Come get involved in sustainability

The University of Copenhagen and the Student House ‘Studenterhuset’ have established Actory with the aim of supporting students in developing and implementing sustainable solutions.
Actory invites students from the University of Copenhagen as well as students from other universities to co-create, initiate and implement activities related to sustainability – internally at UCPH as well as in the surrounding community. Students can participate by taking part in case challenges or innovation programmes, getting professional feedback on ongoing projects – or simply by joining a talk or a workshop.

International students behind the Campus Freecycle Station
Besides the projects that Actory already engages in, such as recycling, sustainable beer brewing and creating a green task force for a sustainable KU Festival, everyone can contribute with a challenge or idea that they think Actory should address.
For instance, the new project ‘Campus Freecycle Station’ comes from the international students’ experience of needing everyday items when they arrive and getting rid of them when they leave. In response to this issue, the ‘Campus Freecycle Station’ project aims to implement a physical space on campus for students to “give what you have – take what you can use”.

Students solve sustainability issues together
Actory also held the first Copenhagen Sustainability Challenge in March 2021. The sustainability challenge is an innovation competition where students from different universities compete to present the best initiative to promote sustainable solutions for Copenhagen.
The topic of the case challenge this year was ‘Ideas for Sustainable Tourism’. How can we change tourists' behavior and consumption to be more sustainable during their stay in Copenhagen? And how can we get tourists to experience the Greater Copenhagen region in a sustainable way? 
A very topical issue for the City of Copenhagen seen in the light of the effect the pandemic has had on tourism. Suitably, the challenge was a collaboration between the Culture and Leisure Department in Copenhagen, The University of Copenhagen and Actory.

Due to the pandemic, the event took place online with 60 participants from different national and international universities. During the challenge, students from different universities and fields of study could meet and collaborate on solutions for sustainable development.

While the topic for the next challenge has not yet been decided, the competition has been scheduled for 19-21 November 2021.

International students as a valuable resource
For Actory, co-creation and collaboration are key components to pursue sustainable solutions. Actory is also a place where international students can convey their energy, experience and creativity with local students. In sustainability, different ideas, backgrounds, experiences and practices are key potential sources of innovation.

Whether students choose to join a single-day workshop or participate in more time consuming activities such as the case challenge or the green task force for a Sustainable KU Festival, Actory welcomes all actions and all students.

By Alexandra Osorio Brito and Christina Grauballe