International training at ULBS: Central Asian and European universities come together within ESGCA, a new sustainable development project

Between 24 – 27of March, the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu hosted an international event dedicated to education for sustainability. As a part of the project Bridging Environmental Concerns, Societal Needs, and Good Governance in Central Asian Education and Employment Sectors – ESGCA , the Sibiu meeting brought together 22 participants from partner universities from five Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan) and three European countries (Italy, Slovakia and Romania).

The main objective of this project, coordinated by the University of Genoa, is to develop master’s programs in the field of sustainability and governance in the Central Asian universities in the consortium. During the training week at ULBS, participants benefited from lectures, training sessions and debates on topics such as: sustainable mobility, corporate social responsibility, health and well-being in academia and the role of ESG in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants also visited the Continental Sibiu company, where they had a guided tour and were presented with examples of good ESG practices.

In the opening speech of the event, Professor Andrei Terian-Dan, PhD., Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation and Internationalization at the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation between our university and academic institutions in Central Asia, as well as the relevance of education for sustainability.

The ULBS project team, coordinated by associate professor Raluca Mureșan, also includes professor Minodora Sălcudean and lecturer Adina Pintea. Among the invited guests were international experts, such as Dr. Agostino Massa and Dr. Diana Spulber (University of Genoa, Italy) and Dr. Réka Wittmanová (University of Technology of Bratislava, Slovakia) and ULBS teaching staff.

The ESGCA project is funded by the European Union (EU) through the Erasmus+ Programme, under grant agreement no. 101177914-2024. For more information, please visit the project website or contact the local coordinator at raluca.muresan@ulbsibiu.ro.