2020 Sustainability Survey Report released

The report summarising the findings of the 2020 Sustainability Survey is now available.

The findings are published in two parts; the 2020 Sustainability Survey Report which provides an analysis of the data collected through the survey, and the Executive Summary and Recommendations which summarise the key insights and identified opportunities.

The biennial Survey asks staff and students across all campuses about their behaviours and views towards sustainability at the University of Melbourne. Questions ask the University community to evaluate how well sustainability practices are embedded, how initiatives are performing in their view, and what they identify as key concerns.

Over 1200 current University staff and students completed the Survey and 1078 individual suggestions were made about how the University can improve engagement and environmental practices across campuses.

Key findings include:

  • Awareness of sustainability-related issues has increased both in general and within the University context.
  • Over half of respondents believe that the University considers sustainability as a ‘top priority’. Fewer students than staff believe that the University sees sustainability as a top priority.
  • Reducing the University’s carbon footprint and reducing waste outputs remain top priorities for improving sustainability at the University.
  • Although staff and students are motivated to improve campus sustainability, they experience similar key barriers to personal participation: convenience, expense and a need for more information and/or technical support.
  • Suggestions for improvement centre around improving reach of sustainability-based communications, embedding sustainability across the University and providing resources and infrastructure to encourage participation in sustainability activities.

The Survey was open from 25 May to 19 June 2020 and was promoted and completed online while most students and staff worked and studied remotely due to COVID-19 related restrictions.

The recommendations will be used to evaluate the University’s existing sustainability initiatives and the development of future initiatives, ultimately informing the priorities and targets of the University’s Sustainability Plan 2021–2025.

This is the fifth iteration of the Survey, with reports on past surveys available at Sustainability Commitment.

Download the Report

Download the Executive Summary and Recommendations

More Information

Sustainability Team

sustainable-campus@unimelb.edu.au