Key Insights: SDSN Thailand University Sustainability Study Tour 2024 at The Chinese University of Hong Kong
In collaboration with SDSN Hong Kong, SDSN Thailand is proud to release the official summary report from our University Sustainability Study Tour 2024, hosted at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) on 5–6 December 2024.
The program brought together a delegation from SDSN Thailand to learn directly from CUHK’s senior management, researchers, and students — exploring how a leading Asian research university embeds sustainability across governance, research, teaching, student life, and campus operations. In 2024, CUHK was ranked 44th in the world in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
We have synthesized four core insights that reflect the transformative takeaways from this delegation:
- Sustainability leadership starts with clear vision, governance, and accountability. CUHK’s University Social Responsibility (USR) Goals and Sustainable Campus Framework — backed by a dedicated Committee on Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development, appointed sustainability “champions,” and a specialist office established in 2021 — show how institutional commitment must be structured, resourced, and tracked to translate strategy into action.
- University–business partnerships strengthen graduate readiness. Through its Co-operative Education Programme (OCEP), CUHK links classroom learning directly to real workplace experience — including 6–8 month placements with corporate partners — closing the gap between academic theory and professional practice while advancing business sustainability research.
- Student ambassadorship drives sustainability from the ground up. Programs such as the Museum of Climate Change (MoCC) Ambassadors and the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Ambassadors empower students to lead outreach, build communication and leadership skills, and extend sustainability awareness into the wider community.
- Sustainability must be woven into both curriculum and campus life. From the SDG Study Scheme and General Education courses to renewable energy generation, the “6Rs” waste management approach, and coral reef restoration research, CUHK treats the campus itself as a living laboratory — where teaching, research, and daily operations reinforce one another.
Download the Full Report (Thai Language Only):
