Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava, Slovakia Moravcik Oliver, Sakal Peter, Drienikova Katarina, Hrdinova Gabriela and Stefankova Jana From Sustainable Science in the European Universities towards Sustainable Competitiveness of the European Industry

75th anniversary of the establishment 75th anniversary of the establishment Established in faculties: 1. Faculty of Civil Engineering, 2. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 3. Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, 4.Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, 5.Faculty of Architecture, 6.Faculty of Materials Science and Technology, 7.Faculty of Informatics and Information Technology.

Institutes: ̶ Institute of Materials Science, ̶ Institute of Production Technologies, ̶ Institute of Production Systems and Applied Mechanics, ̶ Institute of Applied Informatics, Automation and Mathematics, ̶ Institute of Safety and Environmental Engineering, ̶ Institute of Industrial Engineering, Management and Quality.

Institute of Industrial Engineering, Management and Quality Research activities: – research and pedagogical projects within VEGA & KEGA grant agencies, – international programmes and projects of MVTS, – internally funded projects, – contractual research and development projects funded by business and industry. Study programmes: ̶ Industrial Management, ̶ Production Quality. Guarantee of the study programme Industrial management. Follower of the idea of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. Prof. Ing. Peter Sakal, CSc.

Supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the contract No. LPP : “Concept of HCS model 3E vs. Concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).” Part of the submitted KEGA project No. 037STU-4/2012 “Implementation of the “Corporate Social Responsibility Entrepreneurship” subject into the study programme of Industrial Management in the second degree at STU MTF Trnava”.

Introduction 1 Sustainability vs. Competitiveness vs. Corporate Social Responsibility 2 Sustainable Science vs. Sustainable Knowledge vs. Sustainable Education vs. Sustainable Training Conclusions Content

Introduction

Sustainability vs. Competitiveness vs. Corporate Social Responsibility focusing on increasing competitiveness and attractiveness of businesses; concept focusing on increasing competitiveness and attractiveness of businesses; to move from the perspective of the “profit-only” business efforts and focus on achieving ever higher profits to move from the perspective of the “profit-only” business efforts and focus on achieving ever higher profits, towards “triple-bottom-line” business based on social, environmental and economic pillars, and aiming at sustainable, transparent and responsible development.

Sustainability vs. Competitiveness vs. CSR based on the new concepts of customer needs, products and markets, as well as on the new definition of productivity in the value chain and the development of local clusters. sees a man as both, an object and a subject of all efforts. It focuses on the working conditions improving the life-quality of each employee in the long-term sustainable and acceptable conditions of environmental quality and effective economic conditions. essence of the concept lies in creating a positive impact on society, design and adaptation of the business model of sustainability and accountability, which is supported by the financial and economic systems.

Sustainability vs. Competitiveness vs. CSR CSR is a natural and inevitable counterpart in the effort towards the more competitive Europe. CSR is critical to building trust towards a market economy, trade openness and globalization. “Competitiveness and Sustainability should not be seen as separate objectives. Competitiveness should instead be seen as something that is dependent on sustainability. According to the European Competitiveness Report 2010, sustainable competitiveness reflects the ability to achieve and maintain the competitiveness of a company in accordance with the objectives of SD.” (European Commission)

Sustainability vs. Competitiveness vs. Corporate Social Responsibility “...agrees with comprehensive concept of sustainability integrating economic, social and environmental aspects in a balanced way. Protection and restoration of the environment, energy, resource efficiency, and social needs of aging and caring for dependents, have a great potential to kick-start the economy. Support of the economy, which would be globally competitive, must be environmentally-friendly in line with the economic and social development.” (European Commission) We underscore the global competitiveness and three pillars of sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, including university science and education. Slovakia's competitiveness ranking has dropped dramatically again this year, reaching historically the worst position (fall by 13 places). Also because of low quality of the educational system, including the schools of economy, outflow of talented people abroad, a lack of co- operation between educational institutions and enterprises.

Sustainable Science vs. Sustainable Knowledge vs. Sustainable Education vs. Sustainable Training is the science of inventing with all the problems it brings about, to be sustainable, science and knowledge need to be continuously developed - this is only possible via the development of human thinking, known as noosphere, which, after geosphere and biosphere, represents the third stage of the evolution of the Earth.

Sustainable Science vs. Sustainable Knowledge vs. Sustainable Education vs. Sustainable Training the vision of this decade is global; all citizens should have the opportunity to acquire proper education and be able to make decisions for a sustainable future, all teachers should realize their vital role in shaping the knowledge, skills and attitudes of current and future generations and in transforming the society towards a sustainable vision. Sustainability is not given; it is important to learn to understand it. Decade of Education for SD therefore concerns kindergartens, primary and secondary schools as well as university education in and programes of further education.

Sustainable Science vs. Sustainable Knowledge vs. Sustainable Education vs. Sustainable Training Regarding the above-mentioned, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe released a strategy “Education for Sustainable Development” stating that education, in addition to being one of the human rights, is a prerequisite for achieving SD, an important tool for effective management of a reasoned decision and the development of democracy. The United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education represent a global challenge for business schools and universities of economy to gradually adjust their educational programmes, research, teaching techniques and strategies to new business challenges and opportunities, thus training a new generation in the European and global competitiveness.

Sustainable Science vs. Sustainable Knowledge vs. Sustainable Education vs. Sustainable Training The following positive experience obtained and presented at the Conference on Education, Training and Public Education for Sustainable Development in 2009, can be recommended for higher education institutions: 1. Integrate sustainability topics into all relevant subjects. 2. Educate students for future so that the study programmes are at least 10 years ahead of the current requirements of the society. 3. Promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teaching approaches, creative thinking, skills, ability to communicate and adopt a correct attitude in terms of social and environmental responsibility, competence and complex needs of the favourable development of the society. 4. Establish Councils for Sustainable Development in the universities and foster the conditions for a “sustainable university”. 5. Contribute to building regional centres of expertise and partnerships. 6. Promote the establishment of university student organizations devoted to the issues of sustainable development in order to involve students into related activities. 7. Establish awards for the student final papers/theses introducing innovative solutions to the issues related to sustainable development.

Sustainable Science vs. Sustainable Knowledge vs. Sustainable Education vs. Sustainable Training Sustainable education generally means intentional and unintentional impact on a man’s personality, resulting in a qualitative change. Sustainable educational process is conditioned both socially and individually. Sustainable development education: 1. is based on the values of justice, equality, tolerance, self-sufficiency and responsibility, gender diversity, social cohesion and poverty reduction. 2. supports creative and critical approaches, thinking with an emphasis on long-term goals, innovation and finding effective solutions to complex problems. 3. highlights the links between the economy, the environment, social issues and cultural diversity. 4. considers all levels, from local to global, and reflects past, present and future.

Sustainable Science vs. Sustainable Knowledge vs. Sustainable Education vs. Sustainable Training Several sustainability-related study programes have been introduced in various universities worldwide. The Slovak University of Technology, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology are currently introducing a subject of “Sustainable Social Corporate Responsibility”.

Conclusions The concept of sustainable development refers to a way of economic growth, which covers the needs of society by creating wealth in terms of short, medium, and especially long-term horizons. In the modern era, the human development should be associated with the factors such as environmental or social objectives relating to quality of life, poverty reduction and other problems, rather than with the economic categories (e.g. economic growth). It requires a holistic approach to development.

Thank You For Your Attention! „You do not inherit the earth from your ancestors: you borrow it from your children.“ Antoine de Saint Exupéry