Student-Led Initiatives
Here we present student-led sustainability initiatives at UZH.
For the full overview, see the Sustainability Report 2019/2020 (in German)
University of Zurich Student Association Sustainability Commission
The University of Zurich Student Association's Sustainability Commission works toward promoting sustainability both at the University and in the private lives of UZH students. The commission's wide-ranging activities include launching and organizing the University's annual Sustainability Week.
University of Zurich Student Association Comissions
Ideaction - Student Projects for the environment and society
Ideaction is a platform connecting students with impactful ideas for sustainability. Students can either choose an existing idea and create a project group with like-minded peers. Or: They send in their own idea, Ideaction publishes it on the platform, and other students can build a team around their idea and put it into practice.
VSN|FDD|FSS - Swiss Association of student organizations for Sustainability
Swiss student organizations that work towards sustainability are members in the umbrella organization VSN|FDD|FSS. The group's main goal is strengthening sustainable development in teaching, research, and university infrastructure, as well as in the daily life of a university's community.
Sustainability Week Zurich
Since 2013 the Sustainability Week takes place at five universities in Zurich, namely UZH, ETH Zurich, Zurich University of Teacher Education, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences and Zurich University of the Arts. Every year student volunteers organize numerous events on the topic of sustainability, which take place during one week in March. In 2017, the Sustainability Week achieved a new record with over 5‘000 attendants. Besides, the Sustainability Week is active in university policy to promote sustainability.
Initiative Psychologie im Umweltschutz (IPU) Schweiz
This association, founded in 2006 at UZH, is open to all students and professionals (researchers or practitioners) involved in in the fields of psychology, social sciences, and environmental sciences. The association organizes conferences, talks, and informal gatherings, and carries out other activities. The group aims to raise awareness for environmental psychology and to provide tools to apply psychological knowledge in the areas of environmental protection and the promotion of sustainability.
Initiative Psychologie im Umweltschutz (IPU) Schweiz(in German)
Project "Plurale Ökonomik"
In the project "Pluralism in Economics", economics, political and environmental science students organise a lecture at UZH AND ETH Zurich covering various economic theories. The lecture shall enable students to solve complex problems using insights from various theories.
Vorlesung Plurale Ökonomik(in German) Projekt Plurale Ökonomik(in German)
"Strebergärtli" (Allotment garden at Campus Irchel)
In the allotment garden "Strebergärtli" students can garden, build something, eat or spend time together by the fire. Everyone is welcome – with or without having a green thumb. The project "Strebergärtli" was initiated in the context of the "Make Irchel more Sustainable" contest.
Amnesty International University Group Zurich
The university group organizes activities such as presentations, film screenings, and info booths on human rights issues. The biweekly meetings provide the opportunity to discuss current human rights issues.
Amnesty International University Group Zurich
Animal Rights Switzerland - University Group Zurich
The university group of Animal Rights Switzerland fosters reflection on our relation to animals at Zurich higher education campuses. The group organizes talks, reading groups, meet-ups, and film presentations on topics related to animal rights and plant-based living.
Animal Rights Switzerland - University Group Zürich
Marrow Zurich
The student association aims at raising awareness for the importance of blood stem cell donation and to further expand the international register of donors. To do so, Marrow Zurich organises conferences, informational meetings, fundraising events and events to recruit further blood stem donors.
Friends of Médecins Sans Frontières Zürich
The association “Friends of Médecins Sans Frontières Zürich” offers students a forum for in-depth exchange on global health issues. This includes the organization of events and dialogue between students and staff of Médecins Sans Frontières.
Friends of Médecins Sans Frontières Zürich
Giving What We Can
Giving What We Can is an international society dedicated to eliminating extreme poverty in the developing world. Its mission is to inspire donations to the world's most effective charities. Giving What We Can uses evidence to identify those organizations and shares its findings. Members pledge to give at least 10% of their income to the organizations which do the most good with their donations.
sneep - student network for ethics in economics and practice – Zurich section
sneep is a network that offers students a forum for critical reflection on traditional forms of economy and promotes public discourse on economic and corporate ethics. The activities of the Zurich section generally take place during the semester and include the organization of podium discussions, symposiums, lunch-hour presentations, film evenings with discussions, and other activities.
sneep - student network for ethics in economics and practice (in German)