Greater Manchester Civic University Agreement

Green Careers Mission

Students from universities across Greater Manchester, working together on the real environmental challenges facing our city region.

Register your interest: GCM 2026

What is Green Careers Mission?

A city region learning to build a greener future, together

Green Careers Mission brings students from all five of Greater Manchester's universities together for a day of hands-on problem-solving. Working in mixed teams, students take on a real sustainability challenges set by local employers and pitch practical ideas that could help make the city region fairer, greener and more sustainable.

Every challenge is aligned with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's Five-Year Environment Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, connecting students' work directly to the region's climate ambitions and growing green economy. Teams have taken on some of Greater Manchester's most pressing issues, from cutting carbon and improving air quality to the sustainable use of resources, protecting nature, and building resilience to a changing climate.

The event is open to students on any course and at any level. No prior background in sustainability is needed, just an interest in shaping a greener, fairer Greater Manchester. Along the way, students build practical skills, grow their networks, and meet employers looking for green-minded graduates.

At a glance

‍ ✓ Five Greater Manchester Universities

‍ ✓ Real challenges set by regional employers

‍ ✓ Aligned with GMCA Environment Plan & SDGS

‍ ✓ Open to students on every course & every level

‍ ‍✓ Free to take part, lunch included

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Award-winning and nationally recognised

★ A University of Manchester Making a Difference Award. In 2026, the Green Careers Mission team was recognised for its outstanding contribution to social and environmental impact, celebrating the partnership behind the initiative and the students at its heart.

★ National spotlight. The National Civic Impact Accelerator named Green Careers Mission a "groundbreaking" example of co-creation in its report Civic Approaches to Climate Education, highlighting it as a model for how universities, employers and local government can work together on the journey to net zero and a more sustainable future.

Read more about the recognition >

Recognised as a blueprint for civic climate education

Take part in 2026

This year's Green Careers Mission will be hosted at the University of Salford. It runs over a single full day, from 09:00 to 17:00, in November. Register your interest now, and we will be in touch with an application form as soon as the date is confirmed.

November TBC, 9am-5pm

When

University of Salford

Where

Green Careers Mission is open to students from all five Greater Manchester Universities, on any course and at any level.

Join this year’s mission

Register your interest

For Participants

Frequently asked questions

Any student from the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Salford, the Royal Northern College of Music, and the University of Greater Manchester. You can be studying any course, at any level, undergraduate or postgraduate.
No. You just need curiosity and a willingness to work in a team. The challenges are designed so that students from any discipline can contribute, and the mix of perspectives is exactly what makes the ideas stronger.
You will join an interdisciplinary team and work on a live sustainability challenge set by a regional employer, then present your solution. It is hands-on, fast-paced and collaborative, and you will meet students and employers from across the city region.
Real-world experience for your CV, the chance to meet employers looking for green talent, new connections with students from other universities, and practical skills for the growing green economy.
Complete the short expression of interest form. Once the date is confirmed, we will send you a more detailed application form with everything you need to know.