Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) is ranked globally against other tertiary institutes based on social, environmental and governance metrics to establish its position.
UC Amorangi Toitū | Pro-Vice-Chancellor Sustainability Professor Jan Evans-Freeman says the University community can be proud of the positioning.
“The rankings result is a testament to the hard work and the increasing awareness by the University community of how sustainability issues are part of all university activities.”
This includes aligning many of the University’s internal and external activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is exemplified through course offerings, research, and bringing communities together to solve complex issues.
UC has strong course offerings in sustainability degrees through engineering, science, arts, forestry and education; and now offers a professional development programme for postgraduate students and staff on related issues and the SDGs.
“The programme covers what the SDGs are and why they’re important, sustainability and being a researcher in Aotearoa, with videos from UC experts on sustainable practice in research,” says Professor Evans-Freeman.
The first cohort of students from the Bachelor of Social and Environmental Sustainability will graduate in April 2025. The degree explores the biggest global problems humans have caused by injustice towards the environment and communities, from pollution to climate change.
Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva recently presented his findings from one of the world’s largest climate adaptation research projects (POCCA) at the recent 29th Conference of Parties (COP29).
The Pacific Ocean Climate Crisis Assessment (POCCA) study found that a range of climate adaptation strategies, including relocating households and villages, are already being employed across the Pacific region. The study provided an analysis of climate-change impacts, responses and adaptation strategies in the region using multidisciplinary approaches from natural science, social science, humanities and Indigenous knowledge. It brings to the surface the impacts on emotional, cultural, economic, psychological, and environmental experiences of Pacific communities.
Next year UC will host the United Nations World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP). The conference will convene 1,500 scientists, practitioners, governments, industry and community, youth, educators and communicators at the forefront of climate adaptation.
