2026 International Green Gown Awards announced

EAUC has announced the 2026 winners of the International Green Gown Awards. The awards recognise and showcase exceptional sustainability initiatives from tertiary education institutions around the world.  

Established in 2014, the awards have become one of the most prestigious recognitions of leading sustainability practice in education around the world.  Winners are selected through a rigorous two-stage assessment process with entries reviewed by an international panel of experts from leading sustainability and education organisations. 

This year’s winning projects come from 18 countries across six continents. The projects range from large-scale nature restoration programmes to compulsory courses that ensure that every student, regardless of discipline, graduates with sustainability knowledge and skills. 

The University of Colorado Boulder (United States) and Nottingham College (UK) were named Sustainability Institutions of the Year in recognition of their commitment to put sustainability at the heart of governance, education, research and campus life. 

2026 winners 

2030 Climate Action, sponsored by the International Universities Climate Alliance

Winner (small organisation): Centurion University of Technology and Management, India

Winner (large organisation):  Lancaster University, UK 

Highly commended: MidKent College, UK

Highly commended: Université Laval, Canada

Winners and highly commended institutions from this category will feature in a  special event, organised by EAUC and the International Universities Climate Alliance. The event is open to institutions around the world and is free to attend.  

Benefiting Society

Winner (small organisation): Siam University, Thailand

Winner (large organisation): University of Tasmania, Australia 

Highly commended: Centurion University of Technology and Management, India

Highly Commended: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile

Creating Impact 

Winner: Siam University, Thailand

Highly commended: Daffodil International University, Bangladesh

Highly commended: INTI International University, Malaysia

Highly commended: TU Dublin, Republic of Ireland

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Sustainability 

Winner (small organisation): De La Salle Lipa, Philippines 

Winner (large organisation): RMIT University, Australia

Highly commended: Centurion University of Technology and Management, India

Highly commended: Glasgow Kelvin College, UK

Nature Positive

Winner: Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, Hungary

Highly commended: Charles Sturt University, Australia

Highly commended: University of St Andrews, UK 

Next Generation Learning and Skills 

Winner (small organisation): Nakuru Training Institute, Kenya

Winner (large organisation): National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

Highly commended: Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Finland

Highly commended: Siam University, Thailand 

Highly commended: University of Southampton, UK

Student Engagement 

Winner (large organisation): University of Technology Sydney, Australia 

Winner (small organisation): Centurion University of Technology and Management, India

Highly commended: Institut International d'Ingénierie de l'Eau et de l'Assainissement, Burkina Faso

Highly commended: Seoul Women’s University, South Korea 

Highly commended: Loughborough University, UK

Sustainability Institution of the Year

Winner (small organisation): Nottingham College, UK

Winner (large organisation: University of Colorado Boulder, United States

Highly commended: Centurion University of Technology and Management, India

Highly commended: De Montfort University, UK

Highly commended: University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P), Morocco 

The awards are delivered by EAUC with support from Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS), Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI), International Association of Universities (IAU) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Regional support was also received from Siam University and the American International University - Bangladesh. The 2030 Climate Action category was sponsored by the International Universities Climate Alliance.

Image: Nakuru Training Institute in Kenya, one of the winners of Next Generation Learning and Skills category.

Training targeted at young people and women not in employment, education or training (NEET) from the institution includes compulsory sustainability elements, both practical and theoretical. The programme ensures every student leaves with green awareness, regardless of their vocational field.