The largest contributor to our transport emissions as a university is from long-haul flights. Reducing the frequency of international journeys is a great step towards lowering our carbon emissions. Changing the mode of transport when we do travel abroad will help even more.

Travelling internationally as a student

We welcome students from all over the world to study at Bath, where they become an essential part of our richly diverse, international community. However, flights taken by students to and from the UK contribute to a huge portion of our carbon footprint, so we want to support you to make changes to your international travel.

You could reduce the number of trips you take abroad each year by:

• taking holidays in the UK, by looking at the VisitBritain destinations list for ideas
• making sure you’ve registered with the University Medical Centre and Dental Centre so you can make appointments on campus
• making more frequent phone calls and video calls to family and friends in other countries to keep in touch
• finding out what events the University and the SU are putting on during university holidays so you can have fun and meet new people by staying in Bath
  

If you do need to travel abroad, remember:

• flying economy class is more sustainable than flying in Business or First Class
• taking a direct flight instead of a stopover will generate fewer carbon emissions
• if you’re travelling to Europe, you could take a train, ferry or coach instead of flying

Your wellbeing is a top priority for us and we know many students deal with homesickness at some point during their time at university. If you’d like support with homesickness or any other wellbeing concern, contact the Student Support Advice Service.

Travelling internationally as a member of staff

As a member of staff, you should always follow the Travel and expenses policy when booking international travel for work purposes. The policy provides lots of guidance on how to travel sustainably, including:

• the lowest carbon option is not to travel – consider whether you could use phone, email, or a virtual meeting instead 
• trains are preferable for longer journeys but where driving is the only practical option, consider car-sharing 
• flying should be the choice of last resort for destinations within England, Wales and Scotland (except north of Glasgow and Edinburgh) and the area serviced by Eurostar 

Read the full Travel and expenses policy.

Read our blog about why academia should consider ditching flights and embracing rail.

Travelling for research

Travel can be necessary in conducting and disseminating research. However, using alternatives to travel can provide a range of benefits, including:

• making events more accessible
• more efficient use of staff time
• reducing environmental impacts
• saving money

Read our guidance on reducing your environmental impact when travelling for research.