Welcome to Europe's top university for sustainability
With commitments to becoming a zero carbon University by 2040, we’re ranked 1st in Europe for sustainability by the QS World Rankings. Find out how you can get involved with environmental and social impact during Welcome Week!
What do we mean by sustainability and social responsibility?
Sustainability means ensuring long-term social and environmental wellbeing. This means taking steps to:
- reduce waste and use resources responsibly
- reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- restore nature and biodiversity
- make the University more inclusive and fairer to all.
What has the University done so far?
- We have adopted climate conscious approaches to business travel and food.
- We stopped investing in fossil fuels in 2021.
- We have awarded over £550,000 to community initiatives since 2017.
- We plan to sequester unavoidable emissions by restoring forest and peatlands in Scotland.
With commitments to becoming a zero carbon University by 2040, we’re ranked 1st in Europe for sustainability by the QS World Rankings.
We’re proud of our progress so far – but we want to accelerate our efforts.
As students, you can play a key role in our mission to become a fairer, more sustainable university. Here's how:
Stay in the know
Subscribe for a chance to win a £50 University Gift Shop voucher
We are giving away three £50 vouchers for the University's gift shop to stock up on sustainable items to get you started at the University.
To be in with a chance of winning, simply subscribe to the Sustainability and Social Responsibility newsletter and/or the Edinburgh Local newsletter.
Subscribing to both will double your chances!
The giveaway is open to current students. The competition opens on 28 August 2023 and closes 29 September 2023.
Subscribe to the Sustainability and Social Responsibility newsletter
Subscribe to the Edinburgh Local newsletter
Find out more about Edinburgh Local (community engagement in Edinburgh)
Sustainable goodies you can win
You can browse some of the more socially responsible and sustainable items we have our eye on by searching 'SRS' and 'Fairtrade' on the online shop.
Products filtered by Fairtrade
Meet and greet
Join our Welcome Week events
Join our Welcome Week events to grow your network, develop your knowledge and discover opportunities to make a difference:
|
Get involved with local communities, Monday 11 September, 1pm – 2pm, 40 George Square LG.07 Immerse yourself in the city of Edinburgh and hear about all the opportunities to contribute to positive social impact. Learn best practice in how to engage with local communities and join an engaged network of staff and students. |
|
Sustainable Living, Tuesday 12 September, 10am – 11.15am, 40 George Square LG.07 Hear about some of the top tips to live sustainably as a student - whether that’s at home or in Edinburgh. You’ll learn from the experiences of students and will have the opportunity to share your own experiences of embedding sustainability into your everyday actions. |
|
Green Skills and Careers in Sustainability, Wednesday 13 September, 2.30pm – 4pm, Appleton Tower M2 This session highlights the changing requirements within sustainability-related careers and the sustainability skillset employers across all sectors are looking for, as well as insight into how you can boost your green skills. |
|
Wildlife on campus tour, Thursday 14 September, 11am - 12pm, Outside Pollock Halls Reception Centre Discover the incredible biodiversity across Edinburgh. You’ll have the opportunity to explore the University campus and find out how you can get involved with efforts to conserve and promote biodiversity in our extraordinary city. |
|
Learning for Sustainability, Thursday 14 September, 3pm – 4pm, 7 George Square S1 Find out about the many opportunities to incorporate sustainability learning into your studies, and develop the tools needed to understand and tackle issues such as climate change, biodiversity and social injustice. |
|
Intro to Climate and Sustainability Online, Wednesday 20 September, 3pm – 4pm, Microsoft Teams This online event will introduce the collective action of students and staff in tackling sustainability challenges and offer a chance for you to meet like-minded students. Open to all, including those who are learning remotely. |
|
Climate and Sustainability Welcome, TBC (Event rescheduled due to industrial action) This session will outline the collective efforts of the University to address the climate crisis and sustainability challenges. Attendees will gain insight into and provide feedback on key sustainability work such as the University’s Climate Strategy, Curriculum Transformation Programme and the sustainability priorities of the Students’ Association. |
Join a society or volunteer to make a difference
With over 250 student societies at the University, students are sure to find one to develop their skills and interests, with many focusing on social responsibility and sustainability issues.
Volunteering, student societies and cooperatives
You can also join our Green Hub channel on Teams to stay up to date with events and activities run by fellow sustainability leaders.
How to champion sustainable living and learning at the University of Edinburgh
- Video: How to... Champion sustainable living and learning at the University of Edinburgh
- Whatever your year and whatever you study, there are so many ways you can take action to support sustainability and social responsibility initiatives in Edinburgh. Get inspired with tips and advice from the Department for Sustainability and Social Responsibility. This video is suitable for all students.
Further steps you can take
-
Boost your knowledge: Register for free Carbon literacy and Biodiversity literacy training
-
Network and collaborate: Connect with sustainability and community societies
-
Take action for the local community: Make a difference as a student volunteer
Do you have ideas or thoughts to share with us about our approach to sustainability and social responsibility? Please feel free to reach out to us.