Birzeit University is the most sustainable university in Palestine, 240th in the world
Birzeit University fared well on the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2018 that ranked the top green universities and their commitment to environmental sustainability. For the second consecutive year, the university was named the most sustainable university in Palestine.
Rated 240th among universities worldwide in 2018, the university showed progress, compared to the previous year’s ranking where it was given the 305th place.
Recently published, the rankings consider six categories: setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transportation, and education. A university’s efforts in each category are weighed and calculated to produce a total grade.
Birzeit University has always embraced sustainability and shown commitment to protecting the environment, complying with accepted environmental practices and minimizing electricity costs. Its campus relies on five solar-power stations that provide 442 kilowatts and cover 22 percent of the university’s energy needs. The university is currently preparing to build a new solar power plant to produce one megawatt of electricity per day, while it considers its maintaining of the sprawling pine and cypress trees and the green areas, that cover 70 percent of Birzeit University’s campus, a main priority.
The university furthermore promotes sustainable practices and environmental protection through offering academic programs such as the bachelor’s program in environmental engineering and by organizing workshops and conferences around the subject matter.
