Beth Reichwald Nicola Corrigan

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Learning From Australia Engaging Staff and
Students in Sustainability
Beth Reichwald Nicola Corrigan University
of Exeter Kingston University AUA
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Sustainability implies that the critical
activities of higher education institution are
(at a minimum) ecologically sound, socially just
and economically viable, and that they will
continue to be so for future generations
Association of University Leaders for a
Sustainable Future
The goal has to be the development of values,
attitudes, behaviour and critical thinking skills
that will motivate students to demonstrate a
personal and life-long interest and
responsibility, and an active involvement in
sustainability issues and in the environmental
decision making process as part of their
lives Filho and Carpenter, Sustainability in the
Australasian University Context
It is also important to recognise that while
students clearly learn much from formal courses
they are also influenced to a large extent by
more informal learning experiences and passively
by the surroundings within which they are
placed Filho and Carpenter, Sustainability in
the Australasian University Context
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Sustainability _at_ MQ

• MQ 15 Actions Towards Sustainability
• campus management and operations
• teaching and learning
• research
• human resources and personnel
• reporting and accountability
• procurement
• planning and development
• awareness and recognition.

video http//www.mq.edu.au/sustainability/
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Sustainability _at_ MQ
Human Resources and Personnel

• Objective Incorporate sustainability into
  induction and professional development
• Induction
• Contractors
• Senior Management Training
• Code of Conduct
• Part of job description future employee
  qualities

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A Monash Green Office

1. Purchases environmentally responsible paper,
   remanufactured printer cartridges and other
   preferred products
2. Purchases socially responsible locally-produced,
   fair trade and organic products
3. Reduces paper usage
4. Reduces energy usage
5. Uses durable crockery, cutlery, cups and bags
6. Recycles just about everything
7. Promotes sustainable transport
8. Promotes environmental responsibility
9. Promotes wellbeing
10. Monitors environmental progress to strive for
    innovative, best practices solutions to
    environmental issues

play your part in greening Monash!
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The SUstainable Campus projects

• Environmental Strategies Team
• Building Green
• Greenhouse Planning
• Saving Energy
• Saving Water
• Avoiding Waste
• Sustainable Transport
• Conserving Biodiversity
• Environmental Risk
• Student Projects

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• Engaging Students Student Projects
• Triple Bottom Line Options for the University of
  Sydney
• social, economic and environmental aspects of
  performance as an Higher Education Institution.
• The work outlined a phased-in approach for its
  application at the University of Sydney
• Advanced Engineering students participated in a
  final year thesis projects
• Examine the cost and feasibility of available
  options to drought proof" the campus
• Assessment of the environmental features of
  proposed buildings

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Program objectives 1. Enable students to
translate their interest in and passion for the
environment into effective, focused environmental
change 2. Impart to students an understanding of
the environmental change field and their
potential place within it 3. Create future
environmental leaders 4. Supply skilled
environmental change agents to host universities
and the job market 5. Enhance the employability
of participating students in the environmental
field, and to link them to relevant professional
networks.

• Quality of Outputs
• 700 training hours delivered
• 280 students trained
• 23 separate programs delivered at seven
  different host universities
• 800 days of environmental project work at host
  universities
• 2,324 days of environmental project work at
  external organisations
• Over 20 of student placements have directly
  generated ongoing work
• Over 80 of Green Steps graduates in the job
  market are working in the environment industry

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WorkshopHow can case study examples be
transferred to the UK?What would the barriers
to implementation be?How could these be
overcome to successfully implement
examples?Does engaging staff and students in
the debate matter?
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Further Information

• Sustainability at Macquarie University
• www.mq.edu.au/sustainability
• Email sustainability_at_mq.edu.au Phone [phone]
  4221
• Sustainability at the University of Sydney
• www.facilities.usyd.edu.au/projects/environ/about.
  shtml
• Email sustainable_at_usyd.edu.au Phone 612  903
  65441
• Sustainabilty at Monash
• http//www.monash.edu.au/green
• ANUGreen
• http//www.anu.edu.au/anugreen