FlyingLess

Sustainable business travel management at universities and research institutions

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Background

With the internationalisation of research, air travel by university staff has also increased - scientists are among the frequent flyers.

Aim

The aim of the FlyingLess project is to support universities and research organisations in reducing air travel, which causes a significant proportion of their total greenhouse gas emissions. In doing so, FlyingLess develops approaches to reduce air travel in the academic sector, which are implemented at different levels (research, teaching and administration).
The project is being carried out in close cooperation with four pilot institutions - EMBL (European Molecular Biology Laboratory) and MPI Astronomy in Heidelberg as non-university research institutions and the Universities of Konstanz and Potsdam.

Focus of the research

For a successful reduction of air travel, broad participation and support, both from the management level and from staff and students, is necessary. A monitoring system for recording flight emissions will be developed and made available to quantify emissions and their reduction. Stakeholders within the pilot organisations are involved through surveys and interviews, their needs and opinions are elicited and taken into account in the course of the project. In the project, the internal and external framework conditions (e.g. travel guidelines, research funding criteria) are evaluated, adjustments are recommended and, where possible, implemented by the pilot organisations. In the process, the excellence of science is to be maintained; networks of researchers are to be further expanded and the career opportunities of young scientists are not to be jeopardised. Experiences from the Corona crisis will be reflected and taken into account in the project.
Other universities and research organisations will be informed and involved as appropriate. The results will be made available and disseminated via various communication channels (including website, Twitter, lectures, workshops, public relations).
The aim is to inform and motivate as many universities and research organisations as possible to apply the experience gained and tools developed in FlyingLess to reduce flight emissions in their organisations.