Ninety international students work on sustainable solutions in The Hague
Ninety students from Europe and Africa came together in The Hague for an international conference on sustainability. During the three-day programme, they worked on concrete sustainability challenges, took part in academic debates in Leiden and presented their solutions in the new Spui building.
The conference, which took place in June, was organised by Buurtlab070 in collaboration with Una Europa, a European alliance of universities. The programme was deliberately designed to involve much more than simply listening to lectures. From the opening session onwards, students were encouraged to share their own knowledge and experiences and to work together on practical challenges.
Tackling sustainability challenges in The Hague
Working in internationally mixed groups, the students tackled a series of ‘Micro-Challenges’: local issues for which they had to develop creative and practical solutions within a limited timeframe.
They also ventured beyond the university walls. The students gathered inspiration and worked on their assignments at various locations across The Hague, including the Haagse Bos, the Spinozahof allotment garden and the rooftop greenhouse and garden at De Helena.
According to Buurtlab070, the decision to host the conference in The Hague was an easy one.
‘When Una Europa approached us to organise an international student conference on sustainability, we did not have to think twice. It offered the perfect opportunity to show the City of Peace and Justice at its greenest.’
In preparation, the organising team attended a Una Europa conference at Sorbonne Université in Paris in autumn 2025, where student engagement was the central theme. The visit provided plenty of inspiration, but also led to one clear ambition: the conference in The Hague should be varied, interactive and firmly focused on active participation.
Oxford-style debate in historic Leiden
On the second day of the conference, the students travelled to Leiden. At the Academy Building, they were first introduced to the history of the university. They then took part in an academic Oxford-style debate in the historic Telders Room.
Debate coach and Buurtlab070 student assistant Laura van Helmond explained how the debate format works. The students then formed new groups and worked on motions covering a range of sustainability themes. They refined their arguments and defended them before a jury, which was impressed by their creativity and ingenuity.
After a group photo in the Hortus Botanicus, the debate day concluded at Café Barrera, where Rector Magnificus Sarah de Rijcke addressed the students.
Creative plans for a more sustainable city
On the final day, the students gathered once again in The Hague, this time in the new Spui building, where they presented the results of their Micro-Challenges.
Their proposals ranged from creative ideas for increasing greenery in the city to recommendations for generating sustainable energy in a bicycle parking facility. During the feedback sessions, the participants received widespread praise for their collaboration, inventiveness and commitment.
The conference concluded with a shared lunch. As final phone numbers and social media details were exchanged, the students prepared for their journeys home. They left not only with new knowledge about sustainability and debating, but also with international connections, fresh ideas and new friendships.