2022 IMC Sustainability Report

SHAPING THE FUTURE

Sustainability Report 2022

FOREWORD BY THE EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT

In uncertain times, universities face particular challenges. As an institution for teaching and research, it is our task to help develop solutions. This applies to global challenges such as the climate crisis and social inequalities, but of course also to the issues that dominated the reporting period, such as the pandemic and the war in Europe. In this context, it was and is important to us to always consider sustainability as a cross-cutting issue in all areas. We have also formalised this in our clear commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for our actions.

We consider it our mission to offer future-oriented teaching, to conduct research that provides solutions to societal challenges, to ensure a fair, healthy and safe workplace, and to minimise our ecological footprint. We once again emphasised this commitment in the new university strategy, which came into force in September 2022.

We are now publishing our second sustainability report for the business year 2021/2022, which has again been prepared in accordance with the current GRI standards.

The next report is planned in two years. We updated the materiality analysis from the previous report in discussion with selected stakeholder groups, taking into account the strategy process and the rankings and ratings in the reporting period. Buildings, infrastructure and procurement were identified as a new, additional material topic. One new feature is the identification and increased visibility of SDGs for which the university’s contribution is particularly high. You will find these marked with the respective Sustainable Development Goals pictograms.

Furthermore, we renew our commitment to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), our engagement with the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), and our active participation in the newly founded Bündnis Nachhaltige Hochschulen (BNH, alliance of sustainable universities) with this report.

In addition to the contents of this publication, you will find more information and current news about sustainability at IMC Krems on our website.

We look forward to your feedback and wish you an enjoyable read!

THE ROAD TO THIS REPORT

Continuity and transparency create trust! Just like we teach and discuss sustainability reporting academically in the lecture halls of our university of applied sciences, we also want to embrace it as an organisation. In this respect, I am pleased to hold the second sustainability report of IMC Krems in “digital hands” with this document, providing you with qualitative and quantitative information on our activities as a socially and ecologically responsible university.

While the structuring and preparation of the contents including the identification of the material topics were the greatest challenges for the first report, we were confronted with how much has happened in the context of sustainability in the last two years for this edition and had to make a suitable selection for this report from all the implemented measures. With the first-time participations in the Positive Impact Rating and the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking, two milestones of the university of applied sciences’ social engagement also fall within this reporting period.

We also report on the university’s strategy process in this report, as it provided valuable input for our revision of the materiality analysis and important feedback from stakeholders. And we can already reveal this much: as a result, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be given significantly more weight in the new strategy.

Of course, facts and figures are important, too. Therefore, this report is also a snapshot of our commitment and our path to sustainability at the university.

My sincere thanks go to all those who have worked tirelessly on the report and in the projects of the environment and sustainability programme – above all to my colleague Victoria Englmaier, who joined the team in 2022.

Together, we hope you enjoy reading this report and look forward to your feedback and suggestions.

Strategy and impact

About IMC Krems

As an internationally oriented, innovative university of applied sciences, IMC Krems aims to make a decisive difference in the field of education. In accordance with its mission, it strives to develop and implement innovative and sustainable solutions in its core tasks, education and research, which provide regional, national and global benefits.

IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems GmbH (IMC Krems) is a Lower Austrian higher education institution with an international orientation, located in Krems on the Danube. It is a limited liability company founded on the basis of a public-private partnership model in 1994 by Dr. Mag. Heinz Boyer, today chairman of the Supervisory Board and majority owner. The shares are divided as follows: 70% IMC Consulting GmbH and 30% City of Krems on the Danube. The University Management consists of a Chairwoman, an Academic Head, a University Manager for Internationalisation and a University Manager for Research and Innovation. Currently, IMC Krems offers 17 bachelor degree programmes, ten master degree programmes and three continuing education courses – about 40% of them in English. In addition to a strongly practice-oriented education at an academic level, education is characterised by teaching leadership qualities and soft skills, a comprehensive range of foreign languages and project-related work in manageable groups. The study programme is oriented towards the focus areas of business, digitalisation and engineering, health and life sciences. In the academic year 2022/23, IMC Krems has over 300 full-time employees (62% of whom are women) and over 720 part-time teachers (42% of whom are women). A total of 3,108 people study at IMC Krems in the winter semester 2022/23, of whom 2,025 are women, 1,082 are men and one is intersex. This corresponds to a 65% share of women among the students.

IMC Krems bundles applied research into futureoriented focus topics, develops innovative solutions for the benefit of business and society, and thus

contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the university of applied sciences, research is conducted in the core areas of Business, Health Sciences and Science and Technology in collaboration with companies and other organisations. The projects and findings provide economic, medical, pharmaceutical, technical and societal benefits. The research activities also lead to forward-looking innovations that provide for further developments in industry and society. In the academic years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, research was conducted in collaboration with numerous partners in nearly 60 research projects.

More than 160 partner universities, spread over six continents, reflect the strong international focus of IMC University of Applied Sciences, as do the 50 different nations the students originate from. Intercultural exchange of experience, professional internships abroad, participation in international research projects and lectures by international teachers and guest professors are integral components of IMC Krems. The IMC Krems degree programmes are also offered at selected universities in the following six countries: Azerbaijan, China, Latvia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and Vietnam. These transnational programmes have one thing in common: they are optimally tailored to the local needs of the partner universities.

In order to make the high quality of teaching and research visible to the outside world and also to officially belong to the top business schools worldwide, IMC Krems is a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Strategy and programme

IMC Krems takes its responsibilities to society and the environment seriously and takes considered actions in order to fulfil them. In its strategy and programme, it commits to continuously improving its environmental performance, thus reducing environmental impacts, as well as upholding the principles of responsible higher education. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as a guide for clear priorities and targets.

STRATEGY

The vision, mission and values of our university of applied sciences, together with the strategic guidelines, form the basis for the strategic objectives. In the IMC strategy “Targeting the Future”, which was implemented from 2019 to 2022, the topic of social and ecological sustainability was established as a separate goal as follows: “We take our responsibilities to society and the environment seriously and take considered actions in order to fulfil them. Specifically, IMC Krems is committed to continuously improving its environmental performance, thus reducing environmental impact, as well as upholding the principles of responsible higher education. We base our actions on the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ and act as a role model for our stakeholders.”

At the end of August 2021, the new strategy process and the first workshops with the IMC team started. One day each was dedicated to the topics of internationalisation, digitalisation and innovation. The group of participants was different for each topic; however, people from different areas of IMC Krems

were included in each case. Following the workshops, the strategic goals were further developed from version 1.0 to version 1.1.

In September and October 2021, another three workshops were held in the three departments of IMC Krems. The completed mission statement and the strategic goals in version 1.1 were the starting points. In these rounds, teaching and research were prioritised. Further workshops took place in the Academic Board and in the university services. In addition, all students as well as the entire IMC team were invited to help shape the future path of IMC Krems via Padlet and to post their ideas and considerations. Afterwards, the strategic goals were finalised in the management team.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS)

The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted in 2015. Its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030 – which are aimed at the regional, national and international level – also place a duty on universities.

The SDGs are universally applicable and based on a holistic approach to development which gives equal priority to the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental. They also encompass the protection of human rights, the rule of law, good governance, fundamental freedoms, and safety and security.

The 2030 Agenda thus has many thematic implications for university teaching and research, but of course also for the operational aspects of the university’s environmental and sustainability management. The mission for the future is to make them even more visible and to further increase the university’s contribution to achieving them by selecting strategic focus areas. For this reason, content that can be assigned to one particular Sustainable Development Goal is marked with the respective symbol of the SDG in this report. An overview table is provided at the end of the document.

MAKING THE SDG IMPACT VISIBLE

Universities must contribute to the implementation

of the SDGs by providing expertise and best practices to support implementation, and by integrating sustainability issues into their operations, research, education, and science-society interaction. However, in most signatory countries of the 2030 Agenda, universities currently have no or little structured overview of the extent to which they have already addressed the SDGs in their teaching and research.

IMC Krems will set an example here and, as a first step, address sustainability content in teaching in line with the SDGs. Using selected degree programmes from all departments as examples, the content of the SDGs will be collected and presented at the course and curriculum levels of the degree programmes as well as of publications and research projects in a pilot project based on an automated content analysis. On the one hand, this will enable a clearer and methodologically correct representation of our societal impact and, on the other hand, help to set a strategic course in line with the SDGs.

