Sustainability

We will lead high-impact, interdisciplinary research that addresses urgent sustainability and climate challenges. Through our institutes, community hubs, and global partnerships, we will foster collaboration across academia, industry, policy makers, and the wider society — locally and globally.

Integrating sustainability into our academic programmes to prepare our students to tackle real-world challenges. We will equip our students to be global citizens, insightful leaders, and contributors to a more sustainable future, by embedding sustainability across all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Drawing on our academic breadth, we will develop interdisciplinary learning aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and provide practical experiences for our students, through placements, internships, co-curricular opportunities, and the Birmingham Award. We will support staff to deliver high-quality sustainability education and foster cross-disciplinary collaboration.

We will embed environmental responsibility into our strategies, decision-making, and day-to-day operations. This includes reducing our carbon footprint across estates, travel, supply chains, and digital infrastructure; enhancing biodiversity; conserving water; minimising waste; and promoting sustainable procurement. We will engage our community in shaping a more sustainable, resilient, and future-ready University.

We will use our influence, partnerships, and convening power to promote sustainable practices across our region and global networks. By sharing knowledge and resources, we will support others on their sustainability journey and advocate for climate resilience and environmental stewardship. We will work with partners across Birmingham and the West Midlands to co-create and embed solutions to environmental and climate-related and sustainability challenges.