Since the University of Bern, the capital of Switzerland, became a Blue Community as the worldwide first university in September 2013, many other universities and colleges have joined. Universities and colleges form their own cluster within the Blue Community network. These universities are Blue Communities as institution. At some universities, however, specific departments are additionally involved. At the University of Zurich for example, these are the Department of Geography, Hydrology and Climate, the Commission for Sustainability with the UZH Sustainability Team and the UZH Center for Human Rights Studies (MRZ).
For Blue News from Blue Universities on our website see here.
BLUE UNIVERSITIES BY COUNTRY (in alphabetical order)
BELGIUM
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- UCLouvain, Saint-Louis Brussels
BRASIL
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- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná
- Universidade Federal de Lavras
CANADA
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- Huron College and Brescia College, University of Western Ontario
- McGill University, Montreal
- St. Michael’s College / Regis College / Victoria College, University of Toronto
- St. Paul University, Ottawa
- Cegep de Saint-Jérôme, Québec
- York University, Toronto
FRANCE
In France, a Université Bleu project is in the making, involving the Sorbonne in Paris and other universities.
GERMANY
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- Philipps-Universität, Marburg
INDIA
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- G H Raisoni University, Saikheda, at the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh
IRAQ
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- Middle Technical University, Baghdad
SPAIN
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- Universidad de Leon
SWITZERLAND
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- University of Bern (September 2013)
- University of St. Gallen (September 2016) (see here)
- St. Gallen University of Teacher Education
- OST, Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (September 2016)
- University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (July 2018)
- University of Zurich (May 2022) (see here)
- Eawag, the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (May 2024)
The Blue University network is open to all universities and colleges committing to the core values of the Blue Community. We welcome new members to the network. Contact the Blue University Network by Mail here.
Further information
- Blue University Exchange Summary
On 20 April 2026, the Blue Universities met online for another exchange. Read the short recap and/or the blog of Marta Fischer. - “A Universidade e a Justiça das Águas”. The Brazilian Blue University PUCPR – Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, together with friends and partners from other universities, produced a book on Blue Universities. It was launched for World Water Day 2026 with an online event on 23 March.
See the Blue University Book Launch and read the English AI Summary
See Synopsis and Authors
Access the book (PDF in Brazilian Portuguese) - Symposium @ OST: Water connects
The 2nd Interdisciplinary Symposium on World Water Day, organized by the Swiss Blue Universty OST, provided a platform for exchange. Around 100 water experts from politics, business, research, and associations met to discuss opportunities for sustainable water management. - Quick recap from the 5th Blue University exchange on Oct. 2, 2025
- BLUE UNIVERSITIES IN PRACTICE. How do universities implement the principles to which they have committed as Blue University? Here are some concrete examples from university practice.
- Summary of the second international Blue University exchange on April 8, 2024 (PDF)
- Short summary/minutes of the first international Blue University exchange on October 23, 2023 (PDF)
For all Blue News from Blue Universities on our website see here.