The only university shortlisted in Northern Ireland, Queen’s work in sustainability has been recognised in both the ‘Creating Impact’ and ‘Next Generation Learning and Skills’ categories.

Creating impact

The project shortlisted for this category is Queen’s Sustainable Lab Fund, designed to aid labs to reduce their overall environmental impact and created by the University’s Sustainability team.

By working collaboratively, staff, technicians and PhD students have implemented a number of successful lab projects to encourage more sustainable actions across the University's laboratory community using the fund.

As a result, Queen’s is already enjoying a range of environmental, social and financial benefits including a reduction in energy usage as well as decreases in both water consumption and chemical waste.

The aim over the coming years will be to recruit 100 per cent of eligible labs within the University into the sustainable lab programme, LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework). This will then allow these labs to avail of the funding and create innovative projects that will support sustainability across the University.

Next generation learning and skills

Queen’s has been shortlisted in this category for its work in embedding green and sustainable chemistry along with 21st century skills into its Chemistry curriculum.

The University has created a module which focuses on current and future challenges in green and sustainable chemistry for industry and beyond, with the aim to train responsible practitioners. Students are given the information to reference and fact-check carefully, as well as the skills and ability to make positive green and sustainable suggestions in future projects.

This module is enhanced with a series of weekly workshops where students work as a group to redesign a chemical synthesis in a green and sustainable way. These workshops and projects are designed to embed core skills alongside green and sustainable chemistry competency.

Welcoming news of the shortlist, Sara Lynch, Head of Sustainability at Queen’s, said: “We are thrilled to be shortlisted for two different awards at this year’s Green Gown Awards, widely regarded as the gold standard of sustainability awards in the further and higher education sector, for two projects spanning teaching and research. This announcement builds on our recent win at the Business Energy Achievement Awards and we are delighted our work towards net zero and sustainability has been recognised in this year’s shortlist. We look forward to the awards night in November, competing alongside universities from across the UK.”

Professor Michael Alcorn, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Strategic Projects and Sustainability at Queen’s added: “Sustainability is a key pillar in Queen’s Strategy 2030, which includes a commitment to transition to a carbon neutral society and to embrace the UN Sustainable Development Goals across all our activities. Achievement of these commitments will require the collective input of staff and students across the University, so it is great to see this recognised by the Green Gown Awards, amongst the best in higher education."

Queen’s will attend the awards ceremony on Thursday 30 November at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool.

Find out more about our shortlisted projects for the Creating Impact and Next Generation Learning and Skills categories.