NUS is committed to pursuing sustainability in its education, research, innovation and enterprise, operating practices, partnerships and engagement.
As a leading global university based in Asia and Singapore’s flagship university, NUS is committed to advancing sustainable development and contributing to the global fight against climate change.
Recognising the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability and climate change education and research, and leveraging the university’s intellectual resources across numerous academic disciplines, we aspire to deliver quality education to both our undergraduate and graduate students to help them realise aspirations and fulfil responsibilities in an increasingly complex world, through fostering a culture and appreciation for the intricacies of sustainability issues. We will deepen our research capabilities and further forge collaborations and synergies – locally and globally – to generate sustainable solutions for economic and social development together with environmental protection.
In furthering this ambition, we will also use its expansive campus grounds as a living laboratory to test-bed institution-led technologies and create innovative learning experiences for its students. We endeavor to be responsible stewards of the physical environment, and using our campus grounds to promote
environmental awareness and action.
To this end, NUS will channel our efforts and resources to:
We seek to provide compelling opportunities for our students to learn transdisciplinary critical-thinking and sense-making skills to understand the intricacies of sustainability issues, and also disciplinarity-based and interdisciplinary skills to learn the key principles and practices of sustainability through domain-specific
programmes.
Acknowledging the complexity of climate science and sustainability, we strive for high quality research and encourage our researchers to collaborate across disciplines, to create new knowledge, develop sustainability solutions that are optimised for tropical, urban and Asian settings as well as bring these innovations to market.
We support the incorporation of environmentally responsible concerns in the university’s decision making.
We demonstrate institutional practices that promote sustainability, including
• applying sustainability principles to the master-planning, design and construction, renovations and upgrading and operations and maintenance of our buildings and campuses
• minimising the energy, water and material resources we utilise
• reducing our wastes at source and recycling as much as possible, to make NUS a zero-waste campus
• protecting, preserving and enhancing the natural environment of the campus
• promoting the use of sustainable modes of transport
• reducing the carbon emissions associated with campus operations, and aspire to be a carbon-neutral campus
• applying solutions that can address the urban heat challenge of the campus
We recognise that implementing these measures would also create a healthier educational and work environment for our staff and students.
NUS will promote collaborations extensively within its institution as well as with external partners including government agencies, universities and the private sector to develop actionable policies and solutions. NUS will also contribute to the global agenda of sustainability and climate action through partnership with international bodies that represent the collective aspirations and goals of the world community in sustainable
development, including participation in international leadership.
By integrating sustainability and climate action in all of NUS’ activities, it is aligned with the university’s guiding principles of excellence in teaching, research and innovation and public service. Collectively, NUS will shape the future of sustainability and climate action in an impactful way.
As at Aug 2021