Université de Sherbrooke
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications

The Université de Sherbrooke’s sustainable development website provides information on the University's sustainable development policies and on the sustainable development plan and its related strategies. It also provides information regarding teaching and innovative research pertaining to sustainability and sustainable development, on funding opportunities, on related sustainability news and upcoming events as well as ways for the University’s community to participate in different sustainable development activities, among others.

The Environment and Sustainable Development University Training Center (Centre universitaire de formation en environnement et développement durable (CUFE)) publishes two electronic newsletters to inform the university community on various topics related to sustainability and sustainable development. The first one, known as the Bulletin l’Averti, provides information about activities and programs particular to the CUFE. The second one, called the Bulletin Formation continue, informs the university community about news, topics and registration periods related to continuing education. In addition, members of the University can register to the MIDI-MAD (Les MIDIS pour apprendre et discuter du CUFE), short for “Lunchtime Learning and Discussion”, mailing list and be informed about upcoming conferences where a variety of topics are presented by speakers from one of the environmental fields.

The Office of the Vice-President, Administration and Sustainable Development, maintains an active presence through the Université de Sherbrooke’s Facebook page (Groupe Développement durable – UdeS). The Sustainable Development - Udes Group is open to anyone interested in sustainability and sustainable development and wishing to participate in the exchanges on the various topics and activities related to these issues, involving the university community and/or the community at large.

Founded in 1977, Le Collectif is a bi-monthly student newspaper with 4,000 copies. It is available at more than 75 distribution points on the various campuses of the Université de Sherbrooke and in the City of Sherbrooke. Its financing is ensured by a student contribution and sales from advertising. In each issue and under its “Society” section, Le Collectif publishes articles related to the environment and sustainability. Examples of titled articles: “Adaptation to Climate Change: Where Are We Now?”; “The Environment on the Eve of the Provincial Elections”; “Québec and its Waste”; “Adopt an Eco-Friendlier Lifestyle: Everyone Benefits”, etc.

Essays and research papers written by the Master of Environment degree students provide a vast and diversified source of information for all those interested in the environment and sustainable development. The Environment and Sustainable Development University Training Center (Centre universitaire de formation en environnement et développement durable (CUFE)), as a wish to disseminate sustainability research undertaken by its students, publishes the students’ work on its website. Grouped under specific themes, not only the students’ work can be readily accessed, but it is also a great way to showcase the knowledge developed by graduates.

Concerned to minimize the negative impact of its activities on the environment, whether through reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, better water management or more responsibly sourcing, the University is increasingly incorporating the principles of sustainable development into its construction and renovation projects. This integration is particularly evident in some more recent construction projects, and in sync with green building features: the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Pavilion, the Longueuil Campus Building, the Integrated Research Laboratory and the Life Sciences Pavilion. The Université de Sherbrooke’s sustainable development website provides information pertaining to these new constructions and details their green building features. But more specifically, signage outside the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Pavilion, a building built entirely of lumber, indicates that it is LEED-NC gold certified and lays out the features associated with it. Moreover, the Longueuil Campus received, for instance, a series of awards related to the designers' work and commitment to creating a green building. These awards are presented to the campus community in a public display hence signaling the green features of the building.

As a designated Fair Campus institution, and as part of its 2018-2019 Fair Campus and Nourishing Strategy, the Université de Sherbrooke, in addition to raising awareness and education at this level, also aims to promote the Estrie and Montérégie regions by providing visibility for organic agricultural products and short food chains. In line with the first Québec Food Policy, the University is taking concrete actions to democratize healthy eating and fight against food waste on its three campuses. This position is reflected, for instance, by: • The presence of self-service refrigerators installed on the main campus, the objective of which is to fight against food waste; • Providing drop-off points for organic vegetable baskets from local market gardeners; • Holding an annual public market on the main campus to promote fair products, short food chains and organic farming by providing access to local products; • The existence of three gardens and edible facilities available to the community. Signs and banners are displayed throughout the University to inform students of those initiatives, in particular on the organic vegetable baskets and on the self-service refrigerators (Frigo Free Go). The same can be said about the University's Fair Trade Campus designation, which banners are posted by the main campus cafeteria and at the Longueuil Campus food court. Also easily accessible to students, the Université de Sherbrooke’s sustainable development website provides documentation pertaining to the strategy and related initiatives, and is a comprehensive source of information.

Several actions have been implemented at the Université de Sherbrooke to improve campus facilities and promote biodiversity in spaces used by the university community. The University 2018-2022 Green Space Planning Strategy is meant to continue to provide a healthy, pleasant and motivating environment that is conducive to training and work. To inform the university community about the locations and the usefulness of the multiple green facilities or to provide details about landscaping strategies and management on campus, Université de Sherbrooke created information videos on the YouTube channel “USherbrookeTV”. These informative videos on green space design and the University’s greening efforts, which involve many students and staff members, are presented in an original way. For example, a video on tree-planting and medicinal plants as well as a video on green landscaping projects and their purposes were published on this channel and made available to the public. This information gives great visibility to the University's various green infrastructures and plans. Also, an information panel on bees and their role in ecosystems is located near the University's hives. This allows the university community to better understand the importance of establishing hives, and in this case, on the main University campus. An information panel is also installed near the hives to limit bees to be disturbed and to ensure the safety of the university community.

Since the adoption of its Sustainable Development Policy back in 2005, and reiterated within the 2018-2022 Sustainable Mobility Strategy, the Université de Sherbrooke has been firmly committed to sustainable mobility and alternative modes of transportation. The sustainable development website includes a section on sustainable transportation which informs the university community about the different measures in place to that regard, such as: A program of free access to public transit for students; A public transit access program for staff; A shuttle service between the main campus and the Health Campus; Agreements concerning inter-city transportation between Sherbrooke and Longueuil or Montréal for staff members and students; Installation of charging stations at the workplace or study sites for members of the university community; A carpool service; An active transportation support program. Université de Sherbrooke also created an information video on the YouTube channel “USherbrookeTV” on sustainable mobility and is presented in an original way and accessible by the university community. The University also recently held, as part of a Sustainable Mobility Week, its first Sustainable Mobility Fair on its main campus. The Fair provided an opportunity for the university community to try out the free self-service bicycles, for the University’s staff to purchase a free city bus pass for the entire week as a way to assess whether this mode of transportation is appropriate for individual needs, and to make public the new agreement between the carrier and the Université de Sherbrooke regarding inter-city transportation service between the Sherbrooke and Longueuil campuses, as to be more convenient for users.

The Université de Sherbrooke and La Déraille bike co-op produce tools to educate and raise awareness about active mobility such as bicycling, and information about La Déraille’s activities are accessible to the university community and available through the sustainable development website. https://www.usherbrooke.ca/developpement-durable/campus/mobilite/actif/ Université de Sherbrooke also created an information video on the YouTube channel “USherbrookeTV” on mobility and cycling including information on general navigation tools, connections, services and safety. Also, the University collaborates closely with the activities of the Centre de mobilité durable de Sherbrooke to raise public awareness and provide innovative services around mobility within the municipality which includes maps on bicycle networks and information related to the availability of bike racks on public buses.

At the Université de Sherbrooke’s residences, related sustainable development issues are: waste management, sustainable mobility, eco-responsible management, the living environment, the multiple possibilities of involvement and to develop projets. All this can be found on the Écorésidences top tab from the Université de Sherbrooke’s residences’ website. Each section is divided into several types of information, services offered and awareness considerations pertaining to sustainable development.