TU Delft eighth on SustainaBul sustainability ranking

TU Delft eighth on SustainaBul sustainability ranking 

 

 

_{An earlier demonstration by action group End Fossil at TU Delft. (Photo: Nikita Ham)}

 

 

TU Delft came in eighth at the annual SustainaBul sustainability ranking. Just like last year, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences is the winner.

 

Since 2012, the SustainaBul is compiled annually by the student initiative Studenten van Morgen (Students of Tomorrow). The ranking assesses Dutch universities and colleges on sustainability. The aim of the ranking is to stimulate sustainability and create awareness, according to the compilers.

 

To determine the ranking, the students looked at, among other things, the education offered, the sustainability goals, long-term vision and sustainability measures on and around the campus. Other social efforts, such as poverty reduction and gender equality, are included in the assessments as well.

Not included are the ties with the fossil industry, which have come under attack in the past few months, including in Delft. The End Fossil action group recently occupied the Pulse education building, calling on TU Delft to stop starting new research projects with fossil companies. This year, however, the organization looked for the first time at the bank where the universities store their money and the pension fund they are affiliated with.

 

When the method was developed, those protests had not yet occurred, says Studenten voor Morgen board member Floris de Boer to the HOP news agency. “Maybe it will be included in the SustainaBul next year, but we will leave this to the new board.”

 

Although the TU Delft is just in the top ten, (out of 33 institutions), Studenten voor Morgen praises the TU Delft for its student participation in sustainability efforts. A good example of this, according to the organization, are the dream teams, such as the Eco-Runner and the Hydro Motion Team. Studenten voor Morgen is also positive about the new geothermal project, which is planned to be heating the entire campus, and the sustainability project The Green Thread. (KB)