the higher education academy’s education for sustainable development project presents what makes a...

The Higher Education Academy’s Education for Sustainable Development Project

presentsWhat Makes a Town Sustainable?

EAUC Conference 19th April 2007

Heather Witham

ESD Project Coordinator

Higher Education Academy

The Higher Education Academy

• Our mission is to help institutions, discipline groups and all staff to provide the best possible learning experience for their students

• We provide discipline-based support through our Subject Network of 24 Subject Centres. These are a mix of single-site and consortium-based centres located within relevant subject departments and hosted by higher education institutions.

The Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Project

• Initiated in early 2005 with the support of Forum for the Future

• First stage: audit of subject communities carried out by 18 of the 24 Subject Centres

• Culminated in the “Dawe Report”, available from our website: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/esd

Our Strategy

• Purpose: ‘to help institutions and subject communities develop curricula and pedagogy that will give students the skills and knowledge to live and work sustainably.’

Our Strategy, continued

• Aims:• ‘To research and support the development of ESD in the HE

sector, particularly within subject communities’.

• ‘To build capacity amongst individuals, subject communities and institutions to embed ESD in curricula and pedagogy’.

• ‘To assist the coordination and dissemination of policy, research and practice relating to ESD in institutions, the HEA and the wider field’.

Our Current Work

• Research into the UK Policy Context– Forum for the Future– England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales– Available publicly soon

• Action Research on Labour Market Evidence for Sustainable Careers Advice– StudentForce for Sustainability– Surveyed students, employers, careers advisors– Available publicly soon

Our Current Work, continued…

• Solo HEI Events– Alex Ryan and Colin Brooks– University of East Anglia– University of Gloucestershire soon– Report on our website

• Three-Day Interdisciplinary Seminar Series– Alex Ryan and Colin Brooks– 3 universities, 15 disciplines represented– Report on our website

Our Current Work, continued…

• Regional ESD Networking Events– East Midlands– South West on 28th March in Bristol– Scotland on 13th June in Dundee– Reports on our website

Our Current Work, continued…

• Small Grant Funding– 12 projects from 8 HEIs and/or Subject Centres– 13 disciplines– Results available in July– Listing of projects on our website

• UK ESD Conference– 10-11 July 2007 – Ecoversity: Bradford University– More information on our website

Our Current Work, continued…

• Joined Up Thinking– Mini SIGnet meeting– Kingston, Gloucestershire, Plymouth, Bournemouth,

Leadership Foundation, EAUC, Forum for the Future, others– Met in January– Joint strategies on communicating to the sector– Next meeting in July

• Resource Development– Our website – Subject Centres– More information on our website

Our Current Work, continued…

• Subject Centre Activity– Projects– Workshops– Joint events– Publications

• Generic Module and Development Plan– Stephen Sterling (joint post with CSF–- Plymouth)

Our Current Work, continued…

What Makes a Town Sustainable?

The History of the Project…

• Post 2006 ESD conference• Real life sustainability projects• South Gloucestershire Council’s Local Agenda 21 Meeting• Thornbury Town Council / Partnership “Healthcheck”

The Original Aim…

• Problem-based learning• Website• Multiple “ways in”• Close relationship with “healthcheck”

The Actual Outcome…

• Cold e-mails• Dozens of interested parties• Sustainability Café in U of Bristol

University of the West of England…

• Economics Network• Ecological Economics PBL workbook• Food issues• Press release• Economics workshop / focus group

Leeds University…

• Participatory methods• Town Council “trouble”

Leeds University, continued…

Leeds University, continued…

Leeds University, continued…

Cardiff University…

• Centre for Education in the Built Environment• Architecture and Planning

Cardiff University…

Consultation Event: October 2006

Cardiff University…

Final Presentation: December 2006

Cardiff University…

Spin offs – due 25th May 2007:

• Thornbury Community Arts Venue • Land for Growing Food

University of Gloucestershire…

• 1st year skills module• Town Council “trouble”Sustainable Thornbury• Question Time• Three batches: tours, conversations• Follow up session on 26th January

University of Gloucestershire, continued…

Dr Arran Stibbe’s Sustainable Cities Module

Sustainable City Project…

…2008? Independent study project, Level II Work in partnership with school, NGO, local community group

or University Estates Management Piece of work that will contribute to Cheltenham or Gloucester

becoming more sustainable

Sustainable City Project…

a short film, a report, a survey, a leaflet, a piece of artwork, a poster or other work working with teachers to analyse how textbooks and literature used in the classroom represent

the environment working with tenants of council estates on environmental justice issues surveying campus buildings in terms of energy efficiency analysing the physical layout, textual representations of, and attitudes towards local parks,

gardens and attractions conducting stakeholder analysis to help local groups include ecological issues in their bids for

heritage funding

Sustainable City Project…

helping to set up a campus biodiversity garden

the work done must be relevant to the students’ degrees

Learning outcomes Assessment List of resources

What could you do?

•Given your discipline, what project ideas do you have?

•Could you work with other disciplines?

•How could you involve community groups?

Let’s mingle…

Any Questions?

• Our website: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/esd• Our e-mail: sustainability@heacademy.ac.uk• My e-mail: h.witham@bristol.ac.uk