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Acting Sustainable

Education & Research

Universities of applied sciences can play an essential role in the transition to a sustainable society. HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht wants to educate professionals who can contribute to a sustainable society and is therefore systematically working on strengthening sustainable education and research.

As a mission-driven organisation, we want to make a strong contribution to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (SDGs). These goals guide and inspire the HU. We work on social issues and demands from the labour market. These demands are becoming increasingly complex. Interprofessional collaboration between education, research and professional practice is therefore necessary.

In our opinion, every HU study programme should pay attention to achieving (part of) the 17 sustainable development goals. We also strive to offer a generous range of minors related to these SDGs. By actively engaging students in a Green Office to work on sustainability in the HU, we create more student engagement and fresh ideas. Are you curious which sustainable minors the HU offers?

Sustainable Minors 


Knowledge centres
We believe it is important for people to live together in healthy, sustainable, smart cities. From four knowledge centres, we work in the triangle of education, professional practice and knowledge development on urban social issues. These are complex regional issues that can only be resolved through collaboration between different disciplines. Questions from the field are translated into practical assignments for educational purposes and/or linked to research within lectorates. That is how we develop innovative solutions for companies and organisations that contribute to the circular city.

This means that there is extensive collaboration with regular education, here are some more examples. You can also check out our web pages sustainable initiatives or sustainable news for more practice-oriented assignments from various HU programmes. Are you curious about our view on Student Success? Please read the article “De weg naar studentsucces is een groene weg” (The road to student success is a green one).

Learning team developing sustainable education with Teaching & Learning Network (TLN)

Teaching & Learning Network, together with the sustainability programme team, offers guidance to lecturers who want to develop education that contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals. In a lecturer learning team, work is demand-driven. For more information about the learning team, go to the TLN site.

Centres of Expertise

A number of Centres of Expertise are connected to the HU: platforms for business, knowledge institutions and the HU where innovative products and services are jointly developed. The Centre of Expertise Smart Sustainable Cities works through innovative research and education on solutions that bring the realisation of the smart, healthy, sustainable city closer.

Read more about one of their sustainable initiatives here.

SDGs On Stage

SDGs on Stage is an innovative content and stage platform to connect students, lecturers and businesses around the Sustainable Development Goals.

Students are the makers of the future and therefore of great importance for the transition to a sustainable society. In doing so, we strive for a growing economy, a healthy climate and a society where people are healthy, happy and equal.

All universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands have jointly signed the SDG Charter. With this, they commit to making all students SDG-competent and thus contribute to achieving the SDGs in 2030.

SDGs on Stage is an initiative that originated from the SDG network of all universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands. The Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Sciences (Vereniging Hogescholen) supports this.  Click here for more information.

Workshop Education & Research Festival

In January 2020, the Education & Research Festival took place at event location  Werkspoorkathedraal, where the Green Office attended with the workshop Future-proof education and the Sustainable Development Goals: designing education that contributes to SDGs. Every year, the Green Office provides a workshop on sustainability at the Education & Research Festival.

At the beginning of March 2021, the Green Office organized the workshop What would you do if you were a world leader? during the online version of the festival. (Perhaps surprisingly!) guidelines were given on how to organise your daily life in a more sustainable way. And the Green Office project ‘Precious Plastic’ took centre stage.

Green Office HU

The Green Office HU is committed to anchoring a sustainable future in the education and research of HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, as well as in its staff and students. The Green Office does this by informing, inspiring and activating people. Examples where the Green Office brings education and research together are at the sustainability workshops, sustainable tours and meetings, such as the energy market. The complete list of activities can be found here. For more information about the Green Office, go to this page.