The Higher Education Academys Education for Sustainable Development

The Higher Education Academy’s Education for Sustainable Development Project presents What Makes a Town Sustainable? EAUC Conference 19 th 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 – Student. Force 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 28 th March in Bristol Scotland on 13 th 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…

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 25 th May 2007: • Thornbury Community Arts Venue • Land for Growing Food

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

University of Gloucestershire, continued… Dr Arran Stibbe’s Sustainable Cities Module

Sustainable City Project… v … 2008? v Independent study project, Level II v Work in partnership with school, NGO, local community group or University Estates Management v Piece of work that will contribute to Cheltenham or Gloucester becoming more sustainable

Sustainable City Project… v a short film, a report, a survey, a leaflet, a piece of artwork, a poster or other work v working with teachers to analyse how textbooks and literature used in the classroom represent the environment v working with tenants of council estates on environmental justice issues v surveying campus buildings in terms of energy efficiency v analysing the physical layout, textual representations of, and attitudes towards local parks, gardens and attractions v conducting stakeholder analysis to help local groups include ecological issues in their bids for heritage funding

Sustainable City Project… v helping to set up a campus biodiversity garden v the work done must be relevant to the students’ degrees v Learning outcomes v Assessment v 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