The Unesco Chair Brings Sustainability at the ESCI-UPF Summer School

Over two consecutive weeks, the UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change at ESCI-UPF contributed to the 3rd edition of the ESCI-UPF Summer School, delivering 45 hours of sustainability-focused education to nearly 200 international students from universities around the world.

Students represented a diverse range of institutions, including Stanford University, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, ESCA Ecole de Management, the University of Calgary, Tecnológico de Monterrey (TEC), and Academic Programs International (API), creating a truly international and multidisciplinary learning environment.

The programme brought together students from a wide variety of academic backgrounds, including Law, Business, Finance, Real Estate, Psychology, Mathematics, Engineering, and Social Sciences, highlighting the growing importance of sustainability as a cross-disciplinary competency for future professionals. Regardless of their discipline, participants explored how sustainability is increasingly shaping decision-making in organisations across sectors.

Week 1: Sustainable Entrepreneurship for Europe’s Future

During the first week, more than 120 students, organised into three groups, attended the course Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Business Opportunities in Europe, with the sustainability sessions delivered by researchers from the UNESCO Chair, Cristina Campos and Marta Santamaría.

The course explored how entrepreneurship can drive sustainable development by creating economic value while addressing today’s environmental and social challenges. Through lectures, case studies, and interactive discussions, students examined topics such as sustainable innovation, the circular economy, European integration, geopolitical challenges, and opportunities for developing responsible business models across Europe.

Rather than viewing sustainability as a constraint, participants were encouraged to recognise it as a driver of innovation, competitiveness, and long-term business resilience.

Week 2: Embedding Sustainability into Business Strategy

The second week welcomed around 80 international students enrolled in the course Culture and Sustainability for Companies in Europe, with the sustainability sessions delivered by UNESCO Chair researcher Sandra Ceballos-Santos.

The course focused on integrating sustainability into corporate decision-making through practical tools and strategic frameworks. Participants explored concepts such as corporate sustainability, the circular economy, eco-design, green consumption, environmental communication, sustainable accounting, and the monetary valuation of environmental impacts. Special emphasis was placed on Life Cycle Thinking as a strategic approach for understanding the environmental consequences of business decisions across product and service value chains, providing students with practical tools to support more sustainable decision-making.

Throughout the week, students analysed real business cases and worked in international teams to develop sustainability strategies for existing companies, applying business concepts alongside sustainability principles to address real-world challenges.

Educating Future Sustainability Leaders

The UNESCO Chair’s participation in the Summer School reflects its commitment to equipping the next generation of professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to integrate sustainability across all sectors of society.

Whether pursuing careers in law, finance, business, engineering, public policy, or the social sciences, today’s students will face increasingly complex sustainability challenges. By combining scientific knowledge with practical business applications and an international perspective, the UNESCO Chair helps prepare future decision-makers capable of driving meaningful environmental and societal change.

Through initiatives such as the ESCI-UPF Summer School, the UNESCO Chair continues to advance sustainability education, promote Life Cycle Thinking and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as essential tools for sustainable decision-making, and foster international collaboration to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable future.