Global Graduate Award in Sustainability

Tags: University of Surrey | student outcomes

The University of Surrey’s Global Graduate Award in Sustainability introduces students to the wide-ranging issues that are encompassed within sustainability  - and some of the promising solutions.

The course is free, being open to any student at the University of Surrey, whatever their level (undergraduate to PhD) and whatever they are studying as their main degree (eg, music to engineering).  

It is delivered by specialists from within the University and beyond, with a different topic presented each week. The course is structured around the “three pillars” of sustainability:

  • Environmental issues include the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss as well as resource management for energy, food and water provision.
  • Economic aspects include discussion of taxes, subsidies, the dilemma of economic growth, and corporate responsibility.
  • Social matters span the sociology and psychology of sustainability, environmental law and sustainable tourism.

The diverse concepts are drawn together by applying them to a case study family.

This highly popular course has seen dramatic rises in the numbers of students taking it since its inception in 2014. It is an important component of the University’s wider aim to develop students’ awareness of sustainability through curricular and co-curricular provision: Surrey graduates will go on to cascade life-long sustainable solutions into all sectors across the world.