Empowering Students for a Sustainable World through the Green Chemistry Working Sessions: A Case of Success in Academia

Climate change, a long-standing issue, is consistently ranked as one of the top global threats by society. Addressing it is, in part, a scientific imperative. Therefore, providing young students with an academic perspective that empowers them to confront this challenge is more of an obligation than an option. In this regard, the Faculty of Chemistry at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain, organizes annual editions of a module for undergraduate students called Green Chemistry Working Sessions (GCWS). This module consists of a series of scheduled activities, compulsory for all the students pursuing a BsC Degree in Chemistry, as GCWS is part of the third-year Citizenship course. Throughout its 17 editions by 2024, the GCWS has been framed around the goals of Green Chemistry, with climate change being a recurring theme. The activities during the GCWS typically include scientific talks, documentary viewings, debates, round tables, visits to industrial plants, and experimental workshops, among others. By offering such a module to university students, our aim is to empower them with climate awareness by exposing them to environmental challenges and their intersections with economic, political, and societal frameworks. We also seek to raise awareness of sustainable chemistry, emphasizing their roles as professional chemists with ethical foundations. This article presents a case of success in academia, where industry professionals, researchers, students, and society are brought together to find solutions to a serious and urgent issue.