Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has officially raised the Green Flag at its Athlone campus, marking another major step forward in its sustainability journey.
The Green Flag, awarded by An Taisce, recognises excellence in environmental management and was granted following a rigorous assessment process, including a panel visit to the Athlone campus on November 12th.
The panel commended the Green-Campus Committee’s “energy, creativity, and strong engagement with both the campus and wider community”, and highlighted “the strong progress under the litter and waste theme and clear evidence of a data-driven and inclusive approach”.
The flag was raised on campus by Professor Vincent Cunnane, President of TUS, symbolising the collective effort of staff and students across the Athlone campus to embed sustainable practices into everyday campus life.
The Green Flag reflects a sustained programme of work led by staff and students through the Green-Campus structure, including improvements in waste segregation and recycling, litter-reduction initiatives, environmental awareness campaigns, and data-led monitoring of campus performance.
The Athlone campus award follows the successful renewal of Green Flags at the TUS Thurles and Clonmel campuses, where an An Taisce assessment panel recently praised strong performance in the areas of waste and litter, biodiversity, and the integration of sustainability into teaching, student learning and campus operations.
Speaking at the flag-raising, Professor Cunnane said:
“The Green Flag is a visible and meaningful recognition of the work taking place across our campuses to protect the environment and reduce our impact. Sustainability is a core priority for TUS. It shapes how we operate as an organisation, how we develop our campuses, and how we educate the next generation of graduates. With the Athlone campus joining Thurles and Clonmel as Green Flag campuses, this achievement reflects a growing, university-wide commitment to practical, measurable climate and environmental action.”
Dr Gary Stack, lecturer and Green-Campus chairperson at the Athlone campus, added:
“This award reflects the dedication of the students and staff of the TUS Athlone Green-Campus Committee who have worked together to make real, practical changes across the campus — from how we manage waste to how we engage the wider community in sustainability. We’re proud of what has been achieved and excited to build on it.”
The Green Campus programme is part of An Taisce’s national Green Flag initiative, which supports higher-education institutions across Ireland in taking practical action on climate, waste, biodiversity and resource use.