PROGRAMME

Environmental and sustainability management at IMC Krems includes both continuous improvement in all areas and the development of new ideas for the future and, above all, regular communication of activities to all colleagues. The basis of the work is the strategy of the university, from which the environmental and sustainability programme is derived, and the requirements of the environmental management standard ISO 14001. Since 2012, IMC Krems has been committed to an integrated management system that

includes the environmental management standard. This helps the university to contribute to the continuous improvement of operational environmental protection in a structured way. The most important contents are the optimisation of energy efficiency and the operational use of resources including mobility, raising awareness among internal and external stakeholders as well as risk minimisation and legal compliance. The following objectives and work areas for structuring the operational work are derived from this.

We aim to raise awareness of environmental and sustainability issues among our stakeholders.

We aim to integrate aspects of sustainability into our teaching and research in a considered and effective fashion.

We aim to improve resource efficiency and avoid waste wherever possible.

We aim to promote the use of eco-friendly means of transport and optimise traffic flows.

In line with its commitment to ISO 14001, IMC Krems has implemented various processes. On a formal level, these include regular reporting on the implementation of the environmental programme and the regular evaluation and update of environmental aspects. Other existing processes, such as those for procurement or for the onboarding of new employees, have been supplemented with topics and aspects of sustainability and environmental management.

TEAM

Since the 2016/2017 financial year, the environmental and sustainability area has been structured as shown in the following diagram. This structure has created clearer task areas and responsibilities, which are intended to ensure that the topics are communicated to all departments and divisions. Responsibility for the internal implementation of measures lies with the Sustainability Coordinator. The entire team is responsible for queries and concerns.

Core Group Strategy

“Social and environmental responsibility”

Management team and Sustainability Coordination

Team “Environment and Sustainability”

Quality Management, Facility Services, Life Science Department, Research and Teaching, Human Resources, Sustainability Coordination

Extended Team

“Environment and Sustainability”

Nominated representatives from the departments, Representative of the Student Union (ÖH), Sustainability Coordination

Dialogue and discourse

The exchange with and reflection on societal impacts with stakeholders is of great importance to IMC Krems. The goal is to continuously develop the university as a learning organisation, and not only to react to societal challenges, but to address them actively and with foresight.

The strategy of IMC Krems stipulates that stakeholders are continuously involved in the further development of the university of applied sciences. The concrete goals of the stakeholder analysis are (1) to update and prioritise the integration measures as well as to evaluate whether the relevant stakeholder groups are integrated in a targeted manner and the legal requirements are met, and (2) to derive concrete activity suggestions for measures based on the results of the survey. For this purpose, a process has been implemented to systematically involve the identified groups in quality development and improvement: the survey starts with a reflection of the previous survey. Subsequently, if necessary, the survey methodology and the project plan are adapted and (semi-structured) interviews are conducted with persons who are positioned at interfaces with stakeholders. The evaluation of the survey results aims

INTERNAL

• Employees

• Students

• Shareholders, the university’s owners

• and the limited liability company

at adjusting the stakeholder grouping, updating the existing implementation measures, a comparison with the current regulations of IMC Krems and the current legal requirements, and clustering the suggestions for improvement. Finally, proposals for operational measures are derived.

The identification of interested parties, the survey of stakeholder requirements as well as the measures to fulfil and monitor these requirements are also requirements of ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015. The standard calls for identifying, monitoring and reviewing information on the internal and external issues relevant to the strategic orientation of the institution and its quality and environmental management system. The majority of external issues are also covered in risk management.

EXTERNAL

• Alumni

• Funding providers

• Part-time lecturers

• Interest groups

• Ministries

• Internship providers

• Applicants for degree programmes and courses

• Job applicants

• Media

• Legislative and regulatory bodies

• Accreditation institutions

• Partner universities

• Research partners

• B2B customers (research customers)

In the reporting period, individual stakeholder groups were also surveyed separately on the university’s social responsibility: employees were also asked about sustainability issues in the corresponding survey in 2021 (see page 8) and students in the form of the Positive Impact Rating in 2021 (see page 27). The results were incorporated into the strategy and the programme as well as into the revision of the key topics in this report.

Analysis of framework conditions

• Analysis of current situation (incl. demographic development, competitors, research funding landscape, public planning documents)

• Stakeholder analysis

• Megatrends

• Results of student survey (Universum Talent Research 2020; external)

Image analysis (external)

In 2021 and 2022, an extended process took place at the university to develop the new university strategy, which will be effective as of 1 September 2023. Within this framework, both quantitative and qualitative consultation with stakeholders took place. Sustainability issues were explicitly bundled in a separate goal and implicitly addressed in the other strategic goals.

Input from stakeholders

Input Stakeholder

• Interviews in the institutes (partner, teachers, alumni)

7 workshops with approx. 70 employees

• Workshop with the faculty

• Virtual padlets for all students and employees

• Survey of the regional population (course project)

INTERNATIONAL. INNOVATIVE. IMC KREMS.

• Mission statement:

- Vision - Mission - Values

• Strategic guidelines

• Strategic goals

• Research priorities

• Operational goals and future topics

Further information on individual stakeholder groups at IMC Krems and their involvement can be found in the chapter on management and organisation (see page 16)

and in the chapter on employees and the environment (see page 34).

Impact and focus

For preparing the sustainability report, the materiality analysis of the previous report was used as a basis for the identification of the university’s relevant sustainability topics. The data basis for all assessments and evaluations is provided by internal processes and analyses (“inside-out”) on the one hand and by the regular exchange with stakeholders in various formats (“outside-in”) on the other.

• Sustainability context of the organisation

Environment and risk assessment

• Core business and value chain

• Dialogue and feedback format with stakeholders

• Observation of global trends

Takes place on an ongoing basis and in all departments to varying degrees of depth, coordination in the extended “Environment and Sustainability” team

• Prioritisation of the topic collection

Inclusion in the environmental and sustainability programme or forwarding to the relevant departments

Derivation of measures for implementation

Takes place in the “Environment and Sustainability” core team

• Inclusion of relevant topics in the strategy

Selection of key topics for regular reporting

In the materiality analysis process for the 2020 Sustainability Report, 18 topics were identified. To ensure continuity and comparability between reports, the Environment and Sustainability team evaluated and thematically refined them in 2022 but did not fundamentally change them. For this report, a spider diagram was chosen to illustrate the topics and the different weightings and assessments. For this purpose, the social and

environmental impacts of the topics were evaluated by the university’s Environment and Sustainability team. The annual assessment of the environmental aspects by ISO 14001 was also incorporated here. The assessment by stakeholders was carried out as part of a survey in 2019. These assessments were supplemented by qualitative and quantitative feedback as part of the 2022 strategy process and the 2021 Positive Impact Rating.

The above illustration shows the social and environmental impacts and, in parallel, the stakeholders’ assessment of the importance of the topic. On the one hand, this overview was the basis for updating the previous material topics and, on the other hand, for adding the material topic of buildings, infrastructure and procurement.

HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION

(SEE PAGE 25)

In line with its high-quality standards, IMC Krems aims to meet and surpass the expectations of its stakeholders, and especially those of our students. IMC Krems’s high-quality degree programmes give students the best possible preparation for their future careers. This topic relates to the university’s core operations and therefore exerts a considerable impact.

SUSTAINABILITY IN TEACHING

(SEE PAGE 29)

Knowledge of sustainable development is necessary in all sectors of the economy in order to bring about fundamental change. This means it is essential that basic knowledge of sustainability is embedded in all

degree programmes. Specific degree programmes can also teach in-depth knowledge and skills connected with sustainability. By firmly anchoring sustainability in its teaching, the university is making a significant contribution to raising awareness of and providing knowledge required for sustainable development.

HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH

(SEE PAGE 30)

As a research institution, IMC Krems has a significant, long-term impact on society by generating academic findings. When it comes to research, quality is our number-one priority. Efficiency of research processes also plays an important role here, with a view to minimising the impact of travel and the use of financial resources, equipment and materials.

RESEARCH ON SUSTAINABILITY

(SEE PAGE 30)

Sustainable development calls for new ideas, academic insights and open discourse. Thanks to its research focuses in the field of sustainable development, IMC Krems can help to drive progress on all three of these fronts and contribute to sustainable development.

