Sustainability at RGU

Sustainability at RGU is a shared responsibility. We aim to create a university community where staff and students are empowered to shape a more sustainable future together, whether through teaching, learning, research, volunteering, innovation, biodiversity enhancement, active travel, waste reduction, or climate action.

Our plan for engagement centres around the following principles:

• Building awareness and understanding of sustainability challenges and solutions.
• Creating opportunities for involvement through events, volunteering, competitions and campaigns.
• Supporting sustainability skills development to prepare students and staff for a rapidly changing world.
• Listening to and acting on ideas from our community through collaborative projects and engagement activities.
• Recognising and celebrating contributions that help make RGU a more sustainable and inclusive institution.

Get Involved

There are many ways to get involved in sustainability at RGU, whether you are a student, staff or community member:

• Attend sustainability events and awareness campaigns.
• Volunteer in campus and community-focused projects, e.g. biodiversity or waste reduction
• Contribute ideas to improve campus sustainability through the University’s Staff Sustainability Working Groups or the students’ sustainability society, Go Green.
• Participate in challenges, competitions and surveys, such as the Biodiversity Photo Competition
• Share your research, teaching innovations and success stories.

Together, we can create a campus that not only reduces its environmental impact but also inspires positive action across our wider community.

We regularly review engagement through event participation, volunteering activity, feedback surveys and collaborative projects to ensure our sustainability programme continues to meet the needs of our community.

Stand out events so far in 2025/26 include:

• Hosting community events such as community updates on the Waterside Farm project and our annual Our Campus, Our World event showcasing the RGU community’s efforts to achieve a more sustainable future for all, including student research projects, film presentations, talks, and interactive stations for staff innovations.
• Cycling Week offering Cycling Confidence sessions, bike repair stalls and a second-hand bike sale for local charity, Stella’s Voice.
• Expanding our biodiversity volunteering to the North of the River Dee in addition to weekly sessions at Waterside Farm
• Including sustainability in the online accommodation induction
• Participation in awareness campaigns including the Big Plastic Count, and hosting the After Count report launch.
• Supporting student sustainability projects with university funds, such as the rehoming of some of Cloisterseat Orchard to campus following its closure, and the Breakfast and Supper Clubs.