On 3 March, the Gambelas Campus of the University of Algarve hosted the 3rd edition of the “Second Life” Fair, an initiative that promotes the reuse of goods donated by the academic community — such as clothing, footwear and books — encouraging conscious consumption, sharing and waste reduction. The fair, developed within the framework of the European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), was organised in collaboration with the Academic Association of the University of Algarve (AAUAlg), bringing together hundreds of members of the academic community around sustainability.
Throughout the afternoon, students, academic staff and professional staff had the opportunity to give a new life to various previously donated items, promoting sharing practices and a circular economy within the campus. The initiative also benefited from the support of AAUAlg volunteers, whose contribution was essential to the organisation and smooth running of the fair.
The initiative originated from a winning idea of the 2025 edition of the “Greening Our Campus” contest, a SEA-EU programme at UAlg that challenges the academic community to present concrete proposals aimed at making university campuses more sustainable.
The opening session included remarks by the Vice-Rector for Partnerships and European University, Patrícia Pinto, and the Pro-Rector for Sustainability Sciences, Vânia Sousa, who highlighted the importance of participatory initiatives that engage the academic community in more responsible and sustainable practices.
The “Second Life” Fair is part of Task 4.4 – “SEA-EU Goes Greener”, an initiative that promotes concrete sustainability actions across the campuses of the alliance’s universities and encourages the active involvement of the academic community in building greener and more resilient universities.
With initiatives such as this, the University of Algarve continues to strengthen its commitment to sustainability, demonstrating how small actions, when embraced by the community, can contribute to a positive environmental impact and foster a culture of environmental responsibility in higher education.
A 4th edition of the “Second Life” Fair is already planned for the Penha Campus, with the date to be announced.
