Engagement
For three years, the AG Nchhaltigkeit has been coordinating and supporting student projects on sustainability at the University of Basel. In 2021 and 2022, the group has seen not only an increase in members, but also over 20 successfully implemented projects and public events. The students have also organized the Sustainability Weeks and raised third-party funding for student projects via the U-Change program.
AG Nachhaltigkeit
The AG Nachhaltigkeit, a group funded by the University and supported by the Sustainability Office, is the first point of contact for all members of the university community who are interested in implementing sustainability projects at the University of Basel. Over 45 individuals were actively involved in projects with the AG Nachhaltigkeit in 2022, which is once again 10 more than the previous year. Whereas most of the AG Nachhaltigkeit’s events and projects in 2021 were held online due to the pandemic, 2022 saw a gradual return to lively campus life.
University creates new Sustainability Commitee
In September 2022, the Senate approved by a large majority the creation of a Sustainability Committee. This commitee is to develop recommendations for the conception and implementation of strategic projects of the university in the area of sustainability and to channel requests and ideas of the faculties, groups and departments of the administration. The focus of the committee will be on ecological issues, although economic and social aspects will also be taken into account. The Sustainability Committee, which consists of representatives from all faculties and groups of the university, will begin its work in the fall semester of 2023.
Compared to the previous year, there were far more events on topics relating to sustainability in 2022. Events organized by students included a sustainable art exhibit in cooperation with the Basel Academy of Art and Design, a lecture about rainforests, an information booth at the Basel Fair Trade Town Market and an evening film series with documentaries about current environmental issues.
The Green Roof Project was expanded further and the team founded an association in 2021 to create more green roofs in the Basel region. So far, they have completed greening projects on the roof of the Biozentrum and one roof of the Department of Biomedicine. Several finished and ongoing projects of the AG Nachhaltigkeit are summarized in the slide show.
-
Students of the AG Nachhaltigkeit have greened the roof of the Department of Biomedicine on Mattenstrasse as part of the roof greening project. (Photo: © Sustainability Office, University of Basel) link.zoom -
During the nationwide Clean-Up Day 2022, the skuba, together with the AG Nachhaltigkeit, organized a "clean-up campaign". (Photo: © Ivo Bosshard, University of Basel) link.zoom -
The project "Uni Basel on Ecosia" of the AG Nachhaltigkeit aims to set up Ecosia as the standard search engine on all university computers. (Photo: © AG Nachhaltigkeit, University of Basel)link.zoom -
The AG Nachhaltigkeit organized a cinema event series entitled "Positive Outlook Series". In this framework, films on various sustainability topics were watched together and afterwards a discussion round took place in which the films were discussed. (Photo: © Ivo Bosshard, University of Basel)link.zoom -
The" Sustainability Map" of the AG Nachhaltigkeit shows sustainable businesses such as clothing and grocery stores in Basel-Stadt. The AG Nachhaltigkeit is currently working on publishing the map in the form of a "Sustainability App". (Image: © AG Nachhaltigkeit, University of Basel)link.zoom -
In 2022, the AG Nachhaltigkeit organized a "Sustainability Bazaar" where students could participate in a clothes swap (Walk-in Closet) and repair their bikes for free at the Repair Café (Cedi's Velowerkstatt). (Image: © AG Nachhaltigkeit, University of Basel)link.zoom
Sustainability Weeks 2021-2022
Since 2019, the Sustainability Week Basel, a local spin-off of the “Sustainability Week Switzerland,” has been organized by students each year. The AG Nachhaltigkeit is responsible for coordinating its organization and implementation. While the Sustainability Week 2021 took place with 14 entirely virtual events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fourth edition in March 2022 took place in person. Students organized panel discussions, workshops and lectures. You can see some highlights from both Sustainability Weeks in the slideshow:
-
Sustainability Week 2022: The already fourth edition of the student-organized Sustainability Week could finally take place again on site in March 2022. (Photo: © Sustainability Office, University of Basel)link.zoom -
Sustainability week 2021: The third sustainability week organized by students took place mostly online due to the COVID19 pandemic. However, some of the events, such as the sustainable city walk, could also take place outside. (Image: © AG Nachhaltigkeit, University of Basel)link.zoom -
Sustainable cooking with the renowned young chef Cyrill Baumann. (Photo: © Sustainability Office, University of Basel)link.zoom -
A seed and plant swap was held at Sustainability Week 2022, as well as a "Plant Talk" with GreenUp on the topic of biodiversity. (Photo: © Sustainability Office, University of Basel)link.zoom -
At the composting workshop during Sustainability Week 2022 with the Stadtgärtnerei of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, the functioning of a conventional compost was demonstrated and it was explained which organic waste is suitable for composting. (Photo: © Sustainability Office, University of Basel)link.zoom -
Together with the HGK Basel, an art exhibition was organized in the Kollegienhaus. On display were garments that were creatively made from "waste", e.g. from PET bottles. (Photo: © Ivo Bosshard, Sustainability Office)link.zoom
Helping to organize last year’s Sustainability Week considerably strengthened my interest in future-oriented topics such as social, economic and environmental sustainability. I also came to see the necessity of actively taking care of the environment and became aware of both environmental grivances as well as innovative ideas for combating climate change. Today, I regard it as an immense privilege to be able to spend my free time engaging in public outreach on sustainability.
Saskia Durisch, Biology Student and Board member AG Nachhaltigkeit
Engagement in sustainability in the faculties
Engagement in sustainability was also evident in the university’s faculties and departments. The Faculty of Psychology installed the sustainable search engine “Ecosia” as standard on its computers as part of a pilot project. Sustainability was also a focus for the Cultural Management (SKM) degree program, with the 2022 student cohort analyzing its climate footprint. Furthermore, at the end of 2022, working groups on green labs were founded in the Departments of Biomedicine and Physics to implement various analyses and projects to make their research activities more sustainable.
Associations and initiatives
The University of Basel also offers the opportunity to be involved in a wide variety of associations focused on sustainability. Selected student associations are summarized in the following.1
Amnesty Students Basel
Mind Map Students
Calcutta Project Basel
Foraus
Offener Hörsaal
Reatch
UniGärten
Goals & actions
Fund student projects and support student commitment to sustainability
Technical and financial support of the AG Nachhaltigkeit for student projects relating to sustainability, max. CHF 2,000 per project
Sustainability Office
skuba
Strengthen visibility of sustainability in the academies and participation of the faculties and groups
Channel the concerns and ideas of the faculties, groups, and administrative divisions in the new Sustainability Committee; develop recommendations for strategic projects in the area of sustainability
Sustainability Committee
Fund student projects and support student commitment to sustainability
Conduct a feasibility study for additional roof greening projects; joint planning by a student project group and Facilities
Implement university-wide guidelines for transfer of Campus Credits for activities relating to university self-governance and student associations and initiatives; community guidelines on faculty websites
Campus Services
Faculties
[1] The list of student organizations does not claim to be exhaustive.
