UEH Green Campus 2023: Continuing the journey of a green, clean, circular and environmentally friendly university campus

In 2021-2022, the UEH Zero Waste Campus project was launched and attracted a lot of attention and positive feedback from UEHers, the community and society. The series of communication campaigns, actual programs and projects are regularly deployed throughout the academic year to raise awareness and spread the values of green living practice, and change the behavior and habits of the UEHer community. With a good start, in 2023, the project officially enters a new phase called “UEH Green Campus” to convey the message “Time for go green” – working together for a green university in all aspects.

2021 – Efforts to research, propose and adjust the project’s operation model and initial implementation activities

After consulting the strategy of Sustainable University, Green Campus, and Circular Campus on a global scale, along with exchanges with leading experts in the field of environment and waste management in schools, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH) found a model to implement the UEH Green Campus Project. Launched in 2021, the project is one of the important links to the goal of a Multidisciplinary and Sustainable University in the 2021-2030 period. With the message “Rethink & Be Green”, the project received the companionship from Artist Trong Hieu and made a mark of success when it became the champion of the international competition “Challenge of Zero Waste Cities” organized by the NGO Waste Aid and many international sponsors, with a prize of 10,000 euros and 06 months of professional advice from the expert council on the World Environment and Circular Economy.

Over two years of establishment, the project has implemented many activities and is continuously researched and adjusted to suit the general context. This is one of the significant challenges for the first Zero Waste Campus application at a large university like UEH.

Specifically, the project has many activities to spread new approaches to sustainable green living activities, helping change UEHer’s awareness and receive a strong response through communication activities on the project’s digital platforms as well as at the University’s Citizenship Week; Podcast series “Rethink and Be Green”; articles, videos spreading knowledge about “zero waste practice”, Green  UEHer Citizen MV; “Me – Green UEHer Citizen” Handbook; The Garbage Story Creation Contest

2022 – Connecting and spreading the journey of Green living with stakeholders

After the successes of 2021 in communicating and organizing activities to help UEHers initially approach the concept of a clean and green university, in 2022, UEH focuses on connecting relevant communities to spread the journey of green living.

Connecting universities, experts, and recycling collectors through the UEH Zero Waste Station Workshop and working sessions, UEH has received practical comments to come up with options for developing a model of waste classification, treatment and management at UEH, with the desire to reduce 65% of the volume of waste buried at UEH.

Multi-stakeholder connection at the Zero Waste School Festival Workshop organized by UEH in collaboration with the Vietnam Zero Waste Alliance. This is a forum gathering a large number of researchers, scientists, educational institutions, state agencies, domestic and foreign businesses to share and present models of development, construction and operation of a sustainable, green, and zero waste university campus, thereby, helping UEH receive new contributions and options to consider and to adjust the project to be more practical.

Connecting and empowering students to actively organize activities, typically the UEH Green Citizen Day Program which was first held at UEH to create a space for students to have the opportunity to access green living activities, form positive habits of sustainable lifestyles, say no to waste, protect the environment listed as exchanging garbage for gifts – Eco Booth, Refill Booth, Information Booth – Zero Waste Campus, where students get more useful knowledge related to the project “Zero Waste Campus”, playing games on the website “Zero Waste Campus” and so on.

With the theme “Living new with old”, UEH Green Day becomes an annual event, a time for true green practice for each UEHer and is increasingly being improved so as to attract more students’ support.

Implementing the plan to improve the Clusters of garbage bins into a Green Practice Station Model: UEH has reviewed the entire system of garbage bins at the facilities, from the adjusted conventional garbage bin clusters to a Green Practice Station Model, with two main classification models: model 3 and model 7. Concurrently, UEH changed the identifier of the trash system in accordance with the UEH Zero Waste Station model.

Draft Green University Regulations: UEH continues to step by step approach to the current Regulations on the Waste Classification and Management of Vietnam & the city, the Green University Practice Toolkit of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to discuss and come up with a draft Green University Regulation applicable to the entire UEHer community and stakeholders.

2023 – The hinge year for changes, each UEHer will become a green citizen, “Time for go green”

Following the project, overcoming the challenges of the activity series in the 2021 – 2022 period, in 2023, UEH continues to deploy action groups – solutions towards a Sustainable University. With the aim of improving activities, 2023 is not only to reduce waste on campus but also to gradually change the behavior of the community in joining hands to realize a green, clean and resource-saving university in many aspects. The project will officially be renamed “UEH Green Campus” with the main message “Time for Going Green”.

Accordingly, the main activities of the project this year will revolve around core pillars listed as: Research, train, and manage green campus and community, with 5 main groups of solutions:

(1) Implement Living Lab UEHGC in two main groups: training group and research group.

(2) Official trial and operate the Green Practice Station – UEH Go Green Station: UEHer will comply with the principle of garbage classification at the Green Practice Stations – UEH Go Green Station according to model 3 or model 7 located at UEH Campuses and Vinh Long Campus.

(3) Issue the Green University Regulations: Building awareness and practice of Green University for officials, employees and learners at the University with a set of rules in implementing activities at UEH towards Green University – Green Campus, to be specific as follows: practice of waste classification, practice of 3R and practice of Green University principles at UEH; concurrently, clearly defining the responsibilities of the parties involved, managing the appointments and organizing the implementation.

(4) Connecting the community: Connecting with collecting and recycling partners to organize a regular program of exchanging Garbage for green products; concurrently, connecting with universities, academic partners, experts to organize Workshops, Professional Talks, Seminars, Contests, etc.

(5) Promoting two-way communication, empowering students to participate in the program: Continuing to maintain the UEH Green Day festival to expand to the student community in the city; organizing activities at the beginning of courses, workshops and seminars to impart knowledge, empowering students to actively participate in projects and communicate knowledge that changes perceptions.

Dr. Bui Quang Hung – Vice President of UEH – emphasizing: “With the message of “Time for go green” and the garbage-classification standardized model, UEH Go Green Station, at the campuses in Ho Chi Minh City and UEH-Vinh Long Campus, in a serious and disciplined manner, UEH hopes to bring a green and sustainable lifestyle to all UEHer including officials, employees, and learners, resulting in spreading the project with a meaningful message to the community of major universities in Ho Chi Minh City.Concurrently, it continues to connect with partners in the field of green economy, circular economy, creating positive impacts on the economy, environment and society.”

More knowledge and information concerning the UEH Green Campus project is available at the website: https://gogreen.ueh.edu.vn/

News, photos:UEH  Department of Marketing and Communication , UEH Green Campus Project Board