The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) is run by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), and recognises leadership in areas across research, teaching, operations, and governance.
With more than 1,200 participants in 52 countries, the programme is the most widely recognised framework in the world for publicly reporting information related to a university’s sustainability performance.
“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognising campus sustainability efforts,” says AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “Te Herenga Waka has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS (Gold) Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”
Participants report their achievements in five areas—academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration, and innovation and leadership. There are four possible levels of rating to achieve—Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The University has received a Gold rating.
"Sustainability is central to the kaupapa of the University. It’s incredibly heartening to see that being recognised,” says Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Māori and Kaitiakitanga, Professor Rawinia Higgins.
“This report will help guide our pursuit of knowledge in all fields of sustainability. It also reflects our role as kaitiaki for both our people and spaces.”
The STARS report sheds light on sustainability initiatives that the University is performing particularly well in.
Research and learning were a strong point for the University, with 92.9 percent of Te Herenga Waka academic departments actively engaged in sustainability research, and 88.6 percent of undergraduate qualifications awarded including sustainability-focused learning requirements.
Another strength of the University was energy use (per square metre, and per person), driven by energy efficiency work across the University, and further complemented by solar panels at Ngā Mokopuna and Te Aro campus giving back to the grid.
The people of Te Herenga Waka also played an important role in achieving this rating across measures—an example of this can be seen in the high percentage of students (92.9 percent) and staff (78.1 percent) using sustainable means in their commutes to campus.
“Everyone should be proud of this achievement; it goes beyond the work of any one person or team. Sustainability has never just been about the environment alone. It’s the connection to people that drives these outcomes,” says Professor Higgins.
“This is a fantastic endorsement of our sustainability mahi right across the University, and shows that we are making great progress,” says Andrew Wilks, Director, Sustainability.
“We’re really lucky to have incredible students and staff who care about how they can make a difference—in their research, in their teaching, or simply in how they get to campus each day”.
STARS also gives KPIs that the University can use in further strategic planning.
“We now have a really strong benchmark to look at how we perform against other leading institutions across the world, and a baseline to continue working from,” says Andrew.
“Between now and 2028 we’ll be working on improving our performance so that we can get to Platinum level.”