2020 marks the ten year anniversary of UCC being the first university globally to receive the pioneering Green Flag award, established by the Foundation for Environmental Education. The university continues to lead the way on sustainability and environmental issues since reaching this prestigious milestone, and is now placed first worldwide in the Times Higher Education’s ranking for responsible consumption and production. Students at UCC are the inspiration and the driver behind the continued positive action across the university and are supported by the expertise and passion of dedicated staff.
Some of the achievements of the university which have established them as a world-leading in sustainable educational institution include divesting completely from fossil fuel investments, hosting Ireland’s only university “Farm to Fork” food campaign, hosting a zero-plastic café on campus, and cutting their carbon footprint by over a third in recent years.
UCC has officially opened a brand-new student services and learning centre which will deliver huge benefits to 26,000 students. What was previously one of the oldest buildings to be found on the university’s campus has undergone a radical transformation into the Hub, the new heart of the campus that delivers a modern, state-of-the-art facility while conserving the charm and beauty of the 170-year-old historic building.
The new Hub has study facilities, teaching and event spaces, as well as a comprehensive hub for all types of student services, including student wellbeing, careers advice, disability support, and the student experience office. In addition to this, it houses many of the university’s unique clubs and societies, over a hundred in number, so new and existing students won’t need to go far to find everything they need for their university life.