Sustainable Development the role of higher education Steve

Sustainable Development – the role of higher education Steve Egan EAUC conference 31 March 2008

Higher Education’s contribution • • Role as educators Generation and transfer of knowledge Leadership of, and influence on, local, national and international networks Business strategy and operations.

Leitch • Leitch Review of Skills 2006 Recognised HE as a key contributor to the challenge of ensuring that the UK is a world leader in skills by 2020. • Leitch Implementation Plan ‘it is imperative that everyone in this country develops the skills of sustainable living and working. That means placing sustainable development at the heart of skills provision, ensuring that it is a fundamental goal of our economic and social progress. ’

Challenges • • • What are skills for sustainability? • Another agenda in an already overcrowded curriculum? How can the existing curriculum be used to support SD e. g. work placement? • What can we as a sector do to effectively harness and increase drivers? Link to employability? What are the ways in which partners can work together?

Drivers • • Students Professional bodies Targets and legislation Employers Sector Skills Councils United Nations Funding Councils

Employer engagement • Higher Education Innovation Fund – – • • • Carbon Connections - UEA Urban. Buzz: Building Sustainable Communities – UCL and UEL Lifelong Learning Networks CETLs Pilot projects

What are employers looking for? • • • Interpersonal skills Team working Problem solving Communicator Flexibility Commitment • • • Networking Proactivity Motivation Technical skills Independent working Planning www. prospects. ac. uk

Business Barometer % Business performance 43 31 Customer relations 23 12 Product/service development 3 5 2 Increasing market share 4 0 Carbon footprint 2 0 Mid Caps FTSE 9 6 7 2 3 Keeping investors happy 30 10 4 Employee retention SME 7 3 4 Social responsibility 52 12 5 20 Chart source: Carbon Trust Business barometer Oct ‘ 07 40 60 80 100

Sector Skills Councils Sustainability Skills Matrix for the built environment • • • Charts the key functional players • • Measure industry progress Identifies high level competences Map existing competences and identify skills gaps Assist future joint working

United Nations Decade for ESD (2005 -14) • to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning. Regional Centres of Expertise • Opportunities for HEIs to connect locally • East Midlands – first RCE in the UK

HEFCE’s role • Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) – – • • • C-SCAIPE - Kingston University Centre for Sustainable Futures - University of Plymouth Higher Education Academy Facilitate collaborative working Senior management commitment

HEFCE’s role • • • Revolving green fund Strategic review – Great deal has been done – diversity of approaches – Momentum for change needs to continue and increase 2008 sustainable development action plan – Consultation summer 2008

Further information http: //www. hefce. ac. uk/lgm/sustain/ Steve Egan s. egan@hefce. ac. uk 0117 9317408