Posted by Apolline Andrieu-Delille — October 24, 2024 — As the need for sustainability action in higher education becomes increasingly more important, the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index, released in September by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), recognizes institutions leading the way. This report not only recognizes top-performing institutions across 17 key sustainability impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) (see announcement below), but also includes inspiring stories of sustainability leadership from institutions around the globe.
The 2024 SCI offers something for everyone:
Prospective students: Identify colleges and universities that prioritize sustainability, in academic programs and beyond, helping you choose a campus that aligns with your values.- Higher education alumni: See how your alma mater is performing in sustainability and take pride in their progress or advocate for further action.
- Sustainability staff and administrators: Benchmark your institution against peers, identify areas for improvement, and draw inspiration from top performers and highlighted institutions.
- The public: Learn how campuses are driving positive change on campus and in their communities.
The 2024 SCI is a vital tool for anyone looking to understand, contribute to and advance sustainability in higher education.
Top institutions by category:
- Humber College (Associate and short-cycle institutions)
- Dickinson College (Baccalaureate institutions)
- Thompson Rivers University (Master’s institutions)
- Université de Sherbrooke (Doctoral institutions)
Meghan Fay Zahniser, executive director of AASHE, stated:
As sustainability becomes increasingly central to the mission of colleges and universities, the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index provides essential insights and showcases the innovative work being done in higher education. This report is not just about recognizing excellence — it’s about inspiring action and equipping institutions with the knowledge they need to achieve sustainability and climate impact. As we highlight the pioneering institutions featured in this year’s Index, we also celebrate the collective achievements of all STARS participants. Every institution engaged with STARS is demonstrating invaluable leadership and commitment to advancing sustainability in higher education.
AASHE launches STARS 3.0
AASHE announced earlier in the summer the release of STARS 3.0, the latest version of its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).
STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework that enables colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. First launched in 2010, STARS was designed as a framework for understanding sustainability across all sectors of higher education, to enable meaningful comparisons using a common set of indicators and measurements, and to provide incentives for continuous improvement. This updated version of STARS builds on insights gathered from hundreds of stakeholders and includes enhanced features to support higher education institutions worldwide.
Key features of STARS 3.0:
- Greater scope: More robust indicators of racial equity and social justice, including student and employee diversity, pay equity, and workers’ rights.
- Streamlined credits: Simplified, performance-based credits across multiple impact areas, including curriculum, research, engagement, and operations.
- Global accessibility: Broadened applicability for higher education institutions of all types around the world, including a shift to metric units.
- Reduced documentation: 40 percent fewer documentation fields than the previous version.
To celebrate the launch of STARS 3.0, AASHE is offering a 20% discount on new STARS subscriptions through the end of 2024. Use discount code STARSv3 to take advantage of this offer.
