Jisc Guide: Using videoconferencing to reduce travel and carbon emissions

How the right technology can be a usable alternative to physical travel benefitting administrative, academic and research purposes.

Finding alternatives to travel between multi-campus sites for both administrative and academic purposes, and research collaboration with other institutions, can create substantial savings both in money, carbon and human terms.

Business travel in universities and colleges is a large contributor to the environmental footprint of the sector, but doing something about it can be difficult as the issues are multi-factored and much travel is essential for both academic and administrative staff, not to mention students.

There are many collaboration tools to choose from. This guide is primarily looks at tools to support what might be termed room-based conferencing and associated desktop tools that extend its reach, as well as the wider issues around 'greening' events through remote attendance and amplification.

Collaboration and videoconferencing (or VC) technology is generally believed to have green credentials, however its use is still not as widespread as it might be. This guide looks at the steps needed to make the right technology a usable alternative to physical travel for different kinds of meeting.