Rania Assariotaki, Director, Office of Sustainability – Public Affairs, at The American College of Greece, was recently interviewed by To Vima on why sustainability has become a defining factor of quality and competitiveness in higher education and how ACG is leading by example.
In the interview with Konstantinos Dedes, she highlights that sustainability has moved beyond isolated “green actions” and has become a strategic necessity guiding decision-making, academic design, operations, and student life.
The feature explores emerging international trends, from hands-on “living laboratory” campuses to comprehensive carbon management systems, and how these approaches form a roadmap for universities worldwide.
Ms. Assariotaki emphasized ACG’s leading and active contribution to this landscape. The College holds a STARS Gold Rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), participates in global sustainability networks including the UN Global Compact, UN SDSN, and United Nations Academic Impact, and serves on the AASHE Board, while also mentoring other institutions.
Such an integral change comes with its own set of challenges for educational institutions, from embedding sustainability across academic curricula to upgrading infrastructure and driving cultural change. ACG has been systematically addressing these through careful, long-term planning, data-driven reporting, and strategic alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As she concludes, “the real challenge is turning sustainability from theory into daily practice — building university communities that don’t just talk about the future, but actively shape it.”
You can read the full article (in Greek) here.