Aalto University funds students' sustainability actions with tens of thousands in a year – “This is something we haven't seen anywhere else”

University is currently funding students’ sustainability actions with € 60–80K annually, during 2023–2024. Thus far, the grant has funded 24 impactful actions, covering a wide range of activities, including events fostering networking and sustainability dialogues, a mobile kitchen utilizing on-site harvested ingredients from the Test Site, beekeeping, workshops around sustainable materials, artistic interventions, prototypes and more. 

The grant model of Aalto University is unique even on a global scale. The Sustainability Action Booster aims to promote an experimental and student-owned sustainability culture on campus and even beyond.

"I dare say that we have been among the first to offer students such a grant model for sustainable development ideas. This is something we haven't seen anywhere else," says Jasmin Järvinen, project manager of Sustainability Action Booster.

Grants can be applied for on a rolling basis for projects with funding requests ranging from € 500 to € 5,000. Larger grants of € 5,001 to €10,000 can be applied for twice a year.

"Our goal is to avoid cumbersome bureaucratic application processes, which is why we have developed a flexible and ongoing application period. We promise students a response to applications under €5,000 euros within seven working days of submission. We hope that this lighter process will give students time and energy to focus on what really matters – doing, rather than bureaucratic hurdles," Järvinen explains.

24 actions and counting

Currently, several exciting student-led projects that are open for all are underway, attracting a growing number of interested students. For example: 

• Aalto Repair and Rewear has been organizing regular, free of charge workshops about repair methods and upcycling old textiles into new clothing, soon to establish a hub providing materials and expertise for textile and garment repair. The first two workshops, focusing on mending knitwear and woven fabrics, were met with success. The next workshop, focusing on alterning clothes, will take place on 9^th April, at Space 21. The event can signed up via the project’s Telegram. 
• Smoothies & Movies hosts complimentary movie screenings paired with vegan/gluten-free smoothies every Thursday from 19:30 at Space 21. The sessions have been facilitating interdisciplinary dialogues and curating a comprehensive sustainability-related film collection for the Aalto community.

• Never Too Short Stay promotes sustainability in student living, showcasing how students can incorporate secondhand furniture and sustainable daily practices into their lives through artistic filming and stories. 

Looking ahead, more granted actions are in the pipeline. The next round of up to €10,000 grant applications opens in Autumn 2024, alongside continuous opportunities ranging from €500 to €5,000.