How can higher education institutions move from sustainability ambitions to concrete action? This question was at the centre of the presentation “Green Education and Transition – A Higher Education Digital Buddy”, delivered by Dr.-Ing. Elias Eder, Senior Scientist at the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences during the Sustainability Day 2026, 22 April 2026.

Eder highlighted the growing importance of sustainability in higher education, noting that Austria alone now offers more than 100 degree programmes with a sustainability focus. However, while many universities have already implemented individual “green” measures, a recent European survey showed that only a minority had adopted a comprehensive institutional sustainability strategy. Although this figure has increased significantly in recent years, many institutions are still seeking practical ways to embed sustainability across their organisation.

To address this challenge, the Erasmus+ project GET-AHED (Green Education and Transition) developed the University Greening Toolbox, an online platform designed to help universities create, implement and monitor sustainability strategies. During a live demonstration, Eder presented the platform’s three core elements: a self-assessment tool, an extensive suite of training resources and a collection of interactive best-practice case studies. The platform is intended for university leaders, academic and administrative staff, and students, supporting sustainability engagement across all institutional levels.

The self-assessment tool focuses on processes rather than outcomes and helps institutions identify strengths and areas for improvement across six sustainability dimensions, including organisational management, operations, education, research, community engagement, and assessment and reporting. Based on the assessment results, users receive personalised recommendations that link directly to relevant learning materials and examples of good practice.

A particular focus of the presentation was the platform’s comprehensive training programme. Rather than offering generic sustainability guidance, GET-AHED provides numerous interactive learning resources tailored to different target groups and institutional needs. The training modules cover key themes of the European Green Deal, including climate action, circular economy, green finance, just transition, research and innovation, and sustainability skills development. Designed as short, practical learning units, they enable users to deepen their knowledge in areas where the self-assessment has identified development needs.

Eder also showcased examples from the platform’s best-practice library, which focuses exclusively on proven approaches that have already been implemented successfully at higher education institutions. Examples include initiatives to reduce energy consumption, establish Green Labs, promote sustainable mobility, and organise campus-wide environmental awareness campaigns. The project consortium collected 33 case studies from across Europe and selected 13 of them for transformation into interactive, open-access learning resources, allowing institutions not only to learn about successful initiatives but also to understand how they can be adapted and replicated in different contexts.

The platform is freely accessible and allows registered users to repeat assessments over time and track progress. Looking ahead, Eder encouraged universities to contribute their own experiences and best-practice examples, helping to expand the platform as a collaborative European resource for advancing sustainability in higher education. By combining self-assessment, targeted training opportunities and practical examples of successful implementation, GET-AHED aims to support institutions throughout every stage of their sustainability journey.

Watch the presentation here