Sustainable Development
at STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY
Sustainability contributions
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG 11
Universities can lead the way by adopting sustainable practices on campus and can increase local, regional, and national education on good environmental practices.
SDG 11 is strongly connected to combating climate change (SDG 13) and improving biodiversity (SDGs 14 and 15). Industry and innovation (SDG 9) will be crucial to developing sustainable communities. The AU’s Goal 10: World-class infrastructure that crisscrosses Africa, aligns with both SDG 11 and SDG 9.
Goal 10
Goal 16
The town of Stellenbosch, SU’s campus and the suburbs around the university are integrated, and the general public can easily access the Stellenbosch Campus. While some of the academic and administrative buildings allow free access, as is often the case in South Africa, the university employs certain security measures. However, there are several buildings and spaces that are free to use to the university staff and visitors alike.
Hybrid working to cut down on Scope 3 emissions
Hybrid working arrangements further help to reduce carbon emissions through transport. Stellenbosch University has adopted flexible working arrangements, with each department tailoring these to its specific needs. SU continues to explore an approach that aligns with its identity as a residential institution, proposing minimum requirements applicable University-wide but allowing for nuanced implementation.
Sustainable Transport.
Stellenbosch, especially the areas around the main campus, is a compact town that is ideal for walking and cycling. The Stellenbosch Fiestry Non-profit with stakeholders from Stellenbosch Tourism and biking associations, works towards promoting bicycling in Stellenbosch as a means of transport. As part of our Environmental Sustainability strategy, the University aims to reduce Single-Occupancy Vehicle Use, and assist commuters to have low-carbon transportation alternatives to get to work. The ride-share app used previously is under review, as it is no longer available after Covid.
The Stellenbosch Smart Mobility Lab (SSML) at our Engineering Faculty is a state-of-the-art research facility established at Stellenbosch University to assist in research and implementation of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) applications to the transport system in order to improve mobility, safety and traveler experience.
Arts and heritage contribution
SU has a thriving performing arts scene, with a world-renowned choir, symphonic orchestra, and theatre corp.
Stellenbosch University Choir
The Stellenbosch University Choir, made up of 120 students studying at SU, has been ranked the No.1 mixed amateur choir for the top 1000 choirs in the world for the past 12 years by Interkultur, the organisers of the World Choir games. Students come from across a myriad of different backgrounds and communities and represent the full spectrum of South Africa’s diverse population.
Founded in 1936, it is the oldest – and also best regarded – University Choir in South Africa. They perform regularly in Stellenbosch, and also at national and international events. They deemed to be a choir of exceptional excellence that delivers performances celebrated for their rigorous technical accomplishment and the ability to touch the hearts of audiences everywhere. They can also be found on Apple Music, and some of the videos on their YouTube channel have received more than 10 million views.
The Choir also made clean sweep at the prestigious Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales in 2018, winning all three categories in which they participated – Youth Choirs, Mixed Choirs and Open Choirs – all with scores of above 90%. André van der Merwe, conductor of the SU Choir, was awarded the Jayne Davies Prise for Best Conductor at the Eisteddfod.
Symphony Orchestra
The SU Symphony Orchestra (USSO)was founded by Prof Eric Rycroft in 1981. The aim of the orchestra is to provide music students with first-hand training for their profession, as well as offering talented players of orchestral instruments doing other courses, experience in symphonic orchestral playing. SSO has made a notable contribution to the regular performance of South African music in the Endler Concert Series. Every second year the USSO hosts a Youth Concerto Festival at which top instrumental students at Stellenbosch University appear as soloists with the orchestra. Ensembles include the Brass Ensemble, Camerata, Chamber Choir, Jazz Band, Schola Cantorum, SU African Music Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble. They perform in the annual Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival, hosted at the celebrated Endler Hall Conservatorium, alongside various symposia, and instrumental, vocal and ensemble competitions. They can be found on Apple Music and YouTube (Chamber Music) and YouTube (Orchestra).
Theather
SU also boasts a Drama Department that stages performances throughout the year. It contributes to local arts, in terms of number of annual public performances of university choirs, theatre groups, orchestras, either ad-hoc or as part of an ongoing programme.
Cultural Heritage: Die Woordfees
South Africa has 11 Official Languages, with Sing Language added in 2023 as the 12th. Each year since 2000, SU has hosted Die Woordfees (Word Festival) using both SU facilities and the Town itself. It started as an all-night celebration of Afrikaans literature, but over the past two decades it has grown into one of South Africa’s largest multilingual arts festivals. In 2020, over 500 performances and events were hosted in more than 70 venues in and around Stellenbosch. During the Covid pandemic, the festival lived on in innovative new formats. The festival made history in 2021 when it became the first South African arts festival to be presented on a pop-up television channel. Woordfees TV was broadcasted from 1 to 10 October. This pioneering project was such a success that a second Woordfees TV festival was aired in July 2022. An in-person festival will took place during October in Stellenbosch.
