This is the first-ever national award and accreditation scheme which will recognise third-level institutions’ efforts to reduce excessive drinking among their students. The scheme has been developed following a rigorous review of previous efforts to reduce excessive alcohol consumption across 3rd level institutions, and includes a comprehensive range of evidence-based action points which have been designed to tackle harmful drinking amongst students’. In total, the REACT Award has eight mandatory and eighteen optional action points. These action points include training relevant staff in brief intervention, implementing a student alcohol policy and setting up a dedicated REACT steering committee in order to implement the programme. Optional action points include providing alcohol-free accommodation and social spaces for students as well as providing late-night transport to student accommodation.