A sustainability strategy for higher education

1
A sustainability strategy for higher education
2
Drivers

• 1993 Toyne Report
• 2003 Learning to last
• House of Commons
• Environmental Audit Committee
• 2003 Sustainable development action plan for
  Education and Skills (DfES)

3
Why have a strategy for HE?

• HEIs are large and resource-intensive
  organisations
• HEIs are important actors in local, regional and
  national governance
• HEIs generate 250,000 graduates every year

4
What can HE contribute?

• Research and knowledge transfer
• Teaching and learning
• Widening participation
• Institutions as sustainable organisations

5
Our approach (1)

• Genuinely open-minded
• External and internal advisory groups
• Collaborative
• Annual Conference
• UUK/SCOP sustainability group
• Learning and Skills Council

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Our approach (2)

• Respect diversity
• Encourage disclosure of strengths and weaknesses
• Promote sustainable activity, not micro-manage
• HEFCE is implicated too!