FINANCIAL STABILITY

(SEE PAGE 17)

As an educational institution, IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems is focused on long-term, sustainable success. Financial stability provides the foundation for our commercial activities.

WORKING CONDITIONS

(SEE PAGE 35)

A variety of operational factors influence levels of employee satisfaction at IMC Krems. Aspects such as training and development, a good work-life balance and flexible working time models play an important role in this respect. This topic relates to employees and teaching staff at IMC Krems.

DIVERSITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

(SEE PAGE 38)

Equal opportunities and a diverse learning and working environment are part of IMC Krems’s selfimage. To this end, framework conditions are created to ensure for employees, teachers and students that no one is discriminated. This applies in particular to the

dimensions of gender, age, sexual orientation, social and ethnic origin, religion and ideology, disability and (chronic) illness.

BUILDINGS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROCUREMENT (SEE

PAGE 44)

Considering sustainability criteria in the planning and implementation of buildings and infrastructure creates benefits such as reduced energy consumption, pollutant-free indoor air or reduced soil consumption. Environmental and social criteria are also included in the decision-making process for procurement.

MOBILITY

(SEE PAGE 41)

Travel to and from the university by students, employees and teaching staff has environmental impacts in the form of emissions, noise and land use. Providing infrastructure that enables reductions in travel, and transitioning to greener alternatives reduces these negative impacts. This aspect is especially relevant in connection with the courses taught by the university.

Management and organisation

Finances and future

IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems is an educational institution focused on long-term, sustainable success. Financial stability provides the foundations for the university’s activities and has direct impacts on the organisational set-up.

The university conducts its business in accordance with applicable law and regulations, and attaches great importance to fairness, commitment, mutual trust, a sense of responsibility, embracing diversity and supporting personal advancement. This is laid down both in the statutes and in the equality plan. In addition, the university of applied sciences has the hochschuleundfamilie audit, bears the equalitA seal of approval, and signed the Diversity Charter back in 2013.

Integrity, honesty and honouring internal and external agreements also underpin our activities. There were no violations of laws or regulations in the reporting period.

Public-sector funding accounts for two-thirds of IMC Krems’s budget. Subsidies for each degree programme are assured by contracts with the federal government and the State of Lower Austria. Tuition fees paid by students make up approximately 7% of total revenue. The proportion contributed by project revenue including research and development income is around 22%.

In the 2020/21 financial year, investments were made primarily in the research Institute Krems Bioanalytics

(IKB), but also in IT equipment including IT and software, such as notebooks for employees. The ongoing pandemic made it necessary to continue to drive digitalisation. For this reason, further investments were made in the Media Lab at IMC Krems, a service facility that supports teachers in all aspects of blended learning and creates digital teaching content.

Investments were also made in a new mass spectrometer for the establishment of a new innovative technology platform “clinical proteomics Krems” at IKB. Highresolution mass spectrometry is used to develop the latest proteomics technologies for biomedical research and patient-specific analysis in clinical studies.

ECONOMIC IMPACTS

In recent decades, knowledge transfer, knowledge production and knowledge use have gained significance for society and the economy, for example for competitiveness and consequently for the economic development of a national economy, for employment opportunities, and for solving current problems such as climate change and resource scarcity.

In 2021, the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO)1 presented a study dealing with the macroeconomic and regional economic dimension of the system of “universities and research institutions in Lower Austria”. The immediate effects are related to the demand side of the (regional) economy. WIFO calculates that in addition to the nearly 7,000 employees (about 3,300 at universities and 3,500 at research institutions) working at Lower Austria’s universities and research institutions, another 2,000 employees are indirectly utilised, with this effect extending beyond the borders of Lower Austria. The income effects of the 9,000 direct and indirect employees, but also the investments of the universities and research institutions are relevant here, resulting in a total of 13,000 full-time equivalents associated with the research enterprises. In addition, the expenditure of students at their place of study must be taken into account, whereby WIFO assumes average monthly expenditures of EUR 1,000 per student. The sum of the direct effects is considerable: about 2% of the Lower Austrian workforce is directly or indirectly employed by the universities and research institutions of the province.

The indirect effects relate to the supply side: welleducated workforces (and their associated higher

work income), which in turn increases regional competitiveness, as do patents and innovations. WIFO estimates the effect of Lower Austria’s universities in the context of the location region’s work productivity at around EUR 1,800 per employed person per year. In terms of overall employment, this means that university employees generate an induced productivity gain of half a billion euros for the gross regional product.

With more than 3,000 students, 300 full-time employees and 720 part-time lecturers, IMC Krems makes a significant contribution to regional economic growth. In the last Sustainability Report (2020), an input-output model was used to calculate that each euro spent generates an additional EUR 2.31 for Lower Austria through direct, indirect and induced effects. Since the parameters have not changed significantly in the last two years, this calculation was also adopted for this sustainability report.

STUDENT NUMBERS

A forward-looking curriculum and stable student numbers are the cornerstones of the university’s sustainable, long-term success.

Ethics and compliance

As an educational institution, IMC Krems is focused on long-term and sustainable success. Financial stability provides the foundation for operations and, in particular, has a direct impact on the organisation itself.

All curricula of the business master programmes include ethics lectures such as “Governance und Ethik” (governance and ethics), “Ethik und CSR” (ethics and CSR), “Umwelt- und Wirtschaftsethik” (environmental and business ethics) or “International Business und CSR” as well as “HR and corporate volunteering”. Many bachelor programmes also include ethics lectures, and others have taken up the topic in the lecture “Ethics, Sustainability & Leadership” since the winter semester 2018/19, when the concept of Business Base Courses was implemented.

Aspects of sustainability and social commitment are also taken into account in the university’s research projects, as they represent a strategic focus and are

explicitly required in most calls for proposals from government funding organisations. The research results are in turn incorporated into numerous courses in the bachelor and master degree programmes. This also encourages the university’s students to address the issue of sustainability as part of their theses.

The Transnational Programmes (TPP) follow the idea of providing high-quality education to student groups who cannot afford to study abroad. Thus, the TPP programmes are a core element of the university’s internal internationalisation strategy, but they also contribute to the improvement of the SDGs – especially SDG 4 and, due to the high proportion of female students, SDG 5 – in the partner countries.

Partnerships and memberships

At IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, people and shared success are at the heart of everything we do. The university’s organisational structure creates the necessary framework by promoting an open culture characterised by trust and mutual respect. In the interest of safeguarding sustainability, IMC Krems takes action to satisfy its stakeholders in all aspects of its educational, research and other activities.

MEMBERSHIPS

IMC Krems is an active member and assumes responsibility in numerous national and international associations. These partnerships are also of central importance in the context of sustainability, as they are a platform for cooperation, knowledge can be exchanged, and standards can be developed. In the area of sustainability, the following memberships of IMC Krems are of particular importance: the Bündnis Nachhaltige Hochschulen, the PRME and United Nations Global Compact initiatives and the Austrian Association of Universities of Applied Sciences.

In October 2021, the founding act of the Bündnis Nachhaltige Hochschulen was established with the

signing of the “Charter for the Bündnis Nachhaltige Hochschulen”. Twelve universities of applied sciences, including IMC Krems, joined efforts with the goal of working together on the topic of sustainability using a holistic approach and incorporating the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Through these coordinated efforts, global challenges can be better addressed. In addition, universities have a special responsibility as driving forces of innovation and places of knowledge to actively contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

AREA OF IMPACT EXAMPLES OF JOINT ACTIVITIES ON THE TOPIC OF SUSTAINABILITY

Teaching

· Implementation or new development of teaching and educational programmes

· Transfer of knowledge and competencies

· Digital platform for sustainability in teaching

Research

· Submission of research projects

· Use of research infrastructure

· Conferences and seminars

University management

Cooperations

· Sustainability assessment and reporting

· Publications

· Supervision of theses

· Awareness raising and measures for sustainable behaviour within the university

· Environmental management systems

· External appearance

· Strategic partnerships

· Presence in national and international university networks

· Third Mission: knowledge transfer and communication of research or study results

IMC Krems has been part of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) initiatives since 2013. PRME was founded in 2007 as a platform to promote sustainability at educational institutions around the world. Based on six principles, the PRME network ensures that business and management universities teach their students the skills they will need as future leaders to balance economic and sustainable goals. PRME now counts over 800 signatories worldwide, making it the largest organised relationship between the United Nations and management-related higher education institutions. IMC University of Applied

Sciences is in regular contact with European and international PRME members and is well connected in the chapter of German-speaking members. The UN Global Compact is a global pact founded in 2000; it is the world’s largest initiative for corporate responsibility and promotes dialogue between business, civil society and politics. By now, more than 12,000 business and 3,000 non-business organisations have joined the agreement and committed themselves to the Ten Principles in the contexts of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption. IMC Krems is also committed to these ten principles and actively shapes the activities and content of the network in Austria.

