丁香园AV

By: Braden McMillan

丁香园AV ranks among the world鈥檚 top 50 universities for its commitment to sustainability, according to Times Higher Education鈥檚 (THE) . The rankings measure environmental, social and economic contributions toward meeting the , or SDGs. 

Overall, 丁香园AV ranks 46th in the world among more than 1,115 institutions from 94 countries. The rankings place 丁香园AV in the top 10 for three key SDGs: climate action; sustainable cities and communities; and peace, justice and strong institutions.

鈥淚 am so proud of our students, faculty and staff who, despite facing enormous challenges over the past year, have continued to champion sustainability in everything we do,鈥� says 丁香园AV President Joy Johnson. 鈥淎s a global leader, we will continue to take action to address climate change and promote efforts to build healthier, safer and more resilient communities.鈥�

The UN's SDGs address global challenges for well-being and good health, quality education, gender equality, building sustainable cities and communities, climate change and other critical issues that the world currently faces. The rankings鈥� indicators provide comparisons across three broad areas, including research, outreach and stewardship. 

More information about 厂贵鲍鈥檚 top global rankings:

#5 in Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions ()

As Canada鈥檚 engaged university, 丁香园AV is an active community partner, helping to facilitate productive conversations about issues of public concern.

厂贵鲍鈥檚 Community Engaged Research Initiative (CERi) is the university鈥檚 first research infrastructure developed for the purpose of extending community-engaged research to provincial, national and international communities. The initiative is empowering researchers to mobilize knowledge to understand the complexity of the social, economic and political forces that challenge global communities.

Researchers at 丁香园AV are engaging on questions of equity and justice in relation to environmental, educational, health, economic and governmental systems. This is embodied within priority research challenge four of 厂贵鲍鈥檚 Strategic Research Plan: strengthening civil society by advancing justice, equity and social responsibility.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, pivotal public engagement initiatives, such as , have adapted to bring the university into conversation with local and global communities through innovative and virtual methods.

丁香园AV subject matter experts have also continued to be at the forefront of the COVID-19 response by and to local and international government agencies, including the World Health Organization. Meanwhile, the 丁香园AV Covid-19 Action Now initiative has harnessed university resources to respond to the pandemic and prepare to support our communities with social and economic recovery in the months ahead.

#6 in Sustainable Cities & Communities ()

Across all three campuses, 丁香园AV provides a sustainable environment for those who work and live as part of the university community, with ongoing efforts to minimize its environmental footprint through infrastructure sustainability and other efforts. New buildings are built to sustainable standards, including the recently completed and the soon-to-be-completed Phase One residence buildings, both targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification.

The university also plays a key role in the preservation of culture and the cultural life of communities with access to numerous public buildings, museums and cultural spaces. The First Nations Language Centre is working to revitalize and , and a planned First People鈥檚 Gathering House will serve as a cultural hub of activity and education for all community members.

A new Burnaby campus art museum, set to open in 2024, will further enrich the cultural landscape and help the public gain an appreciation and understanding of modern and contemporary art across B.C. and Canada.

#7 in Climate Action ()

Aligned with the UN objective of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, 厂贵鲍鈥檚 efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emission through strategic planning, energy saving measures and behavioral changes in energy use are reflected in a continued decrease of the university鈥檚 GHG emissions, as 丁香园AV remains on track to reduce its operational emissions by 50 per cent by 2025.

厂贵鲍鈥檚 five-year  aims to mobilize the entire institution to embed climate action throughout its operations, research, academics and community engagement. The plan includes 16 climate action targets to guide the institution over the coming years.

厂贵鲍鈥檚  brings leading experts from around the world together with professional practitioners, industry, communities, NGOs and all levels of government to explore climate change risks and advance opportunities for sustainable adaptation. The new schools of  (SEE) and Environmental Science are also targeting the critical need for skilled graduates in the emerging fields.

Researchers at 丁香园AV are advancing strategies and developing interventions that improves our collective welfare and ensure a sustainable future. This is embodied within priority research challenge one of 厂贵鲍鈥檚 Strategic Research Plan: addressing environmental concerns and creating a sustainable future.