Meeting and workshop within the SUSTAIN project

From 22 to 25 April 2026, an international project meeting and workshop within the SUSTAIN (Sustainable Universities for Society Through Action, Innovation and Knowledge Networks) project took place at Škoda Auto Vysoká škola. The event was attended by representatives of partner institutions: Islamic University of Maldives, Zikura International College, Banking Academy Vietnam, BacGiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Phu Yen University, University of Dubrovnik and ESSEI.

The SUSTAIN project focuses on strengthening the so-called Third Mission of higher education institutions—i.e., their active contribution to society and engagement in addressing current socio-economic and environmental challenges. Particular emphasis is placed on building the capacities of higher education institutions in Vietnam and the Maldives, fostering collaboration with stakeholders, and integrating the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and sustainability into all areas of university governance and activity. During the meeting, representatives of each university presented their institutions from the perspective of the Third Mission. The exchange of good practices and experiences from different regions provided valuable and inspiring input for the further development of the project. The programme also included an interactive workshop, during which participants jointly worked on proposals for concrete tools and action plans to support the development of the Third Mission at their institutions. These outputs will be further elaborated and used within the project activities.

The SUSTAIN (Sustainable Universities for Society Through Action, Innovation and Knowledge Networks) project thus contributes to strengthening the role of higher education institutions as key actors in sustainable development, in line with the priorities of Erasmus+ and broader European Union initiatives.

We would like to thank all partners for their active participation and inspiring collaboration and look forward to our next joint meetings.