Sustainability and Social Responsibility Project

Working Towards Nature Positive Cities and Universities

"Designing net-zero, nature-positive cities will reduce the impact on climate and nature while re-purposing and regenerating services and spaces to ensure citizens can live, work, move and thrive in lively and resilient cities. This transition will require public-private cooperation across multiple sectors, including real estate, energy, mobility, commerce and beyond." 
(World Economic Forum, 2024)

This year, the Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities Alliance (GISU), through Guangzhou University, sponsored a Sustainability and Social Responsibility Project for its members. Led by Western Sydney University, the theme focused on 'Nature Positive.' The project fostered collaboration and leadership among GISU Alliance member institutions and generated impact on the interconnected challenges of sustainable development through expert-led masterclasses, networking, sharing of global best practices, and funded place-based projects that transformed campuses, cities, and communities.

Virtual Event Series

Collaborating with government bodies, industries, and leading researchers, the online event series offers practical insights into rethinking and reshaping sustainable urban development. Through expert-led masterclasses, explore innovative and interconnected approaches to transforming our university campuses, communities and cities towards nature positive.

Place-based Nature Positive Projects

GISU Alliance members were encouraged to apply for seed funding to establish localised projects which speak to this years theme of 'Nature Positive' as relevant to their local contexts and institutions. This years projects are:

• “Nature-Positive Adaptation and Mitigation” led by Stellenbosch University (opens in a new window), School for Climate Studies and Department of Botany and Zoology, South Africa.
• "BIO & URBE - Discover biodiversity on the UPV campuses (Valencia and Gandia)!” led by Universitat Politècnica de València (opens in a new window), Animal Science Department, Spain.
• "A glimpse of fauna and flora biodiversity in a UNESCO-inscribed old-growth ecosystem within research and educational forest" led by Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Department of Silviculture and Forest Ecology, Iran.
• "Nature Positive 2029 - Assessment of urban campus biodiversity" led by Western Sydney University, Sustainability Education and Partnerships, School of Science and the Division of Infrastructure and Commercial, Australia.

The Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities (GISU) initiative represents 23 members, 16 countries, with a mission of enhancing mutual understanding between Guangzhou and its friendship cities and encourage friendly inter-city visits which promote educational development and cultural exchanges between institutions of higher education in Guangzhou and member University's which foster mutual-benefits and promote cooperation and development.

The Sustainability and Social Responsibility Project 2024 project was a collaboration between: