The University of Bologna ranks ninth in the world among the most sustainability-conscious universities. This has been certified by the new edition of the GreenMetric ranking, which rates more than 1,500 universities to assess their green actions and policies.
The new data also confirm, for the ninth consecutive year, the University of Bologna’s first place among Italian universities. Not only that: this year the University has also achieved first in the world in the field of sustainable transport and mobility.
Thanks to these achievements, the university was honoured at the GreenMetric Awards, the prizes awarded to the world's most sustainable universities at GreenMetric's annual conference, which this year was held in Taiwan, at the National Chi Nan University.
"In times of climate change and the energy crisis, universities have a double responsibility: they must contribute through scientific research to finding new solutions on the sustainability front, and they must set a good example by applying environmentally friendly policies," says Rector Giovanni Molari. "The recognition from GreenMetric confirms our deep commitment towards creating an increasingly sustainable future, starting with our Energy Plan: an ambitious programme with which we are continuing to reduce consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while promoting the use of renewable energy sources".
One of the standouts among the achievements in the individual indicators within this year’s overall ranking is the University of Bologna's first place in the world for sustainable mobility. It is a result that rewards the many actions taken by the university in this direction. New initiatives include the introduction of a system of subsidised annual passes to promote urban and interurban public transport, encouraging the daily use of bicycles for home-to-campus travel, and managing an internal fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles available to staff.
"We are deeply honoured by this world record," adds Rector Molari. "For the University of Bologna, engaging in the field of sustainable urban mobility means assuming a shared responsibility towards local areas and communities, and this prestigious result will encourage us to pursue even more ambitious goals."
Launched by Universitas Indonesia in 2010, the GreenMetric ranking is designed to engage universities around the world in a common commitment to sustainability and environmental issues. The ranking evaluates the green actions and policies adopted by universities. The focus is on climate change, water and energy consumption, waste recycling and sustainable transport, investment in research and a commitment to teaching in these areas.
