Research and teaching

How we're supporting staff and students to embed sustainability into research, teaching and learning.

Sustainability in research

As a leading research-intensive university, we are committed to sustainability in all our research areas.

Sustainability in embedded into our research culture, while laboratory performance is assessed using recognised frameworks such as Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) and UKRI's Sustainable Practices and Research Knowledge (SPARK) Hub. All our labs have achieved at least Silver LEAF certification.

We design and retrofit research facilities to improve energy efficiency, consider lifecycle impacts when purchasing equipment, and encourage researchers to adopt resource-efficient practices, such as reducing energy use, minimising waste and designing experiments to lower environmental impacts.

Staff and PGRs can find out more and access our Sustainable Research Guide on our dedicated Sustainable Research SharePoint site.

To find out more about our plans to reduce the environmental impact of our research, see the 'Research' section of the University Climate Action Plan.

Sustainability in teaching

We're supporting our students to engage in the challenges humanity faces and embedding discipline-relevant aspects of education for sustainable development into the curriculum of every degree programme.

At present, 40% of our students are studying on UG programmes with discipline-appropriate sustainability content included in core units.

Find out more about our work in this space on our Education for sustainability webpage.

Cabot Institute for the Environment

The Cabot Institute for the Environment connects and works with academics, students, and research partners, as well as local and international communities, governments and individuals, to help solve the biggest global environmental challenges.