How to really know if a university is working to protect the planet

You can imagine that a geography, conservation or environmental science student would have the opportunity to take classes on sustainability and climate, but is the university working to make sustainability part of the curriculum for everyone, whatever your degree? With climate change having an impact on most areas of life, it’s an important topic for all students. 

As a business student, Jane believes that learning about sustainability is crucial for anyone working in business. “On my course, sustainability is everywhere. This year NTU introduced a new module called Sustainability in Enterprise and I had the opportunity to work with small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nottingham to audit their carbon footprints and help to provide solutions for reducing their environmental impact,” she said.  

“My current career aspiration is to become a carbon consultant. There are new jobs out there now that nobody would have thought about five years ago and being able to adapt to things like sustainability only puts you in a good position for your future.”  

What sustainability societies are available for students to join? How are students encouraged to engage in the university’s sustainability initiatives and does the university listen to student ideas and suggestions?  

Both Jane and Josh are members of their university’s Eco Ambassador scheme, which encourages students to take sustainability actions into their own hands and challenge the university on how they can improve current practises and policies. Jane is also working towards her silver sustainability award, an initiative that celebrates students' environmental efforts through a points system for undertaking different sustainable tasks.  

A member of the Conservation Society, Josh has had the opportunity to work with the university to ensure conservation initiatives were implemented into a new building at the Brackenhurst Campus, where he studies. Home to the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, the countryside campus is an outdoor classroom, where Josh has been helping advise on wildlife plans like providing swift and bat boxes, and to protect amphibians living around the pond area.,  

How does the university reduce food waste while making sure that food and beverages on campus are affordable for students too? Are there zero waste options in the university cafes and vegan options available for those who choose to reduce their carbon footprint by opting out of meat and dairy? Providing fair trade products is another way to embed sustainability into campus life.  

“Sustainability isn’t just about the environment,” Jane added. “It’s about people and profit and making choices to ensure that we can maintain our livelihoods into the future. Choosing fair trade options is an important part of that.”  

If you’re visiting an open day in person, it’s a great idea to check out some of the university’s eateries and see what’s on offer for yourself. 

Although academic research might not impact your studies directly, it’s handy to see how a university is working to understand and solve big world issues. Are academics researching innovative solutions? Do they work with communities both locally and globally to understand the impact of climate issues? Are they challenging current sustainability models for better alternatives?  

You should be able to find these stories on the university’s website, but if you’re able to speak with an academic at an open day, you might find that there are interesting research projects in your chosen subject area.  

So now you know how to ask your potential place of study how they’re protecting the planet and how you could get involved too. Be aware that a university might need to get back to you about a question later. Universities have lots of different teams working to bring you the best experience, so the person you talk to on the day might not have all the answers at hand. But, if it’s as important to them as it is to you, they’ll ensure you get a response later on.