To celebrate the International Day for Biodiversity 2026, several EU GREEN universities will organise local activities connected through the BioUNIVERSITY initiative, encouraging students, staff, researchers, and citizens to actively engage with biodiversity on their campuses and surrounding environments.
Through citizen science activities using the iNaturalist platform, participants will contribute to documenting local flora and fauna while learning more about biodiversity, sustainability, and conservation. The initiative highlights how universities can act locally while contributing to a broader international effort to better understand and protect ecosystems.
The programme includes activities hosted by the University of Gävle, the University of Évora, the University of Parma, and Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, ranging from biodiversity walks and BioBlitz events to hands-on campus biodiversity labs. Participants will have the opportunity to explore nature, collaborate with researchers, and contribute directly to citizen science projects.
Activities include:
- University of Évora (Portugal) – BioBlitz Herdade da Mitra
📅 May 15–16, 2026
A 24-hour biodiversity exploration at the University of Évora’s experimental farm. - University of Parma (Italy) – BioUNIVERSITY Lab
📅 May 19, 2026
Students and researchers will document biodiversity on campus using iNaturalist. - Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (Germany) – BioUNIVERSITY Walk
📅 May 22, 2026
A biodiversity walk focused on citizen science and species observation. - University of Gävle (Sweden) – International Day for Biological Diversity
📅 May 27, 2026
Including a presentation on citizen science and biodiversity observation activities using iNaturalist.
Participants are encouraged to join the BioUNIVERSITY project by installing the iNaturalist app, contributing observations, and helping build a shared biodiversity record across EU GREEN campuses. 
