Two of our initiatives have been recognised as finalists in the 2025 Green Gown Awards for UK and Ireland, building on our continued commitment to sustainability.
This shortlisting recognises the ways we are using our efforts to protect and enhance nature on our campus to benefit others. It builds on the ambitious work that we have already undertaken through our Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.
This is the third time that work relating to our biodiversity has been recognised in the Green Gown Awards. We won the national ‘Nature Positive’ category in 2023, and were highly commended in the 2024 International Green Gown Awards.
Our Biodiversity initiatives have included introducing mini wetlands, attracting rare birds such as buzzards to breed in Durham City for the first time in over two centuries, embedding biodiversity study into our taught modules at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and offering internships working on our estate, as well as projects such as the reintroduction of the most endangered native tree in Britain, the Black Poplar.
This entry focuses on some of the great work which takes place on our estate to support wider communities to engage with these initiatives and more. It highlights how we offer outreach, including school visits to our Botanic Gardens, wellbeing and learning opportunities on our estate to vulnerable children via North East England charity, Nepacs, leading nature walks open to the public, and working with local partners such as Durham Wildlife Trust, the National Trust and the Wear Rivers Trust.
It also shines a light on other projects we are undertaking. Such as our contribution to the Durham City Green Corridor, and our work co-leading the North East’s iNaturalist City Nature Challenge this year, where we offered walks and bioblitzes on citizen science walks this spring.
Durham’s Greenspace Movement was created in 2010 and remains at the heart of our sustainability agenda. It brings together students, staff, external partners and the wider community to work on themes including Net Zero, Biodiversity, Waste, and Travel to support meeting our shared sustainability ambitions.
This includes initiatives like MyGreenspace App for staff and student engagement, regular Greenspace Nature Walks, the annual Greenspace Festival, and the introduction this year of a Greenspace Book Club open to all staff and students. The Movement encourages small acts which make a big difference collectively towards our target of achieving Net Zero by 2035.
As well as leading initiatives, Greenspace actively partners with and supports those designed and championed by our community. Our staff and students play key roles as Greenspace Student Engagement Group (GSEG) representatives, and staff Environment Champions. Not to mention our environmental sustainability student societies, and our many working / steering groups.
While some student engagement projects are well established, such as Green Move Out (currently in its 22nd year), innovative student-led projects come forward year-on-year. This year’s have included redesigning several college grounds for biodiversity, and founding a joint formal wear wardrobe collective between colleges.
Combining top-down and bottom-up approaches through campaigns, events, volunteering, our Greenspace calendar, policy work, projects, and our MyGreenspace app, our presence on campus has grown, as have Greenspace engagement rates.
This is the third time the Greenspace Movement becomes a finalist in the Green Gown Awards, demonstrating significant commitment to embedding sustainability at every level in the University.
Bioblitz event at the Botanic Garden Fun Day.
Our consistent performance in the Green Gown Awards goes hand-in-hand with our ranking as a sustainability leader. We placed 22nd globally in the QS World University Rankings for Sustainability 2026, and 34th in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025.
We hold multiple sustainability awards and accreditations, including Platinum EcoCampus. Recent initiatives and research we are involved in range from reaching 1MW solar capacity from panels installed on over 30 buildings on our campus, to collaborating on a pioneering project to create new Green Corridors in the North East of England.
The Green Gown Awards recognise Higher and Further Education Institutions for their dedication to sustainability. They are a fantastic opportunity to recognise the projects, initiatives, and individuals that contribute positively to their institutions and communities while aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The awards ceremony will be held on Thursday 6 November at the Library of Birmingham.
We’re proud of our two finalist initiatives, regardless of the outcome of the awards, and will continue to develop them alongside other sustainability initiatives over the coming years.
Watch how we are making Durham one of the most environmentally sustainable universities in the UK:
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