In celebration of Campus Sustainability Month in October, AUBG highlights some of its steps towards sustainable campus development, with the aim of transforming these efforts into a leap toward a greener future.
Sustainability consultant Geneva Guerin, a key figure in the creation of one of the first comprehensive campus sustainability indicator frameworks, organized a two-day workshop at AUBG. She shared her knowledge with students, faculty, and staff, and led a practical workshop on evaluating AUBG’s sustainability profile. The event inspired those passionate about sustainability to come together and develop initiatives that will shape a greener campus for years to come.
While AUBG has already championed several eco-friendly initiatives, we’re now ready to implement a full sustainability plan and join the leaders in the field. Together, we can plant the communal garden of care, kindness, and green practices. Will you join us?
Campus sustainability initiatives: planting the seeds
Sustainability has always been on the minds of leadership, students, and everyone involved in the AUBG ecosystem. As a liberal arts university that brings together diverse cultures, we’ve cultivated an open mindset that doesn’t exclude the environment from the equation.
Our mission is to educate conscious leaders who apply sustainability not just in their academic work but also in their broader lives. What better place to sow the seeds of a green mindset than at university?
Students leading sustainable development
The biggest sustainability champions are, in fact, the students. Back in 2020, a group of passionate students developed the first Sustainability Club, securing financing from the U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria to create a mural on Skaptopara I, in partnership with the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation. The mural, titled “It’s Time,” aims to raise awareness about the importance of staying connected to nature.
A year later, the Sustainability Committee was founded, uniting students, faculty, and staff in the communal goal of making AUBG more sustainable.
Sustainability in the education system
Sustainability is also implemented in AUBG’s educational system in both traditional and more holistic ways.
In Fall 2023, AUBG introduced the “Business practicum: Engaging in sustainability” course, where students tackle real-world sustainability challenges faced by businesses, NGOs, or other institutions. Last semester’s client was the hypermarket chain Kaufland. The course, developed by AUBG Alumni Maria Petrova (‘95) and Evelina Van Mensel (EMBA ‘16), is a way for them to give back both to the AUBG community and the environment.
This year, AUBG continues its quest for sustainability in education with the launch of a Sustainability Studies minor, further enhancing student’s knowledge in this interdisciplinary field. The goal is to support students as they become principled leaders in their professional and civic engagements.
Professor Daniel Adsett, who played a key role in inaugurating the minor, said: “You want AUBG students, regardless of their background or discipline, to graduate with a deeper understanding of the impact of climate change, how we can mitigate its effects and make improvements, and how the university is playing a role in this.”
That’s why sustainability education doesn’t stop at specific courses. AUBG integrates sustainability across the entire curriculum, taking a holistic approach to teaching green practices.
Geneva Guerin said: “I hope that in the next 20 years, our efforts towards sustainability and education will focus on transdisciplinary learning and the intersection of all fields, rather than dividing them into separate compartments. I hope this approach bears fruit in society, with students graduating not only with knowledge but also with practical skills that enable them to make informed, sustainable decisions—from their family level all the way up to the government level.”
Institutionalizing sustainability
In addition to introducing the Sustainability Studies minor this year, AUBG appointed Aelita Khusnutdinova (‘24) as the Presidential Fellow for Sustainability. Her role involves structuring the university’s sustainability efforts and ensuring they have a long-term impact.
“I actually want to pursue a master’s in environmental policy because I understand how important it is to put the right legislation in place and follow through with actions.
“I believe that campus sustainability assessments and a clear vision for sustainability are going to be crucial in shaping AUBG’s future over the next 5-10 years,” Aelita shared.
Hopefully, by conducting the campus sustainability assessment, we can meet the requirements and strengthen our position in sustainability rankings, alongside other prestigious universities who are doing their bit for the environment.
Campus sustainability: answering the call to be the change
As we approach the EU’s Net Zero by 2050 goals, it’s time to answer the call to fully implement sustainability at AUBG.
Reflecting on AUBG’s current sustainability efforts, Geneva Guerin noted: “AUBG is at step one, just at the beginning, with a critical mass of people interested in seeing change. Now it’s time to create a system and start moving forward.
“But you’re not too late,” she added. “The advantage of coming in a bit later in the game is that you can learn from others who have fumbled through this process, allowing you to leapfrog some of the early mistakes.”
Guerin recounted her experience in the early ‘90s as a pioneer in the campus sustainability movement, developing the first campus sustainability assessment framework. Today, many professional tools are available for free, allowing institutions like AUBG to benefit from decades of progress in the field.
Workshop on campus sustainability
During her two-day workshop at AUBG, Guerin helped lay the groundwork for assessing the university’s sustainability impact and finding ways to improve. On the first day, she introduced a framework for selecting the most suitable campus sustainability assessment tool. On the second day, she led a hands-on workshop, showing participants how to prepare for and conduct an assessment.
“With the right tools, intention, and readiness, the next step is to integrate sustainability into the university’s strategy through a policy,” Guerin said.
Positive outlook for the future
Guerin started her presentation with a quote by ecological literacy scholar David Orr: “Tonight the Earth will be a little hotter, its waters more acidic, and the fabric of life more threadbare.” This quote is from Orr’s 1991 article What Is Education For?, which was published in his book The Learning Revolution.
Orr’s message underscores that climate change isn’t the result of ignorance but of actions by educated individuals. By being more conscious of the examples we set at universities, we can drive positive change in the world.
In a few years, we hope to look back and celebrate the progress we’ve made. As Aelita put it, “It starts with one person, but when more and more people get on board and realize we need to think as a community, we can achieve great things.”
At Concordia, Geneva led the effort in the ‘90s, and 20 years later, their vision for a sustainable future became a reality. Let’s make sustainability a reality for AUBG too.
If you’re interested in making a positive change, whether through taking a Sustainability Minor or by being part of a university that shapes resilient leaders through integrated sustainability education, join AUBG’s community.
