Pune: Bharati Vidyapeeth Unveils UniSustain 2025, Pioneering Sustainability In Higher Education

Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) has launched UniSustain 2025, an ambitious initiative to integrate sustainability into every facet of university life—from curriculum design to campus operations, research priorities to community engagement. The comprehensive program positions the 60 + year-old institution as a pioneering force in India's transition toward sustainable higher education.

"This is not about compliance -it is culture change," declared Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Vivek Saoji at the program's launch, emphasizing the University's commitment to measurable environmental and social impact. The initiative represents a fundamental shift from traditional academic approaches to creating a living laboratory for sustainability innovation. Ms. Swapnali Kadam, Chairperson RTSE, emphasized the program's governance integration: "We have a responsibility to model sustainability leadership for society. This initiative will cascade through all our constituent colleges’, she said , encouraging principals to take the lead in this transformation.

Mr. Aditya Pundir, Country Director of the Climate Reality Project, speaking during the inaugural, reinforced the University's strategic importance: "Higher education institutions have unparalleled power to influence student behaviour, pioneer climate solutions, and engage communities. Bharati Vidyapeeth is demonstrating how universities can become engines of national sustainability transformation."

International Expertise Drives Local Innovation

The launch featured insights from global sustainability leaders, including Prof. Dan Blumberg from Ben-Gurion University, Israel, who demonstrated how universities can drive national climate solutions through renewable energy and water technology innovation. Prof. Kirk Junker and Dr. Pamela Killian from the University of Cologne showcased their institution's remarkable achievement of reducing per-student carbon emissions by over 40% since 2019 through integrated governance strategies.

A Four-Pillar Transformation Strategy

UniSustain 2025 will operate  through a Whole-University Approach encompassing:

Governance: Establishing a dedicated Sustainability Charter and University Task Force

Campus Operations: Implementing measurable emission reduction targets and green infrastructure

Academics: Transforming the UGC-mandated Environmental Studies course into a catalyst for interdisciplinary sustainability education

Community Engagement: Creating platforms for student-led green initiatives, hackathons, and cross-sector collaborations

Dr. Kirti Gupta, Director of IQAC, spoke on sustainability rankings and parameters, explaining how universities are assessed on ESG and SDG-linked metrics across categories such as environmental management, research alignment, and social outreach. She emphasized the need for systematic documentation and reporting of initiatives and proposed forming a Sustainability Task Force to guide implementation. She also identified SDGs 3, 4, 5, 13, and 17 as priority areas for the University.

Dr. Anthony Rose, Controller of Examinations, highlighted the strategic repositioning of environmental education: "Rather than treating sustainability as a compliance requirement, we're making it the cornerstone of transformative learning that prepares students to tackle real-world climate challenges."

The roadmap, presented by Dr. Shamita Kumar, Principal, Bharati Vidyapeeth Environment Institute includes innovative elements such as sustainability-focused hackathons, interdisciplinary research collaborations, and community partnership programs designed to create measurable impact beyond campus boundaries.

Concluding Registrar Shri G. Jaykumar underscored the importance of stronger participation in environmental initiatives and emphasized governance support for UniSustain 2025. He announced that the University would host an Environmental Sustainability Hackathon in 2026 as part of its broader commitment to innovation and student engagement.

With its NAAC A++ accreditation maintained for four consecutive cycles, Bharati Vidyapeeth's launch of UniSustain 2025 signals a new era where academic excellence and environmental stewardship converge to address India's most pressing challenges.

About Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Founded in 1964 with a mission to democratize education, Bharati Vidyapeeth has consistently pioneered innovations in higher education and research. The University's commitment to excellence is reflected in its NAAC A++ accreditation for four consecutive cycles and its expanding influence across multiple disciplines and communities.