The Sustainable practitioner

1. The Sustainable practitioner A workshop for STEM subjects on Sustainable Development The Higher Education Academy Session 2: Education for Sustainable Development and Higher Education

2. Introduction • This session will consider the role of, and implications for, education with regards to Sustainable Development • This includes some issues relevant to education generally, then more specifically for Higher Education

3. Education has been identified as a key facilitator for S.D. with potential for people learning about the environment, social justice and cultural issues, enabling the next generation to change the world. This is focussed at all levels – from pre-school up to and including higher (tertiary) education At the International level, this was recognised by the United Nations and led to the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiative  This has a wider set of focus points than the UK government, including Biodiversity; climate change; cultural diversity; disaster risk reduction; poverty reduction; health promotion; peace and human security; water; sustainable urbanisation The role of educators

4. Education for Sustainable Development: the European context • Following the 2001 EU Sustainable Development Strategy, in 2011 the European Union adopted a policy of encouraging member states to support Education for Sustainable Development  • In particular, in “higher education, ESD should be strengthened and attention focused on developing more specific skills and the competences needed within various occupations, as well as on addressing issues such as responsible decision-making by individuals and communities and corporate social responsibility.”

5. The UK Perspective • In the UK, the government position has led to the various funding bodies adopting strategies and a focus on Sustainable Development • The different funding bodies (HEFCE , Department for Employment and Learning N.I. , Scottish Funding Council  and HEFCW ) each adopt their own approach to this. • E.g. HEFCE focusses on good practice, infrastructure and estates as well as more widespread innovations through teaching practice • The Higher Education Academy pursues this topic under the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Project • The QAA also influences this – though less directly – with the subject benchmarks and subject and institutional audits 

6. Higher Education Academy: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Project  The HEA supports ESD in a number of ways • Through it’s ESD newsletters • Through projects on ESD – with dissemination through EvidenceNET and other resource sites • Through workshops • Through the Sustainability in Higher Education (SHED) network

7. Individual Universities • Many universities now refer to Sustainable Development and/or to sustainability in their mission statements and strategies. • These can be focussed on estates issues (reducing the carbon footprint of the institution), or to financial sustainability (sometimes referring to sustainable courses) • However, many do refer to more general Sustainable Development issues – or other topics within the statements can be matched to the Sustainable Development context • These strategies can put an onus on staff to incorporate appropriate behaviours or content in their activities

8. Students • Since many students will have met Sustainable Development within their prior learning – at school and/or college – or will be concerned about topics that fall under the remit of Sustainable Development a growing number are expecting that these topics are addressed when they come to university; • Many student unions have their own strategies and approaches for Sustainable Development; • The interest in this can be seen in the use of sustainability related indicators in various league tables, notably the green league People & Planet’s Green League 

9. Employers and the public • Higher Education’s role continues to be that of providing students with a broad education beyond the pure subject content of their degrees • Within society generally, the pressures that have been considered already on HE apply equally to other organisations and bodies – employers are increasingly choosing or being required to take account of sustainability issues in their activities. • For this reason it is expected that graduates will have knowledge – and where appropriate skills – to be able to understand and engage with related issues in society and work

10. E.G. Lack of relevance; Overfull curricula; Fear of indoctrination; Attitudes – own, colleagues, others Write down ONE barrier (from above or your own) Swap your objection with your partner – and attempt to address their objection Report back any objections that seem insurmountable Barriers/objections to Embedding S.D.

11. S.D. provides an apt platform for developing ethical discussions and dilemmas It can provide a good framework for case studies and examples especially of social and ethical issues for disciplines It can provide cross curricula content – an area students are familiar with and embrace It can provide a wider context for our teaching – the international aspects of this in particular It is expected and required by more and more external bodies e.g. funding bodies and accrediting bodies Relevant to Personal Development Planning (PDP) : part of the personal framework which will determine and define individual student’s futures Reasons to embed and opportunities

12. Session Summary • We have explored some of the ways in which education is important in increasing the awareness of Sustainable Development • Within Higher Education there are a number of drivers encouraging educators themselves to be aware of these topics • Of particular focus is the role for Higher Education in preparing graduates for their roles in developing technologies, science and influencing society as policymakers or advisors