Northumbria Highly Commended for Benefiting Society

Northumbria University, Newcastle, has been Highly Commended in the prestigious International Green Gown Awards for the transformational work of its Student Law Office.

The International Green Gown Awards, supported by UN Environment, recognise exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities and colleges around the globe. They are widely acknowledged as being the most prestigious recognition of sustainability best practice within the global education sector and cover all aspects of educational institutions – from their teaching and research, leadership, buildings and food, to how students can benefit the quality of life in the communities around them.

Northumbria’s Student Law Office was highly commended in the “Benefiting Society” category - recognising the powerful and innovative ways education institutions are realising their purpose to benefit the lives of individuals, communities and wider society. Their success follows the project winning an award at UK & Ireland Green Gown Awards earlier in the academic year.

Associate Professor and Director of the Student Law Office at Northumbria, Paul McKeown, said: “Following our Green Gown Award for the UK & Ireland in the benefiting society category for the work of our Student Law Office with a Highly Commended  at the International awards is an outstanding achievement. It is testament to the extraordinary quality of our students and academics – and the clear focus Northumbria has to sustainability goals.”

Northumbria is acknowledged as having one of the most active and pioneering student law offices, where law students undertake free legal work on behalf of real clients. In the past 10 years, students have represented more than 2,500 clients recovering over £1.5 million, and defending rights ranging from employment to housing.

Katie Ridley, Sustainability Manager at Northumbria, added: “The Student Law Office is a great example of our work to support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  This project not only provides an exceptional learning experience for our students, but particularly targets SDG 16 - to promote peaceful and inclusive societies and to provide access to justice for all. Its international recognition is a fantastic achievement and is an example of the varied activity undertaken by our staff and students that resulted in Northumbria being ranked top 30 in the world for our support of the UN SDGs.”

For more information please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/sustainability