Virtual Meetings in Public Agencies (REMM)

Örebro University has an undertaking to work towards increasing the share or virtual meetings within the organisation to reduce the impact travel has on the environment. The government’s public service agreement for 2016 stated that in their efforts to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide originating from travel and transport, universities are to use the methodology proposed as part of the project Virtual Meetings in Public Agencies (www.remm.se). This provided the University with a clearer mandate and a stronger focus in working to increase the share of virtual meetings in the organisation.

The ambition is that as a result of this work, our travel patterns will be influenced, which potentially will have a positive impact on both health and environment. A well-functioning organisation for virtual meetings will also have an effect in terms of cost-efficiency. By implementing this methodology, Örebro University observes all aspects included in the concept of sustainable development. What the impact will be, however, depends on how well we are able to establish virtual meetings as an attractive alternative.

Virtual meetings cannot, and should not, replace all face-to-face meetings, but in some situations they can offer a viable alternative.

Parallel to these efforts, the University is also participating in a project on sustainable travel in the Örebro region (“Hållbart resande i Örebroregionen”). A three-year project, it runs between 2017–2019 and is led by Region Örebro County Energy Agency with funding from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth. In addition to Örebro University, the municipalities in the region, Örebro County Administrative Board, as well as Region Örebro County are also part of the project.