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Nature matters now more than ever. As the biodiversity crisis intensifies and demand grows for meaningful opportunities to reconnect with the natural world, learning institutions have an important role to play.
Our research shows that 86% of students and staff think universities and colleges should take action to protect and support nature on their grounds or other land they own. That’s why, for 2026–27, we’re offering a wide range of biodiversity programmes, training and practical opportunities to help institutions take action for nature and engage their communities. Read on to find out more about each of our opportunities…
To take part in any of SOS UK’s biodiversity offerings…
This two-year programme combines a practical online toolkit, expert guidance and an accreditation framework, giving you a clear route to restore habitats, support wildlife and manage your grounds for biodiversity. With a range of whole-institution actions to choose from, alongside dedicated habitat and species modules, you can focus on what matters most for your grounds and build on the work you’re already doing.
“Nature Friendly Grounds complements the biodiversity work we are already doing through our Ecosystem Resilience and Biodiversity Action Plan. Our Environmental Sustainability Plan, Sustainable Futures, commits us to delivering nature-positive outcomes. We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate across the sector to promote practical climate action while empowering our students to take a leading role in restoring nature.”
Professor Monjur Mourshed, Dean of Environmental Sustainability at Cardiff University (Nature Friendly Grounds pilot institution)
The programme has been co-created with experts, with support from an advisory group involving organisations across the education and public sectorHabitat and species modules have also been co-created with a range of conservation charities including The Mammal Society, Butterfly Conservation, RSPB and Plantlife.
The programme was piloted with 17 institutions in 2025, refining the framework across a diverse range of settings, from urban campuses to larger estates, while helping institutions connect biodiversity action with student and staff engagement. Relaunching on 28th September, Nature Friendly Grounds is now available to all UK universities and colleges for 2026.
To take part in Nature Friendly Grounds complete the sign up form.
Hedgehog Friendly Campus (HFC) helps learning institutions create safer, more welcoming grounds for hedgehogs while giving staff and students a fun, practical way to get involved in nature recovery.
HFC gives institutions a clear, practical framework for taking action for a much-loved but declining species. The online toolkit combines guidance and training with a range of activities, from creating hedgehog-friendly habitats and monitoring local populations to citizen science projects.
Since 2021, participating institutions have achieved a lot:
“If you’re doing Hedgehog Friendly Campus for the first time, it’s well worth choosing the full package. The regular catchups and webinars are invaluable… they’re what drew us to the programme. The additional sessions really brought the toolkit to life.”
Mark Hopkins, Senior Sustainability Officer, Birmingham City University
This year, the programme is focusing on hedgehog monitoring, helping institutions understand how hedgehogs use their grounds and build a stronger evidence base for future action.
Relaunching on 1st October 2026, universities and colleges can now join the Hedgehog Friendly Campus 2026–27 cohort, giving more opportunity to take action for hedgehogs.
Hedgehog Friendly Campus is co-created with The British Hedgehog Preservation Society.
To take part in Hedgehog Friendly Campus complete the sign up form.
Our Hedgehog Survey Workshop is a practical training experience that helps learning institutions discover whether hedgehogs and other small mammals are visiting their grounds.
Previously available only to Hedgehog Friendly Campus participants, the workshop is now available as a standalone training session. Delivered either in person or online, it introduces participants to hedgehog ecology and behaviour before teaching them how to identify small mammals using hedgehog footprint tunnels.
Staff and students will put their learning into practice, carrying out surveys over five consecutive days. Training and survey tunnels are provided and the results can give you valuable insight into the wildlife using your grounds to help inform future action for nature.
It’s an accessible way to turn your campus into a living lab, combining practical conservation and citizen science while giving staff and students a fun and meaningful way to get involved.
Find our Hedgehog Survey Workshop under Learning Academy in our sign up form.
Biodiversity Literacy Training™ is an interactive, half-day course with certification, designed to give you the knowledge and confidence to understand the biodiversity crisis.
Developed by the University of Edinburgh and delivered by SOS UK, the training explores what biodiversity is and why it matters, the causes and impacts of the biodiversity crisis, how everyday activities affect nature and how we can help.
The course is designed for a broad audience of staff and students, making it a great way to build shared understanding and spark conversations about biodiversity across your institution. It’s ideal for institutions that want to build biodiversity literacy among staff and students.
Participants gain foundation knowledge of the biodiversity crisis, alongside communication skills for influencing others and recognised certification from the University of Edinburgh.
“I really enjoyed the training and found the discussions and practical action pledges both insightful and inspiring. The course has strengthened my understanding of biodiversity and how it can be integrated into sustainability initiatives and everyday decision-making.”
Biodiversity Literacy Trainging participant
The training combines 90 minutes of online pre-reading with a three-hour interactive online or in person workshop. Institutions can book dedicated sessions for 10–20 participants.
To take part in Biodiversity Literacy TrainingTM complete the sign up form.
Our BioBlitz event is a hands-on, biodiversity survey day that brings staff and students together to find and record as many species as possible in a set time.
Delivered in person by SOS UK staff, the workshop combines expert guidance, practical resources and a collaborative species hunt. Participants will learn how to spot and record plants and wildlife using iNaturalist (facilitated by SOS UK staff), building their confidence in biological recording while contributing valuable information about the biodiversity already present on campus.
The result is a snapshot of your campus biodiversity helping you understand what nature you have, identify opportunities for nature recovery and provide a baseline against which future changes can be measured.
“The best part was finding species I have never seen before and finding out how biodiverse our campus is!”
Nottingham College student
Ideal for institutions looking to kick-start biodiversity action, engage a wide range of staff and students, or build a stronger evidence base for how they manage their grounds.
Find our BioBlitz under Learning Academy on the sign up form.
Our one-hour Biodiversity Crisis session is an accessible introduction to biodiversity and nature loss, giving participants the knowledge and inspiration to understand the challenges facing nature.
In this short but engaging session, participants will:
The session is a great way to build shared understanding across your institution, introduce staff and students to the biodiversity agenda and spark conversations about how we can all contribute to nature recovery.
Find our Tackling the Biodiversity Crisis session under Learning Academy on our sign up form.