Principle 1: Purpose

We will develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy.

Principle 2: Values

We will incorporate into our academic activities, curricula, and organisational practices the values of global social responsibility as portrayed in international initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact.

Principle 3: Method

We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership.

Figure: The six PRME Principles

IMC Krems is a member of the Austrian Association of Universities of Applied Sciences. Since 2021, one CEO of IMC Krems is the president of this conference. The association is the mouthpiece of all Austrian universities of applied sciences and represents the interests of its members on a national and international level. The aim of the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences

Principle 4: Research

We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that advances our understanding about the role, dynamics, and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable social, environmental and economic value.

Principle 5: Partnership

We will interact with managers of business corporations to extend our knowledge of their challenges in meeting social and environmental responsibilities and to explore jointly effective approaches to meeting these challenges.

Principle 6: Dialogue

We will facilitate and support dialogue and debate with students, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organisations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and sustainability.

is to promote communication between the members, to improve the financial and legal framework, create uniform standards and transparency in the higher education sector, and carry out efficient public relations work for image building. The task of the Association is to develop and optimise strategies for the entire sector of universities of applied sciences.

Society and social engagement

Education is a central prerequisite for sustainable development. As a university of applied sciences, IMC Krems therefore has a central role in the context of a sustainable society. This is also in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims for inclusive, equal and high-quality education. The aim is to ensure opportunities for lifelong learning.

For years, IMC Krems has therefore pursued the goal of providing its students with competencies in sustainable development, training them to think and reflect critically and to take responsibility together. The objective is to develop the knowledge, skills, values and mindsets that young people need in order to face social, economic and ecological challenges on a national and global level.

However, the university of applied sciences does not limit itself to its regular students, but also pursues another socio-political mission: a “communicating science to public” approach, intended to make knowledge available to a broader public as well.

“JUNGE UNI” AT IMC KREMS

In 2006, IMC Krems launched Lower Austria’s first Children’s and Youth University “Junge Uni” (https:// jungeuni.fh-krems.ac.at). At the Youth University, children aged ten to 13 spend a week immersed in the world of science and research. All departments of IMC Krems contribute to the Youth University. In addition to our own lecturers, business partners are involved and offer courses during the Youth University week. Around 200 children take part every year.

IMC KREMS SENIORINNENUNI

The project “SeniorInnenUNI” is tailor-made for all retirees and those who want to further their education. The focus is on developing skills and knowledge required for participating in voluntary activities, for example in the social or health sector, with local authorities, neighbourhood organisations or associations and charities, for specific initiatives or for individually created projects. Every year, about 35 people participate in the SeniorInnenUNI.

LANGE NACH DER FORSCHUNG (LONG NIGHT OF RESEARCH)

Research at IMC Krems is presented to the public during the “Lange Nacht der Forschung”, the long night of research. The aim of Lange Nacht der Forschung is to present science and research in an innovative, understandable and entertaining way free of charge. With its growing programme, the event has met with increasing interest from all population and age groups since 2005.

Other society and social engagement activities include:

• »FIT4YOUniversity«, where young people can spend a week at IMC Krems.

• »Wissenschaft macht Schule« (schools fit for science) «, project, offering free workshops, webinars and excursions for school classes.

• »Teacher goes FH« as an offer for secondary school teachers to attend free advanced training courses at IMC Krems.

• »NÖ Forschungsfest (Lower Austrian science festival)« at Palais Niederösterreich in Vienna.

• Various school partnerships and

• »Science Academy«. Together with the province of Lower Austria, IMC Krems offers a biotechnology course for young people aged 14 and older.

Teaching and research

Teaching and quality

We aim to provide excellent teaching that gives students the ideal tools required for professional success and helping to overcome the challenges faced by society. The aim is to equip students for the roles they will take on in their careers and in society by providing exceptionally well-designed degree programmes with a strong practical focus and curriculums geared towards future requirements.

Teaching quality is regularly assessed using internal standards and processes. These consider course contents as well as contemporary teaching formats. The university’s strategic commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is also reflected in course contents in the shape of learning objectives.

The mission of the university is to develop and implement innovative and sustainable solutions as well as educational programmes with regional, national and global benefits. Thus, the topic of sustainability is also firmly anchored in the educational context.

In the academic year 2020/2021, work focused on the modularisation and harmonisation of curricula as well as on measures to deepen scientific competence. In order to ensure that the study programmes at IMC Krems meet the needs of the market and the acceptance of students, the curricula are regularly evaluated in accordance with the implemented process and updated or revised as necessary. Feedback from students, teaching and research staff as well as programme directors are elementary parts of this process. In this way, the essential parts of the PDCA cycle can be ensured.

The commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals can also be found in the curricula contents. One

of the learning goals is to learn to assess opportunities and challenges of sustainable action and thus build know-how in the fields of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). As a result, students become well-qualified, critical professionals who can identify new and sustainable approaches in a solutionoriented manner.

IMC Krems put a university-wide certified quality management system (according to ISO 9001:ff) in place in 1997, which has since been systematically developed and expanded in line with the development and constant growth of the university (ISO 9001:ff, ISO 14001:ff, ISO 29990:ff).

A central element of the quality management system is the process map. It shows the connection between the framework conditions such as the mission statement, strategic guidelines, goals, business processes and results, making it possible to track key figures and manage process goals. As a result, individual service areas and their quality-assuring processes can be linked into an overall system. The process map covers all areas of the university (teaching, research, continuing education and university services) and is anchored in the institution’s strategy.

NEW FORMAT OF COURSE EVALUATION

A new format for course evaluations was implemented in the winter semester 2020/2021. With this streamlined format, the evaluation can now be carried out via the intranet (eDesktop) or mobile devices. While the response rate declined in the two semesters during the COVID pandemic, it increased noticeably in the two semesters thereafter. Apart from that, the questions to the students were also revised, ensuring uniform documentation. Another new feature is a sentiment analysis, an analysis used in the field of text mining that evaluates attitudes and moods behind a text. This analysis provides an interesting comparison to the evaluation by means of smileys and comments and allows designing measures at the level of individual courses and following them up regularly in a PDCA cycle.

In order to continuously enhance the quality of the courses, it is now also possible for teachers and programme directors to comment on student evaluations in order to use this as a basis for the regular feedback discussions between programme directors and the Academic Board and, if necessary, to derive measures from the evaluations.

ANNUAL PROGRAMME REPORT

During the reporting period, the annual programme report was digitised and linked to the university’s internal figures. This digitisation allows programme directors to comment on the key figures in a template. This simplifies reporting for the programme directors, as all relevant key figures are made available centrally.

The relevant key figures are:

Number of applications

Study indicators:

- Number of students

- Quota of course evaluations

- Proportion of international lecturers among teaching staff

- Proportion of digital teaching units

· Performance assessment:

- Number of performance assessments

- Number of weeks with performance assessments

- Failure rate at first entry

- Average waiting time in days until grade

Key figures at graduation:

- Drop-out rate

- Graduation rate in standard period of study

- Recommendation rate from the end-of-study evaluation

- Number of graduates

- Number of theses

- Mobility rate

The new annual programme report is intended to summarise each degree programme. Together with the results of the first feedback meeting on the course evaluations, the figures and data will then be critically analysed and reflected upon together with the Academic Board; if necessary, essential measures will be derived. The results of the annual programme reports are included in the Academic Board’s Annual Report, then presented to the faculty in a meeting, discussed and subsequently published. This ensures the quality of teaching and research as well as the evaluation of the entire teaching process including examination regulations and curricula.

