The University of Szeged, in cooperation with the UI GreenMetric university network, is hosting the third International Student Leaders Meeting on Sustainability (ISLMS 2025) from April 10 to 12, 2025.
The third International Student Leaders Meeting on Sustainability (ISLMS 2025), an English-language event, brings together participants from across the globe. Attendees include leaders of the UI GreenMetric organization, lecturers and students from the University of Szeged, as well as students, instructors, and speakers from higher education institutions representing around 25 countries, along with delegates from member institutions of the Sustainability Platform of Hungarian Universities (MEFP).
As a leading center of education and research, the University of Szeged plays a strategic role in promoting scientific research and academic initiatives aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The main conference events and workshops are set to take place on Friday, April 11, 2025, at the József Attila Study and Information Center.
The international conference explores a wide range of timely topics – from the role of students and academic research in promoting sustainability to specific environmental and societal challenges. These discussions are framed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a global development agenda to be achieved by 2030. The SDGs reflect commitments made by countries worldwide to address a broad array of pressing issues – including environmental degradation, the threats of climate change, food security and agricultural challenges, economic crises, regional conflicts, and social inequalities.
The key message of the event is that young people play a crucial role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals on a global scale – because by 2030–2040, today’s youth will represent a defining segment of society. This makes it essential for them to integrate these goals into their everyday lives, mindset, and personal habits. Through the conference and its discussion forums, students are encouraged to actively contribute to these efforts – first by sharing their perspectives, and later by organizing their own sustainability campaigns.
Raising awareness about the importance of sustainability and developing the human resources needed to support it are among the event’s main focus areas – both of which are essential for integrating sustainable best practices into local communities and higher education institutions. The meeting also seeks to foster the exchange of sustainability-related experiences and initiatives among international student organizations. In this spirit, following the conference presentations, students from various countries are scheduled to engage in discussions to share their ideas and experiences in addressing sustainability-related challenges. The event features six workshops centered around key themes: Environment and Infrastructure, Energy and Climate Change, Water Management, Waste Management, Transportation, and Education and Research.
As part of the program, participants will also take part in a symbolic tree-planting ceremony on Friday at 3:00 p.m. in the park next to the University of Szeged’s József Attila Study and Information Center.
The International Student Leaders Meeting on Sustainability (ISLMS 2025) is also available to watch online. The open program, held in English, is as follows:
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11 April 2025, Friday
University of Szeged, József Attila Study and Information Centre
6722 Szeged, Ady tér 10.
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9:00 – 9:30 AM
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Arrival and Registration
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9:30 – 10:00 AM
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Opening and Welcome Addresses
- Prof. Zoltán Kónya, Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs & Innovation, University of Szeged
- Prof. Dr. Gábor Szabó, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Szeged
- Prof. Dr. Ir. Riri Fitri Sari, M.M., M.Sc., Chairperson, UI GreenMetric
- H.E. A.H. Dimas Wahab, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Budapest (video message)
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10:00 – 10:25 AM
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Keynote Speech
Dr. Csaba Janáky, Director, National Laboratory for Renewable Energy
”Renewable Energy: myth, hype, and reality”
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10:25 – 10:50 AM
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Keynote Speech
Dr. Junaidi, S.S., M.A., Vice-Chair of Program, Communication, and Partnership, UI GreenMetric
“Building a Greener Future: The Role of Students in Sustainability”
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10:50 – 11:15 AM
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Keynote Speech
Prof. Dr. Ildikó Csóka, Director-General for Strategy, University of Szeged
“Responses to Global Challenges at the University of Szeged”
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11:15 – 11:30 AM
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Questions and Answers
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1:00 – 1:50 PM
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Panel Discussion: “Advancing Sustainability Competencies in Research and Education”
Moderator:
- Dr. Dénes Mátyás, Deputy Director for Sustainability, Directorate for Strategic Management, Directorate-General for Strategy and Development, University of Szeged
Panelists:
- Prof. Zoltán Bajmócy, Professor, Institute of Ecological Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Szeged
- Dr. Tamás Gál, Associate Professor, Head of Department, Department of Atmospheric and Geospacial Data Sciences, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged
- Dr. Csaba Janáky, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged
- Dr. József Maléth, Senior Research Fellow, First Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged
- Dr. István Sisák, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Plant Sciences and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Szeged
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1:50 – 2:00 PM
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Questions and Answers
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2:00 – 2:50 PM
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Panel Discussion – Hungarian Universities’ Sustainability Platform: “Sustainability in Higher Education: Efforts, Challenges, Activities, and Best Practices”
Moderator:
- Dr. Dénes Mátyás, Deputy Director for Sustainability, Directorate for Strategic Management, Directorate-General for Strategy and Development, University of Szeged
Panelists:
- Dr. Katalin Ásványi, Associate Professor, Head of Department, Dean for Sustainability, Department of Sustainability Management and Environmental Economics, Institute of Sustainable Development, Corvinus University of Budapest
- Dr. Levente Horváth, Head of the Office for Sustainability, Budapest University of Economics and Business
- Brigitta Molnár-Ferenczik, Head of the Sustainability Competence Centre, University of Pannonia
- Dr. Zsuzsa Piskóti-Kovács, Head of the Coal Commission Secretariat, Eszterházy Károly Catholic University
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2:50 – 3:00 PM
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Questions and Answers
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3:00 – 3:30 PM
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Environmental Activity – Tree planting with a commemorative stone and plaque in front of the building
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3:30 – 4:00 PM
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Coffee Break
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4:00 – 5:00 PM
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Breakout Rooms
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Breakout Room 1 – Setting and Infrastructure
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Breakout Room 2 – Energy and Climate Change
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Breakout Room 3 – Waste
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Breakout Room 4 – Water
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Breakout Room 5 – Transportation
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Breakout Room 6 – Education and Research
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5:00 – 5:30 PM
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Summary of Breakout Room Discussions
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5:30 – 6:00 PM
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Signing of the International Youth Declaration &
Closing of the Conference and Workshop Day
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6:00 – 6:30 PM
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Visit to the exhibition Katalin Karikó's Journey to the Nobel Prize and Beyond
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Continuous
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Poster Exhibition
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