Green Office
Welcome at the Green Office of UHasselt!
Veggie or vegan, biodiversity, climate, the circular economy, mobility or another sustainability related topic? Would you like to meet other students who are passionate about sustainability, take part in activities or set up your own sustainable initiative?
Then the Green Office is the place for you. Together with students and staff, we turn sustainability into action across the UHasselt campuses.
What's new at Green Office
UHasselt takes part in the Campus V Cup
In November, UHasselt will take part in the Campus V Cup, a national challenge in which 15 universities and university colleges compete for the title of Best Veggie Campus in Belgium. During the campaign month, the focus will be on the plant-based offering in our student restaurants, with students invited to share their opinions and help determine how well our campus performs.
Alongside tasting and rating plant-based dishes, various activities will be organised to introduce students to tasty, accessible and varied plant based food. The Campus V Campervan will also visit the campus, accompanied by a professional jury who will assess the food offering and the atmosphere on campus.
Plajakken: kayking with impact
During the Sustainability Week, students took to the Albert Canal for a unique combination of kayaking and litter picking. As they paddled along, they collected waste from the water and riverbanks while discovering the surroundings from a different perspective.
Plajakken combines movement, nature and community engagement in one activity. It was a relaxed afternoon on the water, with a direct positive impact on the surrounding environment.
The activity shows how sustainability can also be made tangible and accessible. By taking action together, small efforts can make a visible difference to the environment.
Read more about the Sustainability Week
Building the Student Food Forest together
On the Diepenbeek campus, a new green space is gradually taking shape where nature, local food production and community come together. The Student Food Forest was initiated by UCLL and is open to the entire campus community, including UHasselt students.
During Sustainability Week, students from different student associations worked together in the food forest. They planted new trees, building on the first planting of fruit trees, berry bushes and woodland strawberries in December 2024.
The food forest is still developing and gives students the opportunity to contribute to greater biodiversity on campus. At the same time, it offers a place to meet others and discover the campus from a different perspective.
Future Proef Award 2026 Seeks Sustainable Theses
Did you defend a bachelor's or master's thesis on sustainability in 2026? Then the Future Proef Award is an excellent opportunity to showcase your research.
The award recognises UHasselt students whose research contributes to solutions for societal and sustainability challenges. We therefore encourage students, supervisors, promoters and staff to nominate or encourage students with a strong sustainability related thesis to apply.
The jury assesses each submission based on its contribution to a high quality living environment from a broad sustainability perspective, its societal and environmental impact, and its level of creativity and innovation. The Sustainability Compass, available on the Future Proef Award website, can help you determine whether your thesis meets the criteria and support you in preparing a strong application.
Applications can be submitted until 8 October. Visit the Future Proef Award website for the full eligibility criteria, assessment process and the Sustainability Compass.
Why a Green Office?
Green Office UHasselt gives students the opportunity to take the lead in sustainability. Our goal is to build a sustainable UHasselt community by informing, inspiring and activating students. We focus on sustainability in student life, on campus, and within education and research at our university.
Together with the UHasselt community of students, professors, researchers, staff and management, we work to make our planet and our future a top priority.
You can always sign up as a volunteer or propose a new initiative. Get in touch with us at greenoffice@uhasselt.be or soon through our social media channels (@GreenOfficeUHasselt). We regularly share calls for volunteers to help with specific events.
We are also part of a larger network of Green Offices within Belgium and Europe!
What do we do?
We are your sustainability-contact for sustainable initiatives at UHasselt. We want to increase the visibility of existing sustainability initiatives and go the extra mile.
To make this happen, we organize activities, roll out campaigns and also work closely with UHasselt's policymakers to make the campuses more sustainable.
Climate
The climate challenge calls for knowledge, awareness and concrete action. Green Office brings students together to reflect on the impact of our choices and the role we can play as a university community.
Through activities, campaigns and initiatives, we make climate related issues more tangible and connect them to campus life and students' everyday lives. This is not only about what we can change as individuals, but also about how we can work together to make our campus and university more sustainable.
Circularity
The way we use materials and resources has a significant impact on our environment. Green Office wants to raise students' awareness of the opportunities for reuse, sharing, repair and reducing waste.