Ratings and rankings

Rankings can be valuable indicators for higher education institutions. They can help to maintain and improve the position and reputation of an institution if it is well placed. This in turn improves the chances of being shortlisted by prospective students and future employees. Rankings can also be used as a management tool to bring about strategic and academic changes and thus ensure the quality of teaching and research. Finally, rankings can also initiate national and international partnerships and collaborations.

TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION (THE) IMPACT RANKINGS (2021/22)

Every year, IMC Krems participates in various ratings and rankings, among them the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking. The THE Impact Rankings are the most comprehensive and diverse sustainability ranking for universities worldwide and are conducted by the British Times Higher Education magazine. They use defined indicators to assess how universities contribute to society in addition to research and teaching, how they transfer knowledge and technology, and how they live up to their role model function for good working conditions, compliance with equality and diversity standards, and ecologically oriented action. The THE Impact Rankings evaluate universities against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). IMC Krems participated in this assessment with four SDGs: Gender Equality (SDG 5), Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). IMC Krems is the only Austrian university of applied sciences listed among the best institutions worldwide. The research income from industry and commerce and the high proportion of female graduates were

rated particularly well. IMC Krems was even ranked in the range of the 200 to 300 best universities for responsible consumption and production in research, operational measures, proportion of recycled waste and publication of a sustainability report.

POSITIVE IMPACT RATING (2020/2021)

The Positive Impact Rating is based on an assessment by business school students who evaluate their own university. The ranking was developed by experts from business schools together with nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) such as WWF, Oxfam, the UN Global Compact and international student associations. The data collection is organised by students’ unions, which distribute a survey in their own universities via an online dashboard access. The Positive Impact Rating includes 20 questions in three domains (Energising – Governance and Culture; Education – Programmes, Learning Methods, and Student Support; Commitment – Institution as Role Model and Public Engagement) and seven dimensions regarding the positive impact of the university. In each of the dimensions, there are questions that assess how

students perceive the current state of their university to make a positive impact. In three additional openended questions students answer what they would like their university to do, not to do, or continue to do to support their commitment to management education that has a positive impact on the world.

The universities are then rated in five levels, with 5 being the highest and 1 the lowest. IMC Krems was rated at level 4. These are so-called transforming schools, which are universities with a positive impact culture, embedded in leadership and systems, with visible results and progress in many impact dimensions.

Teaching and responsibility

Due to the important role of the university’s social responsibility, the topic of sustainability has naturally also been anchored in the core tasks of teaching and research. The topic of shaping a future worth living is discussed with the students and has been integrated into the curricula and lectures.

A core element is the alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a policy framework. In the context of teaching, a central goal of IMC Krems is to teach students about the opportunities and challenges of sustainable action and thus build know-how in the field of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The goal in research is to promote innovations related to sustainable solutions. The research results will be shared with companies and society, thus creating additional added value and highlighting new approaches to solutions.

INTRODUCTORY WORKSHOP SDGS IN THE “PHYSIOTHERAPIE” DEGREE PROGRAMME

In 2020, the SDGs were included in the course “Physiotherapie im Gesundheitswesen” (physiotherapy in health care) of the “Physiotherapie” (physiotherapy) degree programme as part of the curricular revision. As a basis, a study is used in which the 17 SDGs are qualitatively examined with nine experts in physiotherapy, and three objectives are identified as highly relevant topic areas which physiotherapy can potentially influence: Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), and Gender Equality (SDG 5).

In the further course of the lecture, the following questions will be discussed: Which role does physical therapy play in the respective SDGs? Which positive influence (prospective) can physical therapists have to achieve the goals? And what can physical therapists (as movement experts) expect if these SDGs are not sufficiently achieved?

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE DEGREE PROGRAMME „GESUNDHEITS- UND KRANKENPFLEGE“

In the degree programme “Gesundheits- und Krankenpflege” (general nursing), the courses “Public

Health” and “Gesundheit und Prävention” (health and prevention) are already taught in the first semester. The question why and to what extent health is (also) a public issue is jointly explored in the lectures. The individual SDGs and the specific health goals of Austria are also presented.

The exam performance is conducted as a World Café, where small student groups prepare for individual SDGs or health goals by researching how the goals are defined, what facts underlie the goals and what measures have been implemented to date. Afterwards, the question of what contribution future graduates will make to the health goals and SDGs presented and how they can take responsibility is discussed.

SUSTAINABILITY IN TEACHING AT THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM, WINE BUSINESS AND MARKETING

The SDGs are strongly embedded in the curriculum of the Institute of Tourism, Wine Business and Marketing (ITWM) at both bachelor and master level. For example, the master’s course “Global Tourism Perspectives” covers a range of SDG-related topics, such as trends in sustainable tourism, poverty tourism, human rights issues, and human dignity (SDGs 1 and 10). Students develop ways for tourism to contribute to social justice including volunteer tourism, philanthropy, and social entrepreneurship. Here, students specifically learn how to contribute to SDGs 1, 8, 10, and 16. In the bachelor programme Tourism and Leisure Management, students also draw on the SDG framework, for example in “Destination Management”, to assess the sustainable development of selected destinations and identify solutions for the future.

Research and innovation

Research gives rise to innovations and creates value for people, society and the economy. And this is why research and development are among IMC Krems’s core activities. Research-led teaching, applications-driven research and ground-breaking expertise benefit not only the economy but also society as a whole.

The university’s research is geared towards developing solutions with strong academic foundations for businesses and organisations. The diverse nature of our research projects ensures interdisciplinary research activities covering a wide range of topics. These projects and the findings generated deliver economic, medical, pharmaceutical, technological and social benefits. The

varied research focuses and projects of the departments of Business, Health and Life Sciences contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. In order to highlight these contributions more clearly, we are currently working on a methodology designed to provide a structured, transparent evaluation of how research contributes to achieving the SDGs.

SELECTED RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATED TO SUSTAINABILITY

Climate change and its implications for tourism attractions in Lower Austria

Cultural and natural attractions are at the heart of the Lower Austrian tourism offer. However, climate change has an impact on their appeal and offered experiences.

Therefore, the project “ClimATT II” will deal with the following questions: In which way has climate change an impact on tourism attractions in Lower Austria? What are the challenges and opportunities for different regions and what are the economic consequences? What are possible measures to mitigate consequences of climate change? How have needs and desires of visitors changed due to climate change and what are the requirements for the tourism industry?

In two major studies both supply and demand side will be investigated. The aim of the project is not only to get an in-depth understanding of the impact of climate change on tourism attractions in Lower Austria but also to examine possibilities as to how tourism offers can be

adapted in order to stay attractive and competitive in the future.

The project “ClimATT II” is conducted by IMC University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with BOKU University in Vienna until the end of 2023 and is funded by the FTIfund for “Environment, climate and resources” from the Federal Government of Lower Austria.

Project manager: Prof. Mag. Claudia Bauer-Krösbacher, PhD

Duration:

2022 – 2023

Funding provider:

State government of Lower Austria

Together with the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), the Bioprocess Engineering research group aims to develop an innovative method for making various microorganisms resistant to high metal concentrations.

One of the main difficulties associated with developing metal recycling technologies is that the metals which are supposed to be reclaimed are toxic for microorganisms above a certain level of concentration, which places limits on potential methods based on this idea.

In order to solve this problem, the joint research project aims to deploy a newly developed system that makes microorganisms used for recycling more resistant against high concentrations of metal ions. The application takes its cue from a method devised by IST Austria in which microorganisms are gradually exposed to increasing concentrations of particular metals using a multifermenter system. This allows for the cultivation of strains that have not been genetically modified but undergo a kind of accelerated evolution. Strains like

these would be exceptionally well suited for use in recycling and sustainable technologies.

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Project manager: Prof. Dominik Schild

Duration: 2022 – 2025

Funding provider: State government of Lower Austria

Long-term care: implications for sustainable careers

The existing and projected shortage of skilled workers in long-term care is threatening to worsen as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and the associated higher turnover of caregivers. This project contributes to the creation of sustainable careers in long-term care, benefiting caregivers and care recipients alike.

In the course of a transdisciplinary mixed-methods research design, problem areas are identified and starting points for sustainable careers in long-term care are shown. For this purpose, caregivers, retired caregivers and their company representatives are actively involved in the research process so that a deep understanding of problems from the perspective of those affected is generated. Based on this, solutions will be developed.

