The university incorporates a sustainability perspective with a cross-cutting approach into its core functions—education, research, and community engagement—as well as into the day-to-day management of its campuses. The Sustainability Committee promotes the integration of these dimensions and the institution’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda.
Education for Sustainable Development
Training professionals capable of understanding environmental, social, and economic challenges is one of the cornerstones of ORT’s institutional commitment. In various undergraduate and graduate degree programs and programmes , sustainability topics are addressed through courses, projects, and academic activities linked to the specific perspectives of each discipline and to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The School of Engineering addresses the environmental and social impacts of technology, responsible resource management, the circular economy, and the ethics of innovation.
In the School of Architecture, sustainability is related to the built environment, spatial design, energy efficiency, and urban development. In the School of Management and Social Sciences, the focus is on social responsibility, sustainable organizational management, governance, and the economic and social dimensions of development.
The schools of Communication and Design incorporate perspectives related to responsible communication, raising awareness of environmental and social challenges, sustainable design, and consideration of the impacts of products, services, and messages.
For its part, the Institute of Education helps address inclusion, equity, and the role of education in meeting the challenges of sustainable development. These approaches make it possible to link professional knowledge to the SDGs across various disciplines.
The committee's mission will be to strengthen this integration, promote collaboration among faculties and institutes, and foster new opportunities for interdisciplinary education and research.
Responsible campus management
Sustainability is also reflected in everyday university life. The ORT Recicla program has been in operation since 2017, promoting source separation and responsible waste management on campus with the participation of the university community.
As of December 2024, the following have been recycled:
• 47.6 tons of paper and cardboard
• 7.5 tons of PET plastic bottles
• 9.7 tons of electronic waste
Through the Repapel organization, waste paper and cardboard have been turned into notebooks and school supplies for public schools, creating a dual impact: environmental and social.
The plastic bottles were recycled by ECOPET to produce new bottles, while the electronic waste was recycled, with hazardous components separated out.
In addition, as part of its social impact efforts, the university donates computer equipment to the Antel Integra project.
ORT promotes sustainable practices in its operations: reducing paper use, implementing environmental criteria for suppliers, and maintaining an active schedule of awareness campaigns and events focused on carbon footprints and responsible consumption.
These initiatives provide students, faculty, and staff with concrete examples of responsible production and consumption, environmental management, and climate action, helping to connect learning about sustainability with everyday experiences at the university. They are particularly relevant to SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
Activities and Awards
In recent years, the university has organized and participated in awareness-raising activities such as the Sustainable Uruguay Expo and World Environment Day.
It has also hosted international conferences, including a visit by Inger Andersen, Executive Director of Programme Environment Programme , who highlighted the role of universities as agents of change toward a sustainable future.
This institutional effort has been recognized both in Uruguay and internationally. Universidad ORT Uruguay honored for its contribution to paper recycling and the production of recycled educational materials.
In addition, since 2021, it has been included in Times Higher Education’s Impact Rankings, making it the only Uruguayan university featured in this ranking, which measures commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Governance and a Look to the Future
The committee guides the development and implementation of sustainability initiatives throughout the university, monitors progress, and communicates the results. Its responsibilities include promoting the incorporation of sustainability concepts into undergraduate and graduate curricula and fostering their integration with research, community engagement, and institutional management.
It also coordinates initiatives among schools and institutes, supports research and outreach projects, and promotes opportunities for community engagement, such as Sustainability Week.
The committee is composed of Dr. Pablo Landoni, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Marcela Mailhos, MBA, Director of Marketing, Institutional Communications, and Admissions; Inés Tiscornia, M.A., Assistant Coordinator of Environmental Management, representing the School of Engineering; Dr. Nicolás Gambeta, representing the School of Business and Social Sciences; Sabrina Bianchi, representing the School of Communication; María Fernanda Núñez, B.A., representing the School of Design; Eliseo Cabrera, Architect, representing the School of Architecture; and Dr. Andrea Tejera, representing the Institute of Education.