This extraordinary enterprise, which forms part of the division for Social Impact and Transformation at Stellenbosch University, is also the home of several long-term projects that make a real difference in the lives of thousands of people. The Words Open Worlds (WOW) encourages learners a love for words through reading, spelling competitions, writers’ visits and creative writing projects. WOW reaches over 2 500 schools and 270 000 learners, across South Africa annually.
WOW also opens up the world of tertiary education to young people from backgrounds of severe disadvantage by providing bursaries, academic support and mentorship to help them access and complete their studies at university. During the festival, WOW offers learners, teachers and principals from schools in the region the opportunity to attend discussions, academic debates and performances as part of the Woordfees commitment to supporting and stimulating interest in the written and spoken word.
Other facilities
The SU library system is open and free to use to SU students and staff, and can be accessed for a minimal fee by alumni. The general public, can make arrangements to access specific resources in the library and its archives. The Library Services, however, do list a range of online, external, and open resources that are freely available.
The University Art Museum hosts a number of art collections as well as cultural-historical and anthropological collections relevant to the town and its community. The University Museum’s Education and Public Programmes Department offers a range of programmes for young and old. The sections Access to Visual Arts programme, is primary designed to broaden previously disadvantaged learners’ access to the University, and, in particular, to the University Museum and its associated Art Gallery. The programme is designed primarily to introduce learners to Art. School groups can also make bookings for museum tours, lessons on the hunter-gatherers etc. The museum also offer various Public Programmes like Film Screenings, Dialogues, and various other community engagements. Access to the museum exhibitions is free.
The Jan S Marais Park is a protected nature area and is open to the public during daylight hours: It offers a wide range of indigenous plants, a labyrinth for meditative walks, an out-door gym and play area, and is often used for picnics by families, festivals and events. A small pond is surrounded by statues. Bird abound and small animals roam the reserve, from tortoises to duikers.
The SU Botanical Garden established in 1913 in the historical centre of Stellenbosch, is the oldest university botanical garden in South Africa. This compact Garden with green houses, hosts an enormous diversity of plants, both indigenous to South Africa and exotic. Visotors can enjoy a asop selling rare and indigenous plants. The garden will host events and festivals from time to time to educate the public about indigenous plants of the Cape Floral Kingdom, and value of biodiversity, for example. The Garden also has an outdoor classroom where local school groups are hosted and educated. Entrance is free to SU students and staff, while visitors pay a minimal entrance fee.
Sustainable Practices
Through the SU Environmental Sustainability Plan (ESP), compiled by SUFM, the University outlines how it aims to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2030 and positively contributes to Climate Action. It outlines how environmental sustainability is a focus area across all aspects of SU’s operational management, teaching and research, as articulated in Vision 2040.
Transport
Energy and emissions are covered in the first theme in the ESP. SU aims to identify and reduce gross emissions and improve its overall energy efficiency in line with global targets on climate change and the SDGs. To this end, SUFM is implementing energy-efficiency initiatives for the next decade with the aim of lowering the University’s total emissions and reducing operational costs.
A reduction in scope-1 fuel combustion emissions of the transportation fleet can be achieved through various monitoring and driver awareness programmes that improve vehicle fuel consumption per kilometre. Where possible, alternative energy sources such as biodiesel and electrical vehicles are being investigated or tested, along with a modal shift towards cycling (see the Matie Bike Initiative) and walking. A direct target is to reduce Scope-1 vehicle emissions by 30% compared to 2019 values by 2026.
The Travel and mobility theme (7) in the ESP specifically aims to minimise the environmental impact of travel and encourage the use of efficient modes of transport that will contribute to the reduction of emissions. The environmental impact of transportation systems, from infrastructure to vehicle operations, is extensive. This includes noise pollution, atmospheric pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Various studies have been initiated to gather data so as to make decisions that will promote and optimise sustainable transport options. By developing a sustainable transport strategy, using the transport plan, for all students, staff, visitors and service providers, SU will be able to reduce transport emissions and the associated impact on the environment.
Specifically the plan aims to have a transport strategy to .
- develop a transport strategy for all campuses by 2024 to reduce remissions
- Measure transport emissions from student and staff commuting, air travel and vehicle fleet, with targets to reduce GHG emissions.
- Develop and incorporate NMT and end-of route facilities into urban plan to optimise sustainable transport.
Housing
- Stellenbosch is a highly sought-after residential student town with a high quality of living. Due to demand, it is often difficult find reasonable accommodation. The university supplies student residences for both local and international students at a range of prices, and advises new staff on where to look for housing in the area. The University does not offer nor subsidise housing. However, for students that require financial support, certain subsidies are set up.