an audience with hefce eauc conference 1 april 2008 joanna simpson policy adviser
TRANSCRIPT
An audience with HEFCE
EAUC conference
1 April 2008
Joanna SimpsonPolicy Adviser
Our vision
Within the next 10 years, the higher education sector in this country will be recognised as a major contributor to society's efforts to achieve sustainability - through the skills and knowledge that its graduates learn and put into practice, and through its own strategies and operations.
Sustainable development in higher education (HEFCE 2005/28)
Our strategy in 2008
Developing our next action plan
• SD steering group
• Working with stakeholders
• Challenges and opportunities
• Public consultation in summer
Proposed objectives
• Continue to raise the profile of sustainable development, with the aim that it should become a mainstream part of university and college activities.
• Seek ‘win-win’ opportunities for the sector to engage in this agenda by helping to identify sector-wide business cases and benefits for individual institutions.
• Promote sustainable development by integrating it in our policy-making processes and being open about the often hard choices made.
Proposed objectives
• Demonstrate to stakeholders that HEFCE and higher education institutions are making genuine efforts to promote sustainable development and to develop good practice and tools.
• Support sector-led capacity building to pursue this agenda across all of an HEI’s functions. This will be based on existing frameworks and activity and through supporting innovative and novel projects.
• Facilitate a carbon reduction culture to significantly reduce carbon emissions across the sector.
From Secretary of State, John Denham
• 2050 climate change target
• Plans to reduce carbon emissions – factor in future capital allocations
• Revolving Green Fund
Grant letter
Revolving Green Fund• Partnership between HEFCE and Salix
• £30-40 million over 3 years
• Repayable grants to undertake projects which reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Proven technologies and innovative projects
• Public consultation – deadline 21 April 2008
• Great deal has been done – diversity of approaches
• Momentum for change needs to continue and increase
• Baseline of SD activity
• Raise further the SD debate = greater understanding and engagement
• Available on the HEFECE website
Strategic review
Strategic review – key findings
• approximately two-thirds of institutions are engaged in sustainable development related research
• although some institutions are fully committed to sustainability, the level of involvement is uneven
• the place of sustainable development in the curriculum is varied and not yet well connected with the skills agenda
• environmental performance across the estate is varied and improving performance is an investment challenge, given the age and condition of many university buildings.
Building good practiceSD resource guide: www.hefce.ac.uk/susdevresources
Leadership, Governance and Management Fund
• GreenBuild – University of Bradford & HEEPI
• Legacy of the 1960s Estate – University of Bath
• EcoCampus – Nottingham Trent University
• Reuse in hall – London School of Economics
Strategic Development Fund
• Sustainable Energy Centre – London South Bank University
• Ecoversity StuDent – University of Bradford
• Corporate Social Responsibility Policy
– ISO14001
• Annual CSR report and Environmental Performance Indicators
• Main environmental impacts
– Business travel and commuting
– Energy and water use
– Waste management
– Procurement
HEFCE’s own operations
My questions
• What do you think should be the priorities of our next action plan?
• Do you have any comments on our proposed revolving green fund?
• Do you feel that there are specific areas where we should facilitate the building and dissemination of good practice
Discussion
Further information
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/lgm/sustain/
Joanna Simpson
0117 9317411