Our approach

Our community

Community has always been important at ARU, and the fourth goal in our Sustainability Strategy 2020-26 focuses on that. We will work alongside our local communities, supporting them to develop their understanding of sustainability and create social structures that can lead in sustainability.

In recent months our students have led on a range of projects tackling all aspects of the SDGs, from gender inequality and modern slavery, to homelessness.

What we're doing

By 2026 we will:

  • empower staff and students, in partnership with the Students’ Union, as ‘climate and ecological crisis’ ambassadors through volunteering and other activities such as supporting teachers and local schools to develop their knowledge of sustainability through in-school talks and workshops
  • engage and collaborate with local groups, including councils, political parties, businesses, higher education institutions (HEIs) and civil society to collaborate on making our local communities more sustainable
  • work with students, staff, the unions and the local community to re-create our campus estate as an embodiment of place-based education, through restoring and expanding wildlife habitats, allowing people to reconnect with nature and encouraging learning
  • students have been working collaboratively to engage with local and global communities, with activities covering a range of UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Progress to date

We're following a series of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to make sure we reach our goals. Our KPI report for the Community goal details progress up to August 2021.

Community KPI report

Sustainability Strategy 2020-26