Engagement
From supporting our departments to minimise their environmental impact, to providing students with the sustainable skills they need to thrive, the University of Surrey provides plenty of opportunities for staff, students and our community to engage with sustainability. Our vision for engagement is set out in our Staff and Student Sustainability Engagement Strategy 2025-2030.
Sustainable Opportunities
Sustainability For All
We want our staff and students to feel empowered to take sustainable action and be a part of the University's sustainability journey. We provide a variety of opportunities for all to get involved including:
- Sustainability Week: in collaboration with the Students' Union, the University runs an annual Sustainability Week to raise awareness of sustainability and drive meaningful change. Events have included EV test drives with Tusker, clothes swaps in collaboration with CloSh app, and sustainable career workshops run by the Economics Society. Since its start in May 2024, over 800 staff and students have taken part in Sustainability Week activities.
- Sustainability Assembly: every term staff and students have the opportunity to find out more about the University's sustainability journey and voice their opinions that are then fed back to the University's sustainability strategic group - the Napier Group. Since their inception in October 2023, topics covered in the assemblies have included: net zero carbon, embedding sustainability into University policies and inductions. So far 114 staff and students have taken part.
Inductions
To ensure all staff and students at the University have an understanding of sustainability, all are required to take part in sustainability inductions:
- Our in-person staff inductions give new starters the opportunity to find out information on the University's sustainability policies, strategy and ways to get involved. The induction also provides resources to support staff learning and understanding of sustainability. Further information is sent out after inductions to ensure staff can further engage with sustainability at the University.
- All students receive a sustainability induction by course leaders at the start of the new academic year. The in-person presentation covers the University's policies, strategy and opportunities to get involved. Further information is sent out after inductions to ensure students have the resources they need to get involved.
