The awards were presented in Kochi, India, and acknowledge entrepreneurship and engagement in higher education, with a focus on sustainability.
La Trobe University Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Susan Dodds said the awards acknowledged the commitment of La Trobe staff and students to improving the future of the planet.
“We are seeing the impact of climate change now more clearly than ever, and La Trobe is proud to be a leader among climate conscious universities, committed to improving our environment. We’ve invested in practical measures and supported long-term initiatives, such as Net Zero, that will ensure La Trobe becomes Victoria’s first zero-emissions university by 2029.”
La Trobe is recognised for world leading research in conservation and fresh-water ecology and sustainable agriculture. Professor Dodds said other La Trobe environmental initiatives include the Nangak Tamboree eco-corridor at its Bundoora campus, which provides habitat for local flora and fauna and acts as a living laboratory for students and staff.
“We have also embedded Sustainability Thinking – as one of the three La Trobe Essentials – in the curriculum of all undergraduate degrees, to encourage every student to think creatively about sustainability,” Professor Dodds said.
The Green University of the Year Award went to Chiba University of Commerce, Japan.