A quantitative questionnaire survey on the main topics of health, satisfaction and productivity completes the results of the project.

Project manager: Prof. Manfred Pferzinger

Duration: 2021 – 2023

Funding provider: Chamber of Labour Lower Austria

CAST Mozambique – Capacity Building in Sustainable Rural Tourism in Mozambique

The project titled “Capacity Building in Sustainable Rural Tourism in Mozambique” (CAST Mozambique) aims to build capacity in higher education in Mozambique for sustainable rural tourism development. Tourism in Mozambique is heavily dominated by foreign investment, so there is a great need for a sustainable and community-oriented tourism curriculum. The project contributes directly to SDG 4 by building capacity and training staff and students, to SDG 5 by including and empowering women entrepreneurs and academics in particular, and to SDG 10 by including marginalised players who are often excluded in tourism (e.g., women and rural residents), thereby also contributing

to livelihood diversification and the creation of greater opportunities in rural Mozambique.

Project manager: Claudia Dolezal

Duration:

2022 – 2027

Funding provider: ÖAD/ADA (APPEAR track)

SUSTAINABILITY DAY OF THE BÜNDNIS NACHHALTIGE HOCHSCHULEN

On the occasion of International Earth Day on 22 April 2022, the Bündnis Nachhaltige Hochschulen organised an online conference open to the public, with 13 different sessions around topics such as biodiversity, nature conservation, sustainable consumption, energy supply and circular economy. A staff member of IMC

Krems gave the presentation “How do we live more sustainably? Cooperation and solidarity for sustainable consumption” and provided insights into her current research project. The Sustainability Coordinator of IMC Krems was involved in the planning and organisation as a board member of the alliance.

Internationality and partner universities

IMC Krems strives to support its students in gaining experience abroad, thus enriching their academic education. Therefore, the university of applied sciences also strives to attract international teachers and students to the Krems location. This is possible because almost half of all degree programmes are taught in English.

HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION IN THE TPP PROGRAMMES

With the transnational study and teaching programmes (TPP), IMC Krems offers programmes that are taught at international partner universities and enable students to graduate with a degree according to Austrian standards.

The transnational study programmes, each of which offers the Austrian-accredited curriculum at locations such as Baku, Tashkent, Sanya, Hanoi or Kyiv, are thus an alternative to expensive studies abroad for students from partner countries. Through high-quality education, graduates are expected to find themselves in influential professions and positions, having a positive impact on the development of their home economies and societies. The necessary critical thinking skills are a mindset that students are given along the way.

GREEN ERASMUS: GREEN TRAVEL TOP-UP

In the Erasmus+ programme, the environment and combating climate change are priorities. As mobility is a core element of Erasmus+, CO2 neutrality should be aimed for by promoting sustainable means of transport and environmentally conscious behaviour. Therefore, Erasmus+ students at IMC Krems who use environmentally friendly means of transport to travel to and from their stays abroad are supported with EUR 50 (so-called Green Level Top-Up). This Green Travel Top-Up is also available for staff mobilities. Here, the travel allowance increases, and additional travel days can be funded if needed.

At IMC Krems, six of 57 students took advantage of the Green Travel Top-Up in the winter semester 2022/23. They travelled, for example, to Paris by night train, to Prague

by bus, or to Germany via carpooling. For internships abroad, 27 out of 79 students took advantage of the Green Travel Top-Up, which is more than one third of all interns abroad.

INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY IN THE ERASMUS PROGRAMME

Inclusion and diversity are among the priorities in the Erasmus programme period 2021-27. In fact, measures will be developed to benefit participants who have health problems for example, or who face economic obstacles, obstacles related to discrimination or obstacles due to geographical locations. In addition, the so-called Fewer Opportunity Top-Up supports persons with disabilities, chronic illnesses, incoming students from Ukraine and students with children with an additional monthly contribution.

Through the Erasmus programme, IMC Krems has the opportunity to help socio-economically weaker students spend a semester abroad in Krems. Emphasis is placed on ensuring that scholarships are divided equally between women and men.

IMC SUMMER SCHOOL

In July 2022, the first International Business Innovation Summer School took place at Campus Krems with 15 students from partner universities in Canada, Kazakhstan and Vietnam. The students had the opportunity to expand their knowledge and acquire new skills in the fields of Emotional Competence, Extreme Innovations & Company Building, Customer Experience Design, Green Economics, Cross-cultural Collaboration, Digital Business Models and Design Thinking.

Employees and the environment

Employees and training

A variety of operational factors influence levels of employee satisfaction at IMC Krems. In addition to fair pay and fringe benefits, aspects such as a good work-life balance and flexible working arrangements play an important role.

This chapter looks at the topic of training and education as a core element of a healthy working environment. As a rapidly growing, successful company, IMC Krems is an attractive employer nationwide that supports its employees in both their professional and personal development. In the Krems region, the university of applied sciences is a regional economic factor and a responsible partner. Every effort is made to support and

promote the personal and professional development of the IMC team. The relaxed, friendly campus culture at IMC Krems is based on respect for the people who study and work at the university. Flat hierarchies, streamlined decision-making channels, flexible working arrangements and a strong service ethos foster team spirit and job satisfaction.

GRI 2-30 (2021), GRI 3-3 (2021), GRI 401-1 (2016), GRI 401-3 (2016)

Table: New employees at IMC Krems. The percentage values refer to the total number of employees in the respective academic year.

IMC Krems is not subject to any collective bargaining agreement and did not employ any employees under collective bargaining agreements in the fiscal years 2020/21 and 2021/22.

FAMILY MATTERS

As a women- and family-friendly university, IMC Krems was awarded the equalitA seal of approval in May 2021. In autumn 2021, the university of applied sciences was also certified in the audit hochschuleundfamilie. Particularly in the academic field, it is a special challenge to optimally combine professional opportunities and family needs. IMC Krems therefore assumes a key function as an employer and educational institution in offering its employees and students a familyfriendly working and learning environment. Within the framework of this certification, concrete measures to

implement a better compatibility of family and work or study were jointly developed in a participatory process with employees and students from all areas of IMC Krems. This participatory process will also be maintained in future recertifications.

The “Family Matters” initiative has been in place for several years and pursues the goal of making it easier for employees and students to reconcile work, studies and (family) everyday life. At IMC Krems, the term everyday (family) life does not exclusively refer to the

care of children, but also includes the care of relatives and the general compatibility with family and private commitments as well as support in challenging phases of life.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

The corporate culture of IMC Krems promotes training and education in teaching, research and university services. The personal and professional development of the entire IMC team is a top priority, also because the development and advancement of competences is necessary to be able to offer high-quality services. Training and education are within the direct influence of IMC Krems and its effects impact the core processes of the organisation. The central starting point for agreeing on individual development measures is the annual staff appraisal. Based on these discussions, an annual training and further education plan is drawn up within the framework of the budgeting process for internal and external further education measures. The focal points of further education are defined by the University Management, adapted to the strategic goals and entrepreneurial core competences of IMC Krems and covered as internal institutional training.

In this context, permanent training and education is regarded as an important component for the entire human resources development. The internal training

programme “MehrWERT” (“added value”), which takes place twice a year, gives the entire IMC team and the adjunct faculty access to goal-, competenceand demand-oriented training measures, thus enabling professional and personal development. The programme focuses on the following areas:

Digitalisation

Research methods

Leadership development

Innovation

Internationalisation

IT skills

Teaching and teaching methods

Office management skills

Personal skills

Languages

The extensive internal training and education programme is complemented by highly individualised external specialised training courses and training by the Association of Universities of Applied Sciences that cover a range of specific professional focuses. An additional focus on language competence has been set with measures and offers in staff and teaching mobility, individual coaching, IELTS tests (International English Language Testing System) and the eTandem Language Programme. All training initiatives are offered both virtually and in person and are available to the IMC team free of charge.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Healthy, skilled, motivated and productive employees are paramount for IMC Krems as it addresses and responds to current and future challenges. The annual “Element Health” programme is designed to provide employees with individual and personal support for their physical and mental health. “Element Health” offers employees the possibility to put together their own personal programme from various modules and is therefore flexible and tailored to their wishes and needs. They can choose physical activities on site, in a studio or in nature, individual nutritional advice, relaxing massages or Qi Gong. The programme also

includes offers to strengthen their own resilience and mental fitness, as well as the possibility of taking advantage of psychological online counselling, which is offered in cooperation with Instahelp, in order to offer quick and uncomplicated individual help in acute crisis situations. The three pillars of exercise, nutrition and psyche are always included in the current programme. Joint activities of the IMC team, such as the wine experience hiking day or the “Tut gut! Health Street”, complement the individually customisable “Element Health” programme. The entire “Element Health” programme is available to employees free of charge.

