Context, purpose of the strategy and funding

The VŠE Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030 has been drafted at a time when the world faces several global challenges, such as climate change, growing social and economic inequality, increasing aggression and wars, loss of biodiversity, etc. New technologies are emerging, which, on the one hand, represent an opportunity to combat these challenges, but on the other hand, they also carry significant risks of potential misuse.

These problems have far-reaching consequences for the economy, society and the environment and require the collaboration of experts from many fields.

In this context, VŠE recognises its responsibility and accepts its commitment to contribute to the sustainable development of society through all aspects of its activities, including education, research, operations and administration.

The VŠE Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030 was created to respond to global sustainability challenges and actively contribute to their solution. Our strategy is based on the internationally recognised Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It aims to create an inspiring and innovative environment that supports our students’ and staff’s personal and professional development. At the same time, we strive to minimise the negative environmental impacts of VŠE operations and actively seek areas where we can contribute positive change. Specifically, the purpose of this Strategy is to initiate and deepen the following processes:

• Integrate sustainability into all areas of the University’s activities.
• Reduce the environmental impacts associated with the operation of VŠE.
• Promote health, well-being and equal opportunities for all academic community members.
• Contribute to solving societal problems through education, research, and collaboration with external partners.
• Strengthen success in AASCB reaccreditations and improve performance in the Financial Times Ranking.
• Be ranked among sustainability leaders in the Central European region in the category of economics universities.

The development of this Strategy was supported by external funding from Component 7.4 of the National Renewal Plan for Higher Education 2023-2025. In addition to developing the Strategy, the funding aided devising newly accredited programmes, new courses in existing degree programmes, and lifelong learning courses in sustainability. Additional funding for the implementation of the objectives and measures of the Strategy will be secured through a combination of external resources, e.g. from the Operational Programme Jan Amos Komenský of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports with EU support, as well as utilising internal resources of the VŠE in line with the University’s primary mission and with regard to resource and capacity constraints. The implementation of the Strategy will include the preparation of action plans based on cost-benefit analyses (CBA) and regular evaluation of the fulfilment of individual objectives. The Strategy will become an integral part of the VŠE’s new strategic plan, while its long-term continuity will be ensured by a follow-up strategy beyond 2030.