UQ Sustainability Award

Sustainability Award logo with cartoon students, wildlife, recycling and solar The UQ Sustainability Award recognises student achievements and efforts in the sustainability space, both within UQ and the wider community. This is a program that will allow students to complete volunteering hours and supplementary activities, both on and off campus, while learning and gaining new experiences.

Both undergraduate and postgraduate students (PhD students included) are able to participate in the award, which students receive at the end of the year that their application is submitted.

How the award works

1. Register at greenambassador@pf.uq.edu.au

Please provide your name, email, student number, campus & student status (undergraduate or postgraduate)
Note there are no academic prerequisites for this award

2. Log 75 volunteering hours throughout UQ and beyond, recording and reflecting on volunteering experiences as you go.

At least 10 hours of the 75 hour total of volunteering should be with the Green Ambassador Program (GAP). Engagement hours within GAP can also be counted (this means credit for attendance at events and involvement in activities run by GAP)
Less than half the total amount of volunteering hours should be made up of volunteering not linked to UQ. This is to ensure the award stays focused on UQ sustainability.
Hours completed as a part of a supplementary activity listed below can be included, but no more than 15 hours per supplementary activity should be counted.

3. Be involved in 3 supplementary activities within the university from the list provided below. Record all involvement you’ve had as a part of each activity and write a reflection for each. Using the SEAL method (situation, effect, action, and learning)

You can also include an activity that isn’t listed as the third activity (subject to approval on grounds of relevance), but at least the first 2 should be from the list provided.

4. Once all hours and supplementary activities are completed, apply for the award by emailing greenambassador@pf.uq.edu.au Submit proof of your volunteering and supplementary activities.

5. Following approval of volunteering hours and supplementary activities, either submit an essay or complete a speech discussing what you have learned. These will be evaluated by the UQ Sustainability Award judging panel.

6. If you are successful, you will receive the award at the end of the year you submitted your application. Applications must be received before the deadline, which is 30^th of September annually, the same as the UQ Employability Award.

How to complete the UQ Sustainability Award:

Plan your supplementary activities

All activities counted towards the Sustainability Award must be extra-curricular (not for course credit)

You must complete 3 supplementary activities as a part of the Sustainability Award, these may include those listed below, or another activity subject to approval:

1. A UQ Student-Staff Partnership related to sustainability

2. Holding an executive position in a group/club/society related to sustainability at UQ

For example: Green Ambassador Program council member, UQ GEMS, UQ OOPS, UQ Marine Society, a sustainability-related club's executive, involvement in a United Nations-related club

3. Being a student representative with the objective to integrate sustainability into your school or faculty

4. Complete the UQ Carbon Literacy Program

5. Implement and facilitate a sustainability project or initiative through the UQ Green Fund

6. Involvement and completion of Sustainable Development Goals online modules or other online courses related to sustainability

7. Participating in a sustainability-related Ventures Program

For example: Ventures LeadHers, Ventures Industry Challenge, Ventures Sustainability Innovation Challenge

Volunteering hours

You must log 75 volunteering hours.

These can be duties that you completed in your role in an executive position if you had those as your supplementary activities.

A minimum of ten hours of volunteering should be completed with the Green Ambassador Program.

If some of your duties while completing your supplementary activities are used as volunteering hours, only 15 hours per supplementary activity should be counted as volunteering hours.

For example, if you held the role of a president of a sustainability related club or society, if this is used as a supplementary activity then only 15 hours of volunteering in this role can also count towards your volunteering hours.

Some examples of volunteering that are relevant are shown below:

Time volunteering for a club or society that is sustainability focused (for example, UQ GEMS or UQ Marine Society or similar)
Volunteering with the Green Ambassador Program, the Sustainability Office, UQ Volunteers or UQ Life in sustainability-related events
Community volunteering (outside of UQ) such as volunteering at beach clean-ups, Bushcare groups, etc.
The time spent being a student representative and advocating for sustainability within your specific School or Faculty (this includes any UQ School or Faculty)

Record and reflect

After you have completed a suplementary or volunteering activity, you will be required to record and reflect on your experience.

How to log your hours:

You should keep a record of the activity or volunteering you did, including the date, time, a short reflection, and writing down a supervisor or coordinator of the event that can attest to your presence
For some groups there will be sign in/out sheets for activities, events and volunteering (for example, UQ Volunteers and UQ Life have volunteering records)
Taking the time to reflect on what you have gained from each activity and volunteering opportunity is an important part of this award

Apply for the Sustainability Award

Once all the award requirements have been completed and recorded, you will need to email greenambassador@pf.uq.edu.au with evidence of your volunteering hours and activites.

Once this evidence has been approved, you will be asked to submit your essay or speech. This is your opportunity to showcase the contributions you have made towards sustainability, within and beyond UQ.

Please note that awards are only given out at the end of each calendar year, and application deadline is 30 September each year.

Be awarded the UQ Sustainability Award!

When you have successfully completed the award interview or had your essay approved, you will receive an email confirming your completion of the award.

Your statement of attainment will be presented to you at the end of the year you submitted your application.

Students who have achieved this award will be given access to networking opportunities with other students who have completed the Sustainability award.

The Sustainability Award is an accredited supplementary activity towards the UQ Employability Award.

Frequently asked questions

How do I use the UQ Employability Award framework to keep track of my hours and activities?

Use the UQ Employability Award framework to record your activities by logging in via studenthub or following the links on the UQ Employability Award website

What is an example of the SEAL method that I can refer to when writing my own reflections?

SEAL stands for: Situation, Effect, Action, and Learning. More info on how to utilise it can be accessed here

What is the difference between writing an essay and attending an interview to reflect on my experience throughout the award? Will one form be preferred over the other? How will they be assessed?

Either will be accepted, it is up to you which you prefer. They will be assessed by a selected panel of students from the Green Ambassador Program, supported by staff members.

What happens if I miss the September deadline in applying for the awar
If you miss the September deadline you will have to wait until the next year to submit your application.

Will my speech or essay be assessed? Is it guaranteed I will get the award?

Applications will not be assessed, but will be open to approval according to the select panel of staff and students evaluating applications
Can I use the same volunteering hours for the Employability Award and Science Leaders Award too?

Yes! You can use the same activities and volunteering hours for both the Employability award and Sustainability award, and can also be put towards the Science Leaders Award by accesssing through the Science Leaders Academy. If you use the Sustainability Award as a supplementary activity towards the Employability Award however, you may not be able to use the same volunteering hours for both.

I’m still a bit confused about the award/the activities I can list/how to apply- who can I speak to about this?

You can contact the Sustainability office or any of the Green Ambassador Program executives for more info!

Previous Award Winners

2022: Jayana

Jayana says the program has expanded her skills and shaped her knowledge and understanding of sustainability far beyond the classroom environment.

“The award has also been a great motivation to continue my sustainability journey at UQ and further afield.
“The volunteering experiences have all taught me so much, from the technicalities of wildlife research and solar farm operations, through to recycling and student engagement.

“Setting up UQ's first Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Youth Hub, with the support of UQ Sustainability and the Green Ambassador Program, has been a highlight of my sustainability volunteering.”