Diversity and equal opportunities

IMC Krems takes responsibility for creating the necessary framework conditions for a place of work and study where discrimination, role stereotypes, gender stereotypes and disadvantages of any kind have no place and where gender and diversity are taken for granted as integrative research and teaching content. Everyone at IMC Krems should be able to learn, teach, research and work on an equal footing, without fear of discrimination, sexism or racism.

GENDER & DIVERSITY ADVISORY BOARD AT IMC KREMS

As early as in 2019, IMC Krems set up its Gender & Diversity Advisory Board. It is one of the most important bodies for gender equality issues and currently consists of nine core members: the Head of the University Management, the Academic Head, the person responsible for gender and diversity, representatives of HR services, and other members of the academic staff and university services. If necessary, other experts are invited to the meetings. The goals of the Gender & Diversity Advisory Board are to support a productive overall atmosphere at the university of applied sciences, to recognise and prevent discrimination, to improve equal opportunities for all university members and to have an intersectional perspective. This makes it possible to check who exactly benefits from which measures and which implicit values and ideas of norms may be reproduced. Gender and diversity are therefore integrated as cross-cutting issues into all business areas and levels in Academia and University Services, among students as well as employees, in order to enable

participation for all members of the university of applied sciences. The Advisory Board has the task of designing measures, implementing them and evaluating their success.

NEW GENDER EQUALITY PLAN

In the academic year 2021/2022, a new, comprehensive Gender Equality Plan was developed, which also fulfils the requirements for Horizon Europe by both describing the starting position with regard to gender and diversity and setting out concrete resources and goals. Horizon Europe is the name of the 9th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation of the European Union, which runs from 2021 to 2027 and has a budget of around 95.5 billion euros. The existence of a gender equality plan that fulfils the above-mentioned requirements is a funding criterion. This adapted Gender Equality Plan was prepared, approved, and published on the website. In addition to an analysis of the status quo and the goals derived from it, the plan also addresses work-life balance, gender equality in personnel decisions, gender

and diversity in teaching and research, and genderrelated and sexualised violence. It was also stipulated that this plan should be updated or adapted once a year.

36 RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE ON BROADENING GENDER COMPETENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION PROCESSES

In order to achieve diverse equality goals in the higher education context, it is necessary to broaden the gender competence of higher education staff. To this end, the Austrian Higher Education Conference developed 36 recommendations in 2018. On behalf of the Ministry of Education, Science and Research, the Institute for Advanced Studies was commissioned to survey the status quo of the implementation of these recommendations at higher education institutions. IMC Krems naturally participated in this survey and the recommendations are also used as food for thought for further measures to achieve a gender- and diversityfriendly cultural change. A regular internal evaluation of the implementation of the 36 recommendations was therefore agreed.

GENDER AND DIVERSITY IN TEACHING AND RESEARCH

In teaching and research, gender and diversity topics are taken up in study and research operations by anchoring them in the IMC Krems statutes, the study and examination regulations and in the curricula. The topics of gender and diversity are also integrated in all internal working groups, for example for course development and the course review.

Examples of gender and diversity in teaching in the academic year 2021/2022 are the electives “Genderspezifische Gesundheitsförderung” (genderspecific health promotion) and “Behindertensport” (disabled sports) in the Physiotherapie (physiotherapy) bachelor programme, “Diversity Management” in various Business bachelor and master programmes, and “Diversity and Intercultural Competencies” and various courses on sustainability and ethics in all three departments (Business, Science and Technology, Health Science).

Students also repeatedly choose topics related to gender and diversity for their theses. Examples of gender and diversity training courses and workshops for staff, lecturers and research personnel that are offered on an ongoing basis are:

Cultural awareness training

Diversity competence – a general overview

Intercultural awareness – focus on Southeast Asia

Basics of gender and diversity at IMC Krems

IHS: “The Gender Dimension in Research and Innovation”

“Fundamentals of Gender & Diversity in Higher Education Teaching”

The importance of gender and diversity is also very much reflected in the choice of topics for students’ bachelor and master theses.

MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA

In order to bundle the gender equality content on the website and make it more visible, the hashtag #Diversity was introduced in the academic year 2021/2022. This makes it easy to access all contributions on gender and diversity on the website at the click of a button. In addition, the IMC logo has been modified in rainbow colours to help recognise thematically related contributions.

SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

At IMC Krems, students experiencing challenging life situations are supported to ensure they nevertheless get through their studies well. There are a variety of reasons, such as chronic illnesses, acute or permanent mental limitations and challenges, or even recent strokes of fate, which can make completing or continuing one’s studies a great burden or effort. In such cases, the relevant point of contact in the faculty can be consulted to discuss possible compensation in a confidential conversation. Nine compensations for disadvantage were issued in the academic year 2020/21, and ten in the academic year 2021/22. Compensations included an extension of the examination time for written examinations or an extension of the preparation time for oral examinations.

In the case of stress and strain situations that go beyond this framework, IMC Krems also offers free psychological student counselling in cooperation with the social service provider Hilfswerk. In the academic year 2020/2021, the following topics were discussed in psychological student counselling in particular: learning and exam stress (especially in the context of the more difficult framework conditions due to the COVID pandemic), loneliness and lack of contact. Based on this feedback, which is provided anonymously by Hilfswerk, existing support measures are reflected upon and, if necessary, adapted or redesigned.

SPORT AND SOCIAL FUND SUPPORTING STUDENTS

For several years, IMC Krems has made a financial amount available to the Student Union in order to promote the use of sports facilities. Since the COVID pandemic, the possibility of using the fund has been expanded to include social causes worthy of consideration. In the last academic year, 9,000 euros were provided to the Austrian Student Union (ÖH) of

IMC Krems, which are administered and awarded in the autonomous sphere of action of the Student Union.

DIVERSITY IN THE TEAM

The age and gender distribution of the IMC team is shown in the following diagram. The Supervisory Board of IMC Krems is composed of three male persons over 50 years of age. The members of the Supervisory Board are appointed according to ownership rights.

The environment and mobility

The climate crisis is already noticeable and affects all of us. As IMC Krems, we have therefore made it our goal to help develop and implement solutions and strategies for overcoming climate change. As a cross-cutting issue, climate and environmental topics are considered in all activities and strategically implemented through the university-wide commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

STUDENT-RELATED EMISSIONS

The data for the total emissions per student use the CO2 emission values, based on the GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Protocol, Scope 2 market-based, of the past three financial years. The calculation takes into account the largest buildings in terms of area with study facilities and lecture halls, i.e., the IMC Piaristengasse site and the buildings wing G and G.1 at the IMC Campus Krems.

Different assessments conducted by IMC Krems over the past years have shown that a large part of the students’ CO2 emissions can be attributed to their travel to and from the university. In order to quantify this, the emissions footprint of the student activities of an example student within the university environment of IMC Krems was calculated as part of a master thesis, which includes individual mobility and other Scope 3 emissions such as food on campus. The calculation was updated in accordance with the requirements of the GHG Protocol using the same assumptions of the initial calculation in the 2016/2017 financial year with the figures from the 2021/2022 financial year.

Overall, emissions in the 2021/2022 reporting year decreased by 8% from 1,969 to 1,817 kg CO2 per student and academic year compared to the 2016/2017 academic year. In detail, emissions for food at the Krems campus remained the same, university emissions were reduced through efficiency improvements in energy and heating, and those for student mobility decreased due to the increased use of virtual teaching.

