The key content of the Sustainability Highlights 2024 describes the realisation of the University's first sustainability and responsibility plan. The report includes also examples of other sustainability and responsibility measures taken during the year, such as community-based sustainability measures.
The recently published report describes, among other things, the University's success in the sustainability-themed rankings, support for communal sustainability culture as well as concrete examples of investing in sustainability expertise as well as climate and nature conservation efforts.
Successes and international recognition
A key part of the 2024 report is the review of the realisation of the measures laid down in the University's first sustainability and responsibility plan for 2022-2024 . According to estimates, 82% of the plan's measures were implemented, with 13% implemented partially and 5% not at all. Consequently, it can be said that the programme has been largely successfully implemented. In accordance with its objective, the programme has promoted the inclusion of sustainability and responsibility themes in all University operations. The new sustainability and responsibility plan for 2025-2028 , based on the previous plan, was published in April.
The University's improved position in two international sustainability-themed university rankings also speaks of the progress attained through long-term efforts. In 2024 the University of Helsinki was ranked 18th in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, and 101st-200th in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
Supporting sustainability culture and strengthening sustainability expertise
In recent years the University of Helsinki has also invested in the development of sustainability expertise, and this continued in 2024. The University launched a specialisation programme for climate experts and a new online course for staff called Towards Sustainability Expertise. In addition, collaboration with the Centre for University Teaching and Learning and the Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science continued in a number of research projects aiming at developing sustainability expertise.
Over the course of the year the University's sustainability culture was boosted by supporting 11 individual sustainability projects, or Sparkles, within the University community, which made sustainability efforts increasingly visible throughout the University.
The theme of the equality and diversity efforts during 2024 was the promotion of cultural equity. Several events were organised on this theme throughout the year.
International cooperation and concrete climate and nature action
In June the University hosted together with Aalto University the world's leading sustainability science event, Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress. This was merged with the Sustainability Science Days event, which had already been organised for several years previously. The congress brought together the Finnish and international sustainability science community and attracted a total of 1,050 participants.
Among other things, progress was made in the field of reduced air travel, even if the University's carbon footprint remained at the previous year's level.
The diversity of campus nature was surveyed for the first time with both the views of the community and the different values associated with campus areas taken into account.
