International academic mobility is essential for education, research collaboration, and intercultural exchange, yet it contributes significantly to universities’ carbon emissions. This Future UniLab visionary output explores how European universities can reconcile the benefits of international mobility with their environmental responsibilities while addressing inequalities in access to academic opportunities.

Drawing on mobility data and existing practices within the Una Europa alliance, the report proposes a comprehensive approach to sustainable academic travel. Its recommendations include standardized emissions reporting, decision-making tools to evaluate the necessity and value of travel, greater use of virtual collaboration, and incentives for low-carbon transportation.

The publication also introduces the concept of a Una Europa Forest, potentially financed through a carbon tax on academic travel, as a collective initiative supporting carbon sequestration and environmental responsibility. The authors emphasize that carbon offsetting should complement, rather than replace, efforts to reduce emissions and promote more equitable mobility.