Higher Education Institutions as Drivers of Sustainable …
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Sustainable development is incorporated to the DNA of institutions and is one of
their main goals. In establishing a policy for environmental education, Unisul has
stimulated social actions in the environmental sphere, creating examples of good
practices for internal and external community and raising awareness about the environment and sustainability (Unisul 2019c).
Considering HEIs’ role and importance to promote community development, a
solid and continuous relation is needed between universities and their surroundings.
In this sense, Unisul serves as a model, working and cooperating with its community, promoting development and safety in the economic, social, environmental and
political spheres. In this research, a study case in the Water Resources Plan of the
Itapocu River Basin was selected. This research project was executed by Unisul,
the Government of the Santa Catarina State and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e
Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina (FAPESC).
4.1 Overview of the Water Resources Plan of the Itapocu
River Basin
The Water Resources Plan of the Itapocu River Basin was a project developed in
the state of Santa Catarina, a partnership between government, university and community, with the objective of reaching a participative management of the Itapocu
basin and its water resources in an efficient and sustainable way. The project was
funded by the Sustainable Economic Development Secretary of the State of Santa
Catarina and executed by Unisul, with support from the Management Committee of
the Hydrographic Basin of the Itapocu River and the Association of Municipalities
of the Itapocu Valley, two community organizations. This project illustrates how
universities can contribute to increase sustainability and environmental awareness in
communities and governments.
The project was divided in 5 steps and 1 synthesis report. Step A, named Strategy
for the Involvement of Society in the Plan’s Elaboration, focused on identifying social
actors, diagnose institutions and acting roles related to water resources management.
Step B, Social Economical and Environmental Diagnose of the Basin, studied the
characteristics of the basin, superficial and underground water storages, and socialeconomical aspects. Step C, called Itapocu River Basin Water Resource Diagnose,
aimed to account the quantity and quality of water as well as its uses. Step D,
Prognosis of Water Demands, focused on hydric balances and a proposition for the
alignment of water courses.
The final step, E, named Elaboration of the Integrated Plan of the Hydrographic
Basin of the Itapocu River, has set goals and actions. Finally, the synthesis report
brought a more dynamic and summarized version. The main goal of this project is
to implement a participative management system, that brings together the government, the private sector, education institutions such as Unisul and the population, in
order to preserve and use it in the most efficient way natural resources, in this case
813
Sustainable development is incorporated to the DNA of institutions and is one of
their main goals. In establishing a policy for environmental education, Unisul has
stimulated social actions in the environmental sphere, creating examples of good
practices for internal and external community and raising awareness about the environment and sustainability (Unisul 2019c).
Considering HEIs’ role and importance to promote community development, a
solid and continuous relation is needed between universities and their surroundings.
In this sense, Unisul serves as a model, working and cooperating with its community, promoting development and safety in the economic, social, environmental and
political spheres. In this research, a study case in the Water Resources Plan of the
Itapocu River Basin was selected. This research project was executed by Unisul,
the Government of the Santa Catarina State and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e
Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina (FAPESC).
4.1 Overview of the Water Resources Plan of the Itapocu
River Basin
The Water Resources Plan of the Itapocu River Basin was a project developed in
the state of Santa Catarina, a partnership between government, university and community, with the objective of reaching a participative management of the Itapocu
basin and its water resources in an efficient and sustainable way. The project was
funded by the Sustainable Economic Development Secretary of the State of Santa
Catarina and executed by Unisul, with support from the Management Committee of
the Hydrographic Basin of the Itapocu River and the Association of Municipalities
of the Itapocu Valley, two community organizations. This project illustrates how
universities can contribute to increase sustainability and environmental awareness in
communities and governments.
The project was divided in 5 steps and 1 synthesis report. Step A, named Strategy
for the Involvement of Society in the Plan’s Elaboration, focused on identifying social
actors, diagnose institutions and acting roles related to water resources management.
Step B, Social Economical and Environmental Diagnose of the Basin, studied the
characteristics of the basin, superficial and underground water storages, and socialeconomical aspects. Step C, called Itapocu River Basin Water Resource Diagnose,
aimed to account the quantity and quality of water as well as its uses. Step D,
Prognosis of Water Demands, focused on hydric balances and a proposition for the
alignment of water courses.
The final step, E, named Elaboration of the Integrated Plan of the Hydrographic
Basin of the Itapocu River, has set goals and actions. Finally, the synthesis report
brought a more dynamic and summarized version. The main goal of this project is
to implement a participative management system, that brings together the government, the private sector, education institutions such as Unisul and the population, in
order to preserve and use it in the most efficient way natural resources, in this case