Sustainability

The sustainable coordination Office of the Vice Rectorate for Digitalization, Finance and Sustainability consolidates all sustainability management tasks: from strategy development to operationalization and the support of concrete implementation measures for a resilient and future-proof MUI.

Tasks:

At MUI, sustainability is conceived and practiced holistically according to a whole-institution approach. The goal is to make sustainability transparent and tangible for staff, students, and all stakeholders of MUI. In this way, sustainability is to be strengthened across all areas.

MUI explicitly supports the positions of Allianz, uniko and THK:

• Allianz Memorandum of Understanding
• Tiroler Hochschulkonferenz Sustainability Position Paper
• UNIKO Manifesto on Sustainability

In the ecological dimension, MUI aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2035. The social dimension of sustainability is strengthened through already established equality and diversity structures that promote equal opportunities and anchor diversity institutionally. The governance dimension describes the structural anchoring of sustainability at the university as well as the university-wide interaction of reporting and monitoring, with which the achievement of sustainability goals is systematically managed and reviewed. Thus, quality and sustainability go hand in hand: processes, standards, and continuous improvement must be considered together. Further information: https://www.i-med.ac.at/de/qualitaetsmanagement/

Networks and cooperations

Sustainability means collaboration, because the global goals can only be achieved together. As a member university of the Alliance of Sustainable Universities in Austria, MUI has been part of the strong network of all Austrian universities since March 2026. With its accession, MUI explicitly commits to the Alliance’s understanding of sustainability, to Austria-wide cooperation, and to contributing to strengthening the Austrian university landscape in the field of sustainability. Further information: https://nachhaltigeuniversitaeten.at/die-medizinische-universitaet-innsbruck-ist-neues-mitglied-der-allianz-nachhaltige-universitaeten/

Climate Alliance Tyrol: MUI is in the admission process of Austria’s largest municipal climate protection network. In addition, premises at Fritz-Pregl-Straße 3 are expected to become Green Events Tirol Locations by the end of 2026.

Department of Sustainability Management at Tirol Kliniken and fhg
Cooperation, especially between Tirol Kliniken and the Medical University of Innsbruck, is very close in the area of sustainability. Supply and operations interlock—enabling us to develop, test, and scale measures that protect patients, staff, and infrastructure alike. Resources are pooled through close collaboration with sustainability management.

Selection of current cooperative sustainability activities

One Health for the Alpine Region: Solutions and Innovation in Science (OHASIS): Together with the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, and the University of Innsbruck, MUI is launching an interdisciplinary PhD program at the interface between human medicine, veterinary medicine, environmental sciences, and societal applications. Further information: https://www.vetmeduni.ac.at/en/university/institutions/administration-and-service-units/postgraduate-studies/ohasis

Elective “Our Planet, Our Health: Medicine in Times of Climate Change”: The medicine of the future means taking responsibility—for human health and for our planet. This elective addresses how climate change, the environment, and health are interconnected. It is jointly organized by MUI with the Medical Universities of Graz and Vienna as well as Johannes Kepler University Linz. Using a modular system, lectures, lectures with exercises, and practicums/discussion rounds on specific topics are offered by selected experts from the respective universities. Further information: https://ourplanet-ourhealth.at/beteiligte/

ARGE Green Labs: How can sustainability be implemented in laboratories? The joint working group between Tirol Kliniken, fhg, and MUI emerged from a pilot project at Tirol Kliniken. The group is led by Heidemarie Schimatzek, Head of the Biomedical Science degree program at fh gesundheit; deputy lead: Sustainability Coordinator Theresa Scheutzow. Over time, laboratories at all three institutions will go through a structured process toward more sustainable labs. A freezer challenge is planned for 2027. Interested in participating as a lab? Contact us at nachhaltig@i-med.ac.at.

Sindbad Mentoring: Educational pathways are often inherited, and socioeconomically disadvantaged young people are particularly at risk of dropping out early. Sindbad therefore pairs such youths with volunteer mentors who support them in choosing further education or starting an apprenticeship. The Medical University of Innsbruck supports Sindbad because responsibility goes beyond excellent research, teaching, and clinical care. Education enables social participation and contributes to a self-determined life. Further information: https://www.i-med.ac.at/de/news/793045/