The COPERNICUS Charter

The COPERNICUS Charter, signed by the University of Groningen in 1993, consists of a number of guidelines that universities can follow to integrate sustainable development into all parts of their institution.

The COPERNICUS Charter is the result of a number of environmental conferences and an initiative of the Association of European Universities. The abbreviation stands for ‘CoOperation Programme in Europe for Research on Nature and Industry through Coordinated University Studies’. By 2006, over 320 European universities, including all Dutch ones, had signed the charter.

* Read the complete text of the COPERNICUS Charter [PDF]. 

Sustainable Development project

The University of Groningen supports the recommendations of the COPERNICUS Charter. With an eye to complying with the recommendations of the COPERNICUS Charter, the University of Groningen initiated the ‘Sustainable Development’ project. This project was extended for four years in 2003.

The most important points for attention were:

• sustainable accommodation
• sustainable management
• sustainable business operations
• teaching and research concentrating on sustainable development.

The coordination was in the hands of the Sustainable Development project group and the Health and Safety Office of the University of Groningen.

The internet portal: A sustainable University of Groningen

This site is also part of the Sustainable Development project. Within the framework of raising awareness about sustainable development, a great deal of value is placed on clear communication about the University of Groningen’s policy in this area. The aim of this site is to provide an overview for the public of the activities of the University with regard to sustainability.

* In 1543, Copernicus wrote ‘De revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium’, a revolutionary and controversial book. In 1616 it was placed on the index of banned books. Two years earlier, the University of Groningen was founded.