The 6th Annual International Symposium “Education and City: Mutual Development Resources”, organised by the Research Institute of Urban Studies and Global Education and the International Relations Department of Moscow City University, included a round table “The Role of the University in the Development of the Green Economy of the City” with participation of AlmaU and the Academy 2030 Research Centre. The event, supported by the Cityzen Space Foundation, gathered representatives of leading organisations, including the UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office and the Kazakh-German University.
Participants of the round table expressed their willingness to move towards sustainable development. Also noted was the lack of horizontal communication between the universities implementing initiatives in this area, and the idea of creating a coordinating structure for higher education for sustainable development was voiced.
Participants also highlighted strategic directions and tasks, including developing an algorithm for university interaction with external stakeholders, promoting the formation of student clubs and movements, working with international organisations and introducing sustainable lifestyles to universities. Ways to attract the support of ministries in developing educational programmes and creating a unifying platform for the promotion of sustainable development in universities in Kazakhstan were also proposed.
Overall, the round table was an important platform for sharing experiences, ideas and strategies for integrating sustainable development in the academic environment. The participants expressed their hope for further cooperation and joint work on solving the set tasks.