Both Border universities are giving their staff and students the green light to attend Friday's global climate strike.
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The School Strike 4 Climate will take over Albury's QEII Sqaure from 11am to coincide with strikes happening across the world and both La Trobe University and Charles Sturt University said students won't be "disadvantaged" if they chose to attend instead of classes.
La Trobe University vice-chancellor John Dewar asked his staff to "be accommodation of students who wish to participate in the strike.
"Teaching staff are asked, as far as possible, to reschedule any in-class assessments that are currently scheduled for September 20," he said.
"I am aware that some La Trobe University staff wish to attend the global climate strike and you can choose not to be on campus that day in order to attend the strike.
"If you elect to attend the strike you must put in place approved leave arrangements and notify your supervisor accordingly."
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Vice-chancellor Dewar said the arrangements were put in place because the "climate strike is unique in two ways".
"It is generating interest on a scale not commonly seen for this type of public event," he said.
"And it is responding to an issue, climate change, that is explicitly named in the University's Strategic Plan 2018-2022 as a global problem that La Trobe will help to address. We know that climate change is an issue about which many staff feel very strongly.
"La Trobe has played a leadership role by being the first Australian university to commit to divesting from fossil fuels, and aims to be the first Victorian university to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2029."
Charles Sturt's acting vice-chancellor professor John Germov said the university supported the right of students and staff to take part in the protests.
"No Charles Sturt student or staff member will be penalised by the university for attending the strike events, which are an admirably peaceful and powerful way of advocating for much-needed action to address climate change," he said.
"For students planning to attend the strike, the University asks that they notify their lecturers should this impact assessment deadlines, and take measures to ensure they do not compromise their learning or that of fellow classmates, particularly if they are involved in group work.
"Charles Sturt staff planning to take part will work with their supervisors to ensure services for students not attending the strikes will be uninterrupted.
"Charles Sturt has a long history of dedication to meaningful action on climate change and sustainability."
