Student action

The Global Environmental Sustainability team is working closely with our students to co-develop sustainability initiatives, so that we can create a culture of sustainability at Heriot-Watt University. We want to start a conversation about sustainability so that we can take action together, as a university community, to address the climate crisis.

This includes the roll-out of summer internships directly addressing sustainability challenges faced by the university, the formation of engagement groups in which students can share their concerns and aspirations and the inclusion of student feedback in the governance of sustainability workstreams across our global campuses.

Sustainability at the Student Union

Our student community continue to actively demonstrate their advocacy for sustainability through self-organised activities and efforts. They are the voices that we strive to listen to as we develop our global environmental strategy and the pathways to achieving our long-term goals. Visit the Student Union Sustainability site to learn more about the positive approach being taken to address the challenges we face, and to keep up to date with student-led sustainability events.

Heriot-Watt Student Sustainability Fund

All Heriot-Watt students, regardless of location, are able to apply for funding to support student-led activities addressing a sustainability theme. This can be as simple as organising a campus litter pick, or as involved as delivering large-scale events to advocate for a sustainable future. All funding applications should be associated with one of the many Heriot-Watt student societies, so whether you’re wanting to demonstrate what a particular subject can do to address a sustainability challenge or showcase how a hobby can promote sustainable practices, we want to hear from you.

The Global Environmental Sustainability team is happy to discuss your ideas with you as part of the funding application process, just get in touch: SustainableHWU@hw.ac.uk

If you’d like a bit of inspiration in the meantime, here’s some examples of ways in which the fund has been used:

• A fieldtrip to enable members of the Net Zero Society to visit an industrial facility to learn about opportunities for reducing the environmental impact of their operations.
• A conference event organised by the Muslim Society and the Net Zero Society to showcase research being carried out by society members.
• An excursion to a waste processing facility for members of the Eco Society and Net Zero Society to see where waste produced by the Edinburgh campus goes, and more importantly, what happens to it.

Sponsorship of Student Volunteer Sustainability Award

For the second year running the Sustainability team sponsored the Heriot-Watt University Student Union Strive for Sustainability Student Volunteer Award.

The award recognises a student or student group who has made an outstanding effort to promote sustainability on campus and in the community more widely.

This year it was won by the Net Zero Society, congratulations were also extended to the other nominees, Heriot-Watt Eco Society and Lucie Stewart (Volunteer at the HWU 'Re-Loved' sustainable clothing outlet).