Blue Universities

Blue Universities & Highschools

Since the University of Bern became a Blue Community as the first Swiss university in September 2013, other universities and colleges have joined:

University of Bern (September 2013) --> Information UBE as a Blue Community
University of St. Gallen (September 2016) --> HSG 2023 report on its water-related activities (German only)
St. Gallen University of Teacher Education (September 2016) --> Information under Sustainable University
Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (September 2016)
University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (July 2018) --> Information under Sustainability
University of Zurich (May 2022) --> Information in the Sustainability Report 2023

The universities and colleges thus form their own cluster within the Blue Community network and also network with each other. In part, the universities are simply a Blue Community as an institution. At some universities, however, specific departments are additionally involved. At the University of Zurich, for example, these are the Department of Geography, Hydrology and Climate, the Commission for Sustainability with the UZH Sustainability Team and the UZH Center for Human Rights Studies (MRZ).

There is also cooperation and exchange with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH in Zurich and with the research institute of the ETH, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Eawag.

This Blue University network has been joined by universities abroad that have become a Blue Community in recent years:

Brescia University College, Ontario, Canada
Cegep de Saint-Jérôme, Québec, Canada
Huron University College, London, Ontario, Canada
McGill University, Québec, Canada
Philipps-Universität in Marburg, Germany
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Brasil
University of St. Michael’s College, in the University of Toronto , Canada
Universidad de Leon, Spain
Universidade Federal de Lavras, Brasil

In France, a Université Bleu project is in preparation, involving the Sorbonne and other universities.

The Blue University network is open to all universities and colleges that make a self-declaration of their commitment to the Blue Community.
We welcome any new member to the network.

Contact to single universities/colleges and information about the network by mail: Roland Brunner

Blue Universities: Concrete measures for the implementation of the Blue Community Principles.

As a Blue Community, how do universities implement the principles to which they have committed themselves? Here are some concrete examples from university practice.

Zurich University as Blue Community

From the Sustainability Report 2023 of the University of Zurich UZH

The University of Zurich UZH joined the international Blue Community network in May 2022.

Madelaine Moore - Water Struggles

Water is not only a hydrological challenge, but above all a political one. Sociologist Dr. Madelaine Moore of Bielefeld University has explored how water, capitalism, capital accumulation and social struggles are connected in her recently published book. She introduces the book and her research herself right here.