Pilgrim’s Progress: the Slopes, Peaks and Pilgrim’s Progress: the Slopes, Peaks and Sloughs of a Sustainability Policy Sloughs of a Sustainability Policy

Consultation Consultation 

Joanna Blake, Brian Chalkley, Fumiyo Kagawa & David Selby

Centre for Sustainable Futures University of Plymouth

Education for Sustainable Development Conference

10 July 2007 University of Bradford

Vision

The transformation of the University of Plymouth from an institution characterised by significant areas of excellence in ESD to an institution modelling university-wide excellence and hence able to make a major contribution to ESD regionally, nationally and internationally.

Background

Commitment to developing a University of Plymouth Sustainability Policy by May 2007 within the 2004 HEFCE Proposal for a Centre for Excellence in Teaching in Learning for Education for Sustainable Development (CETL ESD)

The 4C’s Model

Sustainability Policy and Action Plan Development: Background Research

Collection and analysis of existing HEI Sustainability and Environmental Policies from the UK and other English-speaking countries and some francophone countries

Collection and analysis of all existing University of Plymouth Policies, Strategies and Plans

HEI Sustainability Policy/Strategy Analysis  Exclusive concentration on or overemphasis of

environmental dimensions of sustainability Most fail to convey sustainability as involving a

dynamical interplay between culture, environment, economy, health, peace and social justice dimensions

Have a ‘behind closed doors’ feel – no reference to their being the outcome of a consultation process; no reference to future revision through periodic consultation

Many have a heavy estates emphasis; curriculum-lite Most seem caught in a Bruntland time warp Little reference to the contested nature of the field

Existing University of Plymouth

Policies/Strategies (1)

The Little Bo-Peep Phenomenon – the Chancellery ‘didn’t know where to find them’!)

Existing University of Plymouth

Policies/Strategies (2)

Lack of cohesion across the policies (no cross-referencing)

No coherent and available schedule of policy revision

The Wide and Deep Consultation (1)

Walk the Talk’

The Wide and Deep Consultation (2)

Build a sense of empowerment and ownership through engagement

Groups consulted included:

CSF Community Heads of Divisions and Schools Division and School personnel (academic and non-

academic) University of Plymouth Student Union Chancellery Environment Committee CSF Campus and Community Forums Regional/local community groups Students

Different Approaches to Consultation [1]: Formal Approaches

Formal boardroom-style meetings 1:1 meetings with senior personnel, including

Chancellery Face to face and virtual consultations within

schools and divisions Meetings with UPSU student representatives

Different Approaches to Consultation [2]: Flow Approaches (1)

1:1 coffee chats Open space dialogues

Different Approaches to Consultation [2]: Flow Approaches (2)

Sticky paper ideas and drawing boards in public places

Large plasma screen broadcasting initiative and inviting feedback in UPSU

Announcements and invitations on staff and student portals

[Repeated] News Alerts

The Sustainability Policy

Formally accepted by Chancellery; subject to ratification by Governors

Adopts the ‘4C’ approach Holistic interpretation of sustainability Signals contested nature of the area Simultaneous signing of range of international

covenants Commitment to three-year consultations in review: a

‘live’ document To be monitored by Environment Committee

Sustainability Strategic Action Plan

71 Actions with ‘leads’ and ‘players’ identified 13 Curriculum, 28 Campus, 11 Community,

19 Culture actions A ‘living’ and ‘lived’ document A framework, not a straitjacket To be monitored by the Environment

Committee

Lessons Learned:

Anticipate hi-jacks (but don’t be thrown by them)

Marry the ‘formal’ with the ‘flow’ Engaging students means asking students

how they can be best engaged Wide and deep consultation is a

stretch………. Other lessons …

We have got the VC on board!

Making the Policy and Action Plan Live

Electronic version of Policy with hyperlinks from Executive Summary

Electronic and Poster-form ‘popular’ versions Action Plan as an electronic timeline, opening

to action line descriptions, monitoring page, discussion room

SOME IMPACTS OF CONSULTATION

Raised profile for Sustainability and CSF Calls for CPD ‘Leads’ and ‘players’ taking on change

agency/advocacy role Sustainability becoming part of institutional

mindset

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Alex Francis, John Downie and Thomas Stembridge for drawing the cartoons!