The University of York's Sustainability Clinic has won a prestigious Green Gown award.

The Clinic, which forms part of York’s suite of interdisciplinary modules and is available to students from across the University, was recognised for its work in student engagement.

The University was up against 14 other finalists and triumphed at an awards ceremony in Liverpool, with guests from across education and sustainability sectors celebrating the exceptional stories and achievements of colleges and universities this year.

Local community

To date, 300 students and 51 partner organisations have participated in Clinic projects, which brings together students and the local community to tackle pressing sustainability issues.

Working in teams, students are given a project brief that has been co-produced with a community organisation, charity, SME or local government, focusing on a sustainability challenge faced by the organisation.

All projects are designed to develop students’ employability skills while adding capacity to local organisations to tackle the challenges of environmental sustainability.

Scale of engagement

The Green Gown judges said they were “impressed at the scale of engagement” and “the project clearly articulated the benefits to stakeholders and serves as an adaptable model for other institutions.”

York now progresses as a finalist for the international awards as a regional winner.

Professor Stephen Levett, Director of the Sustainability Clinic said:

"We are absolutely thrilled to win this award - the whole SC team has worked incredibly hard to get the Clinic up and running."

“The range of sustainability projects our students have been working on is fantastic - everything from biodiversity surveys on local farms to possible underground sources of energy at York Minster to sustainable travel plans for English Rugby League."

“Their enthusiasm and commitment is starting to deliver tangible results and we are looking forward to building on this success."

Collaboration

Professor Claire Hughes, Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning and Students in the Faculty of Sciences, added:

“I am delighted that the Sustainability Clinic has received this award. The Clinic is the result of a fantastic collaboration between colleagues from across the University."

“We are hugely excited about the great work Sustainability Clinic students will do in the coming years to help solve sustainability issues within the City and region. Well done to all involved in establishing and running this great initiative.”

Initially piloted as voluntary activity, from 2023/24, the Sustainability Clinic is now available as an interdisciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate elective module. The Sustainability Clinic has been developed in partnership by Careers and Placements, the Baroness Hale Law Clinic, York Environmental Sustainability Institute and Environmental Sustainability at York.