GUPES Green Gown Awards 2016 – Latin America & the Caribbean – Universidad del Norte – High Comm

Ecocampus Uninorte Program: between the knowledge and action to obtain the knowhow

Highly Commended

Ecocampus Uninorte program is a strategy created at Universidad del Norte in 2014 to visualize and optimize the environmental management of its campus and increase environmental awareness through education, research and promotion to generate well-being and harmonious development of the university community.

The program frames multiple initiatives that range from the development of projects designed to empower the university community on its path to more responsible conduct towards the environment to the sustainable management of technical aspects of the campus.

Since the creation of the program more than 2500 members of the university community and visitors have been involved in the different education and participative activities, especially restoration and urban agriculture projects.

Top 3 learnings

1. We found out that there’s a natural and big interest from university community members, especially students, to take part in environmental projects and be informed about the different environmental problems occurring on their territory. New generations really want to make positive changes on the planet.
2. Easily replicable initiatives such as restoration and urban agriculture projects proved to be great platforms for environmental education and also created valuable spaces for social cohesion among the university community.
3. In order to achieve sustainability in higher education institutions academy and administration must work hand in hand.

What it means to win

“Winning this award will be an important recognition of our strong commitment to protect nature and to the sustainable development of our society. It will also celebrate the incessant work of each one of the persons that arduously got involved with the activities of the program and helped us build a future where earth and humanity can coexist in harmony”

Dr Jesús Ferro Bayona, Rector

Videos

• Ecocampus Uninorte Program: between the knowledge and action to obtain the knowhow (click to hide)