The training Seminar of the SDG4U Erasmus+ Project on “Engaging SDGs for Transformative Education and Enhanced Sustainability in Universities” addressed to Faculty and Students was held at ACG on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, and attracted a high number of engaged participants. The Seminar was organized by the ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability (CoES) in collaboration with the SDG4U Erasmus+ project partners: the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Project Coordinator), Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, the University of Murcia, University College Cork, and UNIMED.
In more detail, the Seminar was divided into 2 sessions:
a. The Faculty Session started with a presentation on the 17 UNSDGs by Dr. Stella Apostolaki, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, Deree – ACG; Executive Director, Center of Excellence in Sustainability (CoES) and PI of the Erasmus+ project for ACG, and Dr. Paraskevi Papadopoulou, Professor Biophysicist, Cell Biologist, Deree – ACG; Executive Director, co-PI of the Erasmus+ project for ACG. It was followed by a presentation on the SDG4U project and the respective mapping tool, delivered by the project coordinator, Professor Andreas Papandreou, Director of the Political Economy of Sustainable Development at Lab, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and Co-Chair of UN SDSN Greece.
This session was aimed at assisting professors to incorporate the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) and sub-targets into current and new curricula. More specifically, the professors were prompted to rethink and redesign a course on their expertise by incorporating SDG-related targets. The aim is to assist students in understanding the relevance of a specific piece of knowledge to their lives; develop awareness about how we are impacted by the issue discussed; trigger emotions and feelings of caring; develop skills for action, and ultimately design a new lesson plan.
b. The Student Training Session began with a presentation on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, as in the Faculty session. Presentations of 6 ‘Campus as a living lab projects’, which are undertaken by students, were offered as follows:
i. AI Innovations and Environmental Impact in Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, ACG
ii. Total Ozone Monitoring on Campus, presented by student Ms. Zoi Trigkaki, ACG
iii. Mapping the Campus Biodiversity, presented by student Mr. Nikitas Vainores, ACG
iv. Wild litter; Insect hotels; Upcycling and clothing exchange, Dr. Ines Lopez Lopez, Catedrática de Universidad, Coordinadora de Responsabilidad Social, Vicerrectorado de Responsabilidad Social y Cultura, UMU
The session continued with a HACKATHON on challenges related to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), and sub-targets are organized. Students worked in groups of 3-4 persons, and developed an idea based on one of the 26 Challenges related to the 17 UNSDGs. The ideas had to be integrative, innovative, multidisciplinary and realistic, follow the 3 basic principles of sustainability (environment, society, economy) and incorporate SDG sub-targets. A Jury formed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solution Network (UNSDSN) Greece will decide on the 3 winning ideas/teams.
The Seminar activities were organized and facilitated by the ACG Faculty of the Department of Science and Mathematics, School of Science and Technology:
- Dr. Stella Apostolaki, Assistant Professor
- Dr. Paraskevi Papadopoulou, Professor
- Dr. Anastasia Misseyanni, Professor
- Dr. Christina Marouli, Professor
- Dr. Alexia Polissidis, Assistant Professor
- Dr. Ioannis Kougkoulos, Assistant Professor
- Dr. Ioannis Christodoulakis, Assistant Professor
with the administrative support of Ms. Maria Koutsokali, Head lab technician of the Department of Science and Mathematics and Environmental Studies student Ms. Christina Christodoulou.
The event was organized in the framework of the Erasmus+ Project SDG4U and is connected with the UNSDGs.