On campus, we look for ways to keep materials in use for longer and reduce unnecessary waste. This can be through concrete actions and campaigns, but also by giving students the opportunity to develop their own circular initiatives. In this way, we make circularity visible in everyday campus life and encourage a culture of using materials and resources more consciously.
Sustainable Food
Sustainable food takes many forms at UHasselt. Green Office works together with Umami on initiatives that make sustainable and plant based food more visible, accessible and appealing on campus.
From tastings and activities during Sustainable Week and the annual Veggie Week to the Campus V Cup, students have the opportunity to discover new flavours, share their opinions and help shape a more sustainable food offering.
Sustainable Campus Development
A sustainable campus goes beyond energy efficient buildings or green outdoor spaces. At UHasselt, we are working towards a broad and integrated approach in which sustainability is considered in the development, use and management of our campuses.
Through a whole institution approach, education, research, campus development, management and the wider campus community are brought together. For example, we are working towards more nature inclusive campuses, integrating biodiversity into the development of buildings and outdoor spaces. This creates opportunities for students, researchers and staff to contribute to a sustainable and future-oriented campus from different perspectives.
Sustainability in Education and Research
Sustainability is not only something that happens outside the classroom. As a university, we also have an important role to play in developing knowledge, skills and new perspectives on societal challenges.
Green Office aims to strengthen the connection between students, education and sustainability. Students are given opportunities to explore sustainability related questions through their own field of study and to translate knowledge into concrete initiatives. By connecting education, research and action, students can not only learn about sustainability, but also contribute to it themselves.
Your topic, your idea
Sustainability takes many forms. Perhaps you are interested in a topic that does not yet have a dedicated place within Green Office, or you have an idea for a new initiative on campus.
From mobility and wellbeing to energy, water, consumption or a topic that matters to you, we would love to hear what you would like to work on.
Do you have an idea, would you like to collaborate on a particular topic, or do you see an opportunity to make the campus more sustainable? Green Office is happy to think along with you and, where possible, connect you with students, staff and other partners.
Have an idea? Get in touch at greenoffice@uhasselt.be.
Want to become a member?
- Would you like to start a sustainable activity yourself? Green Office is there to support you. We can help you with the practical and financial aspects, or put you in touch with other initiatives.
- Send us a DM on Facebook or Instagram or send an email to greenoffice@uhasselt.be.
- Would you like to volunteer at one of our activities? Talk to us during the kick-off activities or send us a message via social media. We regularly launch calls for help at our activities.
Possible tasks of our volunteers:
- Participating in brainstorm sessions/workshops on new themes we are starting up (e.g. sustainable printing, catering,...). We will invite you when we organise a brainstorm session/workshop.
- Green influencer: provide sustainable content on our social media pages.
- Organise your own sustainable activity that can be linked to Green Office, with our financial and supportive help. We are also working on a sustainable week from 8-12 May. If you would like to help with this, also always welcome.
- We are currently working around less plastic and more veggie / vegan. Perhaps there is something you yourself would like to see changed and where you want to take action together. Always welcome to contact us about this.
- Of course, you are also welcome at our activities. More info on our Facebook and Instagram page @GreenOfficeUHasselt.
- Advertising for the Green Office is always welcome :) - Want to stay informed? Interested in attending fun, sustainable activities? Follow our socials for concrete/more information.
Borrow material to clean the streets
From now on, you can borrow free Mooimakers material to clean the environment around the campuses during your break. Don't hesitate and stop by one of the two student desks, alone or with your fellow students to borrow the equipment.
We will give you a grab stick, a garbage bag and gloves!
How to proceed?
1) Download the Weplog app and register your walk.
That way the city or town knows where you cleaned up and you can easily communicate the location of your trash bag!
2) Enjoy your walk.
Is your trash bag full or time is up? Leave your trash bag in a place where it is not annoying anyone.
- Hasselt: indicate via the app where you left your trash bag or send an email with a photo and the street name to leefmilieu@hasselt.be.
- Diepenbeek: information will follow asap.
3) Return the material to the student desk.
Questions? Don't hesitate to contact us.