There are a number of ways for you to get involved in sustainability at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Our Sustainability Student and Staff Engagement Plan (January 2024) sets out a framework for helping students and staff across the University to make more sustainable choices, while the Sustainability Student and Staff Engagement - Implementation Document (May 2024) provides a summary of progress so far.

Use sustainability initiatives

The University has introduced several sustainability initiatives to make it easier for students and staff to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Examples include reducing waste (through enhanced recycling and charges on single-use, disposable food, and beverage containers), offering more planet-friendly catering offer (we’re reviewing our menu to remove ingredients with a high carbon footprint), and travelling more sustainably (by providing information about more sustainable modes of transport). You will find information about our sustainability initiatives throughout the University’s sustainability web pages.

Volunteer

Occasionally we have volunteering opportunities either in support of some of our initiatives (such as. Fairtrade or our Biodiversity monitoring project on iNaturalist) or with partner organizations (Fairtrade auditors - Fairtrade Foundation/SOS UK). To keep up to date with our volunteering opportunities, please sign up to our sustainability newsletter and opportunities alerts.

Travel Advisors

The University employs a team of student Travel Advisors to engage with the broader University community to highlight opportunities for more sustainable, cheaper travel.  Travel Advisors are recruited in May-June, have to complete a short training course on GCU Learn and if successful, are appointed for about 20-30 hrs each academic year, with the bulk around the start of Trimester A (September).  This opportunity is only available to students currently enrolled at Glasgow Caledonian University. The applications are now open to become a Travel Advisor for 2024-25 academic year - apply here before 23 June 2024.

Ideas and projects

If you’re a student or member of staff at the University please contact sustainability@gcu.ac.uk if you have a sustainability project/initiative/activity you think would benefit the University and would like to help implement. Funding is available for students and staff to help with their sustainability projects/initiatives. Note that projects will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the University's Sustainability Team and Forum.

• Green Your Group funding is available for any student group or society that would like to develop sustainability projects, activities or initiatives. You can apply and read more about the funding here.
• Staff Sustainability funding is available to deliver their sustainability initiatives, projects or activities to improve sustainability at the University. You can apply for the funding here.

Dissertations and student projects

Please contact sustainability@gcu.ac.uk to discuss how your project can help drive sustainability at the University.  You will find some examples of previous projects on the Student Projects web pages.

We regularly review opportunities for our community to get involved.