International

Introduction

In recent times The United Nations has launched its Sustainable Development Goals, and The Welsh Government has implemented the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, both hugely significant in supporting and developing national and global sustainability, especially SDG 17 and the WFG Act's five ways of working to enhance sustainability.

What Wales is doing today, the world will be doing tomorrow. Action, more than words, is the hope for our current and future generations."

– Nikhil Seth, 2015
Director of the Division for Sustainable Development, DESA
United Nations

The Bangor-Makerere Partnership (Wales-Uganda)

With support from Hub Cymru Africa, The Bangor-Makerere Partnership in Uganda has been established to work collaboratively on enhancing and promoting sustainability within both universities and their partners through shared learning and collaborative research & innovation. This includes industrial research and international student placements and training opportunities as well as closer working between the two universities at an organisational level.

The Partnership has already attracted a wide diversity of active participants include Planning, Human Resources, Campus Services, Procurement, Library, International, research groups and the Students' Union, and is gaining funding as well as attention from organisations such as the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), The World Bank, and The British Council. These partners are developing a number of projects including the Bangor-Makerere Students' Link, textile re-use, and value addition to pineapple crops.

The Students' Link

This initiative supports students from international universities to work together and take the lead in developing sustainability in their universities and communities, promoting collaboration and well-being across continents. The overall goal of The Students' Link is to bring different student bodies from all over the world to advance sustainable development in their universities and communities through shared learning.

The Bangor-Makerere Students' Link

Bangor & Makerere students discuss campus greening in Uganda

With support from Hub Cymru Africa, The University has started implementing this project by partnering with the Students' Union at Bangor University and the Sustainability Program at Makerere University in Uganda. The Bangor-Makerere Students' Link currently focuses on four main areas:

• urban greening (any form of green projects and ideas from students)
• improving energy efficiency
• improving waste management & resource utilisation
• increasing awareness, communication and publicity about sustainability

One example of the Students' Link already underway is an on-campus fruit tree planting project. This will green the Bangor and Makerere campuses and provide fruit to students, staff and the local communities in Bangor and Kampala.

Students for Sustainability at Makerere University on Facebook

Sustainable Clothing Action

Consumer demand for clothing globally means that preventing textiles from being landfilled or disposed of is an issue that affects most countries. In 2015, Bangor University signed up as a WRAP Sustainable Clothing Action Partner. Since then, The University has been developing partnerships with those wishing to reuse unwanted clothing, extend the life of clothes and textiles, and encourage reuse activities. Working both domestically and internationally with retailers, trade associations, governments, communities and consumers, we are finding ways to reduce waste as well as strengthen links between members of local communities, including university staff and students, local businesses and members of the public.

Our recent campaign, #LoveYourClothesBangor, piloted a highly successful series of events designed to help people make the most of their garments while drawing attention to the environmental issues of clothing waste. We also produced a template for how to set up similar events, enabling others to learn from our experiences. The completed template can now be used by a wide variety of organisations anywhere in the world.

SCA News

Latchem, R.  Textile exporters take case to Africa.  MRW

Modern slavery

Following the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, The Procurement team have produced a Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement identifying supply chains where there is a risk of slavery and human trafficking taking place, and noting the steps being introduced to assess and manage the risk.

The University has signed up to the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice on Ethical Employment in Supply Chains. The Code is designed to ensure that workers in public sector supply chains are employed ethically and in compliance with both the letter and spirit of UK, EU and international laws. The Code covers a number of employment issues, including modern slavery and human rights abuses.

Equal Access and Scholarship Schemes

The University offers a number of scholarships for students classified as refugees, internally displaced or have otherwise been affected by conflict: www.bangor.ac.uk/international/future/commonwealth

We are also signed up to be part of the Cara network, the Council for At-Risk Academics, which provides help to academics in immediate danger, those forced into exile, and many who choose to work on in their home countries despite serious risks: www.cara.ngo/who-we-are/partners-and-supporters/cara-scholars-at-risk-uk-universities-network/

We are proud to be part of the Universities of Sanctuary national network of university staff, lecturers, academics and students. The University commits to creating a culture of welcome, safety, solidarity and empowerment for people seeking sanctuary within, and beyond, our campus. This has recently resulted in aiding refugees from the Ukraine.