner’ with the aim of providing the members with the best possible input to further develop the theme within the framework of Radboud sustainability policy.

Meeting structure

RSDN meetings follow roughly the same structure:

  • We place the theme in the context of the joint sustainability policy of Radboud University and Radboud university medical center.
  • The problem owner introduces the theme, possibly followed by an external expert. They present one or more questions to the members. These can involve input for policy or the elaboration of policy measures.
  • Subgroups reflect on the issue. This results in advice from the RSDN to the organisation.
  • We end each meeting with an informal check in. This is an opportunity for all the participants to talk about the various sustainability activities that are being carried out on campus.

Minutes

The RSDN meeting minutes include: the presentation(s) from the speaker(s), a brief summary of the outcome of the meeting, agreements on six-month objectives and, after six months, feedback on which of these objectives have been achieved.

Want to participate?

Would you like to stay informed about RSDN activities or attend a meeting yourself? You can – everyone is welcome! Or do you have a theme you would like to discuss? Let us know! Please fill in this form and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

History

The RSDN by Irene Dankelman in 2010, with the aim of integrating sustainable development into education and researching the various faculties and the business operations of Radboud University by making existing initiatives visible, exchanging experiences and undertaking joint activities in the field of sustainable development.

Since Irene Dankelman’s departure in 2018, the RSDN has met in its current form with Sjors Witjes as chair and Thijmen Sietsma as secretary.