NTT DATA Business Solutions
Marc van den Berk | November 11, 2024 | 5 min.

Bringing together universities, SAP and NTT DATA to tackle sustainability challenges

NTT DATA Business Solutions is actively engaging with higher education institutions to foster sustainability through innovative IT solutions, partnering with experts from SAP and universities worldwide. Discover how representatives of several universities were inspired by NTT DATA Business Solutions and SAP on topics like energy efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable mobility.

Sustainability is increasingly becoming a priority on the agenda of higher education institutions, partly because students and staff expect and sometimes even demand it. On the other hand, universities and colleges want to set a good example for the new generation of thinkers, doers, and leaders. IT can make a significant contribution to sustainability on campus. In various ways, smart IT solutions can contribute to a green, energy-efficient, and inclusive environment.

But what exactly are the urgent sustainability issues that educational institutions face? What innovative IT solutions are available in the broad field of sustainability? And where do institutions and IT providers see opportunities for innovation? To answer these questions, NTT DATA Business Solutions organized a unique trajectory that brought together several universities with experts from SAP and NTT DATA Business Solutions to think about this issue and explore new possibilities.

Inspire one another

Marc van den Berk is the green conscience of NTT DATA Business Solutions. He knows better than anyone how the IT solutions from NTT DATA and suppliers like SAP can solve certain sustainability issues. In addition, he is constantly looking for new solutions to fill the white spots in the portfolio. Finally, he also helps his own employer to operate more sustainably and is involved in various initiatives in this area. In the run-up to HERUG in Leuven, an annual conference of the SAP Higher Education and Research User Group, Van den Berk decided to discuss their sustainability challenges with several universities. “The goal was not to sell more software,” explains Van den Berk. “The main goal was to learn from each other and inspire one another. We wanted to share the results during a presentation at the HERUG convention in Leuven.” In total, Van den Berk managed to interest several universities from Germany, the Netherlands, and the USA in four digital brainstorming and inspiration sessions. These were fascinating meetings that yielded many new ideas and insights. Van den Berk said, “As an IT party, you think from your own bubble. You quickly think you have all the wisdom. But to develop new services, it is essential to listen with genuine interest.”

How that bubble works, he noticed immediately. The business world currently attaches great importance to sustainability reporting and CO2 calculations, Van den Berk knew form experience. At the campuses of the participants, these topics were much less prevalent, Van den Berk quickly discovered. “Universities are much more focused on reducing waste, lowering their energy consumption, and using green energy. Topics such as diversity, inclusion and gender equality also receive a lot of attention.”

A ride-sharing app for Saarland University

One of the institutions involved in the initiative of NTT DATA Business Solutions was Saarland University. The university has more than 16,600 students and about 4,660 staff members. Some of the university’s key research areas are Computer Science, Nano-Science, and Life Science. Saarland University has an impressive SAP footprint, using solutions like ERP, Student Life Cycle Management, SAP SuccessFactors, SAP Ariba, and SAP Business Technology Platform. Lukas Hoffmann studied at the university and later became a university staff member, working on digitalization and sustainability. Although he is currently working as an SAP Management Consultant elsewhere, before his new role, Hoffmann participated on behalf of the university in the four inspiration sessions. “Sustainability is of large importance for us. It’s about having a life worthwhile, now and in the future. That’s why we were very interested in this project that was all about having a small group of peers from all over the world, listen to ideas and discuss that.”

 

The approach worked. Hoffmann heard several ideas that seemed interesting to him. These ranged from a smart marketplace for sustainably sharing hardware such as microscopes and projectors on campus to enriching the purchasing system with sustainability information. The most interesting and feasible idea was a ride-sharing app that helps students and staff to make their daily commute more sustainable. “The university is committed to fostering sustainable development,” Hoffmann explains. “Our campus is located in the middle of a forest. Lots of people drive to the university and park on the campus. We really want people to use public transport or share a ride. During the sessions, the Liftango ride-sharing app was introduced. So we intensified our deep dive into the program and shared data with Liftango. They did an analysis of that data. Where is traffic coming from? What are the main transportation roads? What will a commuting app bring? Can a carpool program work? We spoke about the possibilities. It was great to get more information, and we really would like to pursue this further.”

 

While Hoffmann and his colleagues are quite adept at solving complex problems for the university, he finds it pleasant to exchange knowledge and inspiration in this accessible way with SAP, NTT DATA, and universities from all over the world. “It’s a win-win situation,” he says. “It’s a good way to get in contact with potential partners. Yes, it’s a sales pitch, but not a typical one. From the start, it was made clear that there didn’t need to be a commitment. The companies who propose must invest time and work on prototypes. But even if they don’t sell, they get useful feedback. It’s a two-way street.”

Both role model and enabler

SAP also is pleased with the initiative from NTT DATA. Laurent Leclercq, as Global Director within SAP, is responsible for the Higher Education and Research portfolio. Within that portfolio, the role of sustainability is becoming increasingly significant. “Universities need to act as an example and enabler for their students when it comes to topics like sustainability, equality, diversity, and inclusion. That’s why universities operate in Sustainability committees and networks. They encourage student initiatives and do sustainability-intensive research. As a company, SAP also acts as an exemplar and an enabler. We lead by example and want to be a sustainability role model. And we provide services and products that help our clients address their sustainability challenges. Together with our clients, we really want to work on zero emissions, zero waste, and zero inequality.”

Leclercq has a good understanding of the topics his customers are interested in. “A lot of universities are way forward when it comes to sustainability. The main topics they are interested in now are energy management, sustainable mobility, and circular operations.” The sustainability workshops also brought Leclercq and his team a lot. “This was really interesting. It will be good to be working with NTT DATA Business Solutions and discussing concepts and topics with Marc van den Berk. I am pretty sure there are many initiatives we can work on together.”

Get in touch

Do you want to participate in the next series of workshops and explore new solutions yourself? Or are you curious as to how NTT DATA Business Solutions can help you to address sustainability challenges at your campus? Feel free to contact Marc van den Berk.