Maastricht University Green Office
Mission
The Maastricht University Green Office is the student-driven sustainability department of Maastricht University, initiating and coordinating sustainability projects by empowering students and staff members. It inspired the Green Office Model.
Achievements
» Drafted an e-waste policy which resulted in a 190% increase in the recycling rate of electronics
» Lobbied for changes in the food supply, leading to an increase of organic food from 5% to 17%
» Created a sustainability vision, roadmap and policy
» Successfully lobbied for solar panels being placed on three buildings
» Publishes the Maastricht University Journal of Sustainability Studies
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Team
6 student employees work at the Maastricht University Green Office. Furthermore, a PhD candidate works in the team part-time. The Green Office engages volunteers on individual projects throughout the university. A sustainability taskforce works with the Green Office to advance sustainability.
Founding story of the Maastricht University Green Office
Many student initiatives were working on sustainability, but with little impact on the institution itself. On the other hand, the university had an environmental coordinator and sustainability committee. However, students were not involved and the impact of these bodies was limited. The Green Office was established as the first of its kind in 2010 to empower more students to advance changes within the university. The student-led sustainability department grew over time, by taking over more responsibilities, enlarging its budget and successfully lobbying for a PhD position to become part of the team.
Background
This Green Office is part of Maastricht University in the Netherlands, in the Netherlands. 16,700 students study and 3,300 staff work at the university. It is the most international university of the Netherlands, with around 50% international students. Upon its founding, this Green Office was approved by the Executive Board. It is a department within Facility Services. In 2017, the Green Office had an annual budget of €119,000. For more information, you can visit their website.
