The World Needs You
A sustainable university also grows from the bottom up. With De Wereld Heeft Je Nodig (The World Needs You), we stimulate the entire VUB community for a better environment, equal rights, better living conditions, freedom of speech, and more. Through 80 different projects, researchers and students are helping to build a better world.
Planet Workshop
In Planet Workshop, a group of committed VUB students will be working on a future-oriented vision of our planet. Among other things, we will be looking at how we can make VUB more sustainable and how we can involve the entire VUB community in this. Are you ready to turn your knowledge and enthusiasm into engagement for the world?
GREENxCHANGE
VUB wants to structurally integrate sustainability into its operations. The GreenTeam has therefore designed the GREENxCHANGE programme. GREENxCHANGE consists of three sub-programmes: via Green Impact, staff members make their working environment more sustainable. Green Hive encourages students to live sustainably in their rooms. And student associations engage through Green Circles to make their activities more sustainable.
Green Impact
Green Impact was developed over the last 10 years by the British National Union of Students and SOS international. The project has already received a UNESCO award for pioneering work in the field of sustainability and behavioural change. It is also being followed internationally: more than 400 organisations are using Green Impact to achieve bottom-up change. At VUB, too, sustainability is something that cannot only be achieved from above: everyone can also contribute to it in his or her daily life. This will suddenly make sustainability something very tangible.
Every VUB staff member can sign up for the Green Impact, individually or with colleagues. Teams can organise themselves according to faculty, department, background, or common working space. Our GreenTeam has built an online toolkit with over 140 concrete actions at VUB to make the immediate living and working environment of staff and students greener. The toolkit is full of examples, but also leaves room for your own input and ideas. In this way, staff can work together to put their sustainable ideals into practice.
The GreenTeam supports all teams from the start and throughout the process. At the end of the year, each team will be awarded a bronze, silver, gold, or platinum medal based on the number of actions they have achieved. And, because every contribution makes a difference, these medals are our way of thanking everyone for their engagement.
Green Hive
Green Hive is a competition for students involving the most sustainable VUB student room. Based on monthly challenges, students are motivated to make their life in student rooms more sustainable around various themes: materials, energy, food, water, welfare, mobility, and biodiversity. By completing the assignments, students can win prizes and earn a 'Green Hive' award at the end of the year.
Green Circles
Green Circles focuses on student associations that want to make their activities more sustainable. TDs, cantuses, networking events or excursions: each of these activities can be organised in a greener way. Thanks to an accessible toolkit with an overview of tips and tricks, student associations can get started right away. Reusable cups, vegan party snacks, and fair trade coffee will soon be the norm at student events!
Partnerships
To accelerate our transition to a sustainable university, we actively cooperate with various external actors. These can be governments - we are in contact with Brussels and its municipalities, for example - as well as civil society and other organisations and the private sector. We share our knowledge and exchange best practices. Our partners include:
ULB
Together with our sister university, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), we are working towards a sustainable future. Our bond is reflected in numerous common projects, both in research and education: joint bilingual or English-language degrees, co-supervision of doctoral dissertations, joint research groups and projects, common platforms, etc.
But we also weigh in together on sustainability agendas by sharing our knowledge and experiences. Usquare will be a milestone: not a campus, but a completely new city district with everything that goes with it. Usquare will be a diverse and dynamic Brussels neighbourhood, urban and friendly, university-based and international, sustainable and innovative.
UNICA
UNICA is a network of 54 European universities cooperating on various themes, including sustainability.
The Shift
The Shift is the Belgian sustainability network committed to a transition to a better society and economy.
UCOS
the University Centre for Development Cooperation (UCOS), which works on sustainable human development and promotes active world citizenship among students in Flemish higher education.