Biodiversity Vertically Integrated Project (BioLitVIP)
The Biodiversity Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) places student and community engagement at the heart of the University’s biodiversity work. By combining research, practical conservation, and outreach, the VIP ensures that biodiversity is not only monitored but also valued as a living part of University life.
Student involvement in monitoring has grown significantly in recent years. In 2023–24, 14 students and 8 summer interns were directly involved in biodiversity surveys and GIS mapping. By 2024–25, participation has almost doubled, with 25 students and 12 interns taking part. These students are not only recording species but also developing and maintaining the University’s biodiversity database, which will guide sustainable decision-making for years to come.
The VIP has also created new opportunities for the wider community to engage with nature. In April 2025, students launched the University’s first Biodiversity Awareness Day, drawing attention to campus biodiversity through activities such as moth trapping, guided bird walks, and a community picnic in the Botanic Garden.
Externally funded biodiversity projects have included extensive engagement programmes. Between August 2023 and July 2024, 335 participants, around 90% of them students, took part in 25 conservation sessions, three training workshops, and four community events, including the popular Music in the Meadows. Between August 2024 and July 2025, a further 305 participants joined 23 conservation sessions and three specialist training workshops. These opportunities not only supported habitat creation and maintenance but also equipped students and staff with new skills in ecological monitoring and conservation.