Sustainable development at RSU

Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) is dedicated to sustainable development, integrating its principles into the university’s strategy, mission, values, and everyday life.

Sustainable operations and management

The university prioritises energy efficiency, implementing ISO 50001-certified energy management, solar panel installations, and smart heating systems to reduce consumption. Waste sorting is integrated at all levels, and initiatives like reusable water stations and green procurement go beyond legal requirements. RSU also promotes sustainable urban planning, with green spaces like Inspiration Park and eco-friendly solutions such as wastewater reuse for irrigation. Learn more about our recent sustainable management efforts in a pair of articles by the RSU Public Relations Unit:

Key sustainability initiatives described by experts from the RSU Infrastructure Department
How RSU minimises and sorts waste 

Sustainability education and research

At RSU, sustainability is deeply integrated into education, research, and innovation. Most study programmes include courses on sustainability-related topics, and many of these are available to all through the RSU Open University. Below is a selection of sustainable development courses offered at RSU, exploring how sustainability and environmental considerations intersect with fields as diverse as healthcare, law, economics, anthropology, and national security. For more options, please refer to the Study course catalogue.

In addition to these academic offerings, RSU is actively engaged in research projects aimed at addressing environmental challenges. To highlight a few ongoing projects, the REPLACER project focuses on developing sustainable biomaterials to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and plastic waste; the FoodCityBoost project explores the role of urban farming from an interdisciplinary perspective; and a collaborative national project aims to develop a decision support tool for achieving Latvia’s climate neutrality goal through assessment of climate policies across energy, industry, agriculture, and waste management sectors. Explore our Research Portal using dedicated filters to see how RSU research projects and publications contribute to sustainability across various fields and Sustainable Development Goals.

Recognition

RSU's commitment to sustainability has been acknowledged through several recognitions. In 2023, the university received the Latvian Sustainable Governance Award for Growth, which recognised our efforts in sustainable governance and growth. RSU has also consistently performed well across several SDG categories of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, and in 2024, RSU was included in the QS Sustainability Ranking for the first time.

RSU's priorities and contribution to implementing the Sustainable Development Goals