PERSPECTIVES FOR THE SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY OF STUDENTS

In the summer semester of 2022, a student of the master programme Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement (environmental and sustainability management) wrote a thesis on the perspectives for sustainable mobility of students using the example of IMC Krems. In the thesis, the student addresses the fact that one third of Austria’s greenhouse gases originate from transport. Mobility management is thus a potential means of changing people’s behaviour and making it more sustainable. While relevant theories are presented in the first part of the thesis, the second part answers the question of how the mobility of students with regard to travelling to and from IMC Krems can be made more sustainable through concrete measures.

The results of the survey show that in the modal split 63.5% of students travel to the university by private motorised transport, 36.1% by public transport and 0.4% by non-motorised transport. Cars are the vehicle most frequently used by students, either as a driver or as a passenger. The reasons given by the students are time and cost savings. The master thesis concludes that measures to raise awareness and the establishment of an IMC Krems car-sharing exchange could reduce the share of motorised private transport and increase the share of public transport increased.

INPUT-OUTPUT-DARSTELLUNG

The university presents the main quantitative figures in the form of an input-output table, based on the EMAS (Eco Management and Audit Scheme) regulation. This depicts material flows at IMC Krems even more clearly.

PAPER CONSUMPTION

In recent years, activities have focused on raising awareness among teaching staff and students, with incentives put in place to help reduce paper consumption. Various administrative processes have been digitised, which – in combination with the pandemic – led to a steady decline in the amount of pages printed over the past financial year. The ongoing reduction of paper consumption was continued.

2019/2020

964,784 Printouts

2020/2021

1,005.605 Printouts

2021/2022

683,756 Printouts

Paper, water and energy consumption are currently shown. For this report, the three-year comparison is presented for the first time.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

Environmental aspects are evaluated annually in a multiphase, interdepartmental process. The evaluation is made according to “No intervention required” (green), “Medium priority environmental impact” (orange) and “High priority environmental impact” (red). Additional evaluation criteria for defining medium and high priority environmental impacts include amount (extent, incidence), danger (potential to damage the environment), legal requirements (existence and

requirements of environmental laws), as well as social relevance (opinion of stakeholder groups, consistency with status as a role model).

The scores presented in this report are aggregates for all teaching and research departments and institutes. Administrative service units, international activities, marketing, events and IT, as well as all buildings at the university’s various sites are also aggregated. The assessment refers to the 2021/2022 financial year.

 Green: No intervention required, but measures should be implemented in the interests of continuous improvement.

 Orange: Medium priority environmental impact – improvement measures required over the medium-term. Regular monitoring by specially trained staff or the environmental team is needed.

 Red: High priority environmental impact – urgent measures must be initiated without delay and the facility/process in question restructured. Measures must be added to the environmental programme, facilities must be regularly assessed in terms of the risk of faults and employees require special training.

Buildings and infrastructure

IMC Krems conducts its studies at three locations in Krems. In the operation of our buildings and infrastructure, we focus on efficiency and savings measures to keep our ecological footprint as low as possible.

The building at Piaristengasse 1, called IMC Piaristengasse, was rented from the Piaristenkollegium and has a total of 2,990 sqm of net space for the Englishlanguage degree programmes of the Department of Business. At IMC Gozzoburg, over 2,100 sqm is rented from the City of Krems. At IMC Campus Krems, a total of 14,178 sqm of net space is rented by IMC Krems in four different building complexes. The space consists of seminar and exercise rooms, laboratory space and IMC student lounges. At the TFZ Krems location, more than 800 sqm of laboratory and office space is available for the Research Institute for Applied Bioanalytics and Drug Development.

During the reporting period, the renovation and expansion of Campus West was completed. A breakthrough into existing premises created an additional 380 sqm for Health Labs and storage facilities. This created three additional rooms/health labs for the Physiotherapie (physiotherapy) degree programme.

GTOTAL EMISSIONS FROM ENERGY AND HEAT SUPPLY

The CO2 emission values shown in the figures, based on the GHG Protocol, Scope 2 market-based, for the past three financial years, result from the energy and heat supply for all buildings of IMC Krems. For technical reasons and for the sake of comparability, the largest buildings in terms of area are taken into account, i.e., the IMC Piaristengasse site and the buildings wing G and G1 on the IMC Campus Krems.

In the 2020/2021 business year, we resumed attendance operations after the corona-related absence of students. However, this resulted in a significant reduction in room capacity due to the distance regulations. The lower number of people in the room meant that the settings of the building’s technical systems had to be adjusted. Furthermore, the use of heat recovery was not possible for hygienic reasons. These factors led to additional consumption, which could not be prevented due to the pandemic and the regulations.

Towards the end of the reporting period, the energy crisis caused by the war in Europe with the corresponding price increases became a major issue for the university. Numerous energy-saving measures were prepared, and implementation started. A crisis team accompanied these measures, continuously evaluated them and initiated new ones.

PROJECT BIODIVERSITY –CREATING HABITATS AT CAMPUS KREMS

Due to the destruction of ecosystems, the climate crisis, global warming, high CO2 emissions and the

building up of land, several plant and animal species become extinct worldwide every day. In order to counteract this development, IMC Krems contributed to creating habitats in the outdoor areas of the Krems campus in the summer semester of 2022. Specifically, flowering and food plants (planting a hedge along the Alaunbach stream consisting of various native shrubs, planting herbs and labiates between the parking areas) were planted and nesting and overwintering opportunities for insects were created. Furthermore, additional trees were planted, which have a positive effect on the microclimate around the buildings with their shade.

GREEN MEETING LOCATION

The International Meeting Centre is located in the G1 wing of the IMC Krems campus and has been certified as a “Green Meeting Location” since 2016. With 568 sqm, the Centre offers one of the largest event halls in the centre of Krems, which is also available to organisations in the region. In 2021, the eco-label accreditation of the location, which can hold up to 540 people, was successfully renewed through a recertification audit.

About this report

This report provides details of relevant and material factors relating to the sustainable development of IMC Krems – University of Applied Sciences.

It refers to the 2021/2022 academic year and covers the period from 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022. The period for sustainability reporting thus corresponds to the financial year of IMC Krems.

Unless otherwise required, the university of applied sciences publishes a sustainability report every two years. Due to this two-year rhythm, information from the academic year 2020/2021 is also included in the report. However, this is specifically indicated.

The information contained in the report applies to IMC Krems – University of Applied Sciences. Unless otherwise stated, all data and indicators provided relate to the institution as a whole.

As far as possible, a comparison period of three years was used for the data and key figures in order to show

the development of the university. The management approaches for the core topics are outlined in the corresponding chapters of this report. The GRI content index for this report provides an overview of where the respective GRI disclosures are listed in this report. The sustainability report was subject to internal quality controls. However, external assurance was not sought for this report. Options regarding potential external assurance for subsequent reports will be evaluated.

There are no corrections or adjustments to information in the previous sustainability report. The information in this sustainability report has been approved by the management.

This report was prepared in accordance with the GRI standards. If you have any questions regarding sustainability at IMC Krems, please contact Prof. Roman H. Mesicek (roman.mesicek@fh-krems.ac.at).

The Sustainability Report was published on 23 February 2023.

GRI content index

Application statement

IMC Krems has reported the information specified in this GRI Index for the period 1 September 2020 – 31 August 2022 with reference to the GRI Standards.

GRI 1 used

GRI 1: Foundation 2021

Applicable GRI industry standard(s)

Relevant industry standard(s) not yet available OMISSIONS

Information not available

The procedures are currently being revised and formalised. Therefore, the information is not yet fully available.

The procedures are currently being revised and formalised. Therefore, the information is not yet fully available.

The procedures are currently being revised and formalised. Therefore, the information is not yet fully available.

This information is not available due to confidentiality agreements.

This information is not available due to confidentiality agreements.

The data is currently being collected. Therefore, the information is not yet fully available.

The procedures are currently being revised and formalised. Therefore, the information is not yet fully available.

High-quality

Sustainability

High-quality

Research on sustainability

The information on item a cannot be reported as there is no reporting requirement or similar to track the claim.

PRME index

SDG overview table

Editorial team:

Roman H. Mesicek, Victoria Englmaier (with support from the environment and sustainability team).

Coordination: Tina Weiss

Graphic realisation: Tina M. Zöchling

Content support: Vera Pichler (ellivo)

IMC Fachhochschule Krems

IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems

Piaristengasse 1 – Austria – 3500 Krems

E: roman.mesicek@fh-krems.ac.at

I: www.fh-krems.ac.at