Highlights and headlines from the last 12 months of sustainability activity at Kent. Including projects, initiatives, news stories and data from across the university.
Through a variety of projects, initiatives and research projects, Kent is at the forefront of demonstrating the importance of food in a sustainable future
We are working in partnership with the Food Foundation on being a 'Right to Food' University.
We are part of a partnership programme collaborating across Kent to innovate in sustainable food.
Our sustainable food plan sets out our vision for sustainable, plant-forward catering
Students, staff and community members growing sustainable produce collaboratively on campus.
Projects on external spaces that support biodiversity
In the summer of 2023 we were awarded the Gold Wilder Kent Award by Kent Wildlife Trust.
In May 2023 we took part in No Mow May on central campus for the first time.
The University is fundraising to create a ‘river of vegetation’ across the Canterbury campus, which will act as natural signposting to flagship project areas: the Kent Community Oasis Garden and Diamond Anniversary Orchard.
We aim to create a high amenity and pollen value trail that acts as a wildlife corridor as well as an education tool, and foraging trail. The 1st plants have been put in the ground, with 50 fruiting and medicinal trees being planted along the route.
Keep an eye out as the project develops. We will be publishing more information soon about the route and how you can get involved.
We expanded our popular Carbon Literacy training programme and now have 94 students and staff certified as Carbon Literate.
Carbon Literacy Training is an engaging, interactive way for learners to build thier understanding of the causes and effects of climate change and the role of society and individuals in reducing emissions.
This one-day course is delivered by the University’s Sustainability team using a course developed by Manchester Metropolitan University in collaboration with the Carbon Literacy Trust
Sustainability is collaborative and requires people from across society, backgrounds and skill sets in order to solve the biggest issues of our time. The Sustainability Team work with our community on projects that support sustainable outcomes and build bridges across different groups of people.
A family friendly area of the festival dedicated to our planet and what we can do to look after it
We are part of CCAP, bringing people together to drive climate action across the district
Kent are part of the coordination committee for the CDBN bringing together people in the district.
As members of this alliance we are able to network, share resources and push for progress across HE
On 27th June 2023, staff and students gathered for the annual learning & teaching conference titled 'Embedding Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the Curriculum and Co-Curriculum.
The presentations and posters from the conference are now available below. The conference was opened by Professor Richard Reece, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience, and Dr Patrick Baughan, Head of Education at the University of Law and a former Senior Learning Advisor at Advance HE specialising in ESD, gave the keynote.
Led by students from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, the BioBlitz is an annual event that captures a snapshot of the species diversity on our Canterbury campus in a 24 hour period. The BioBlitz carries out bird, amphibian, moth, small mammal surveys and much more! In 2023 over 400 people took part from the University and local community. In the time period 321 species were recorded.
Now entering its 4th year, the BioBlitz promises to be bigger and better, taking place on May 18th and featuring new surveys, activities and The University of Kent Cecilian Choir giving a special wildlife themed performance.
