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Sustainability Strategy 

Embracing Sustainability as a Strategic Priority

The sustainability agenda is becoming increasingly relevant to higher education. Universities are now considering the current and future impact of their educational, research, outreach and operational activities. Universities are motivated by the academic challenge, social responsibility and moral concerns as well as by the opportunities sustainability offers for enhancing the student experience, improving student employability and for income generation.

The University of Gloucestershire is not alone in actively pursuing sustainability. Our University is perhaps unique in having committed to this area for over 20 years - having formally been acknowledged as a sector leader since the early 1980s.

However, the higher education landscape is changing. ‘Greening Spires’ (UniversitiesUK 2008) documents how universities are now being challenged to extend their sustainability actions - including the greening of campus operations, the reduction of our carbon footprint and going beyond the teaching of environmental programmes to embed sustainability issues and skills into core courses.

In response to this challenge the University of Gloucestershire has developed ‘Promising Futures: A Sustainability Strategy 2009-2015’. The strategy commits the University to a process of continuous improvement which extends activities across the campuses and facilities. It provides a sustainability vision for the University which is focused on ‘shifting mindsets’ as well as ‘changing unsustainable practice’. Its ultimate goal is to contribute through its educational, research, outreach and operational activities to a more promising future for all. 

 

"In our vision, the future is underpinned by a socially just, healthy, prosperous and biodiverse world."

Promising Futures 2009-15: A Sustainability Strategy for the University of Gloucestershire

 

 

 

Promising Futures

Below is a summary of the key ambitions in Promising Futures 2009-15 which seeks to embed Sustainability in the DNA of the University.

Q What does Sustainability in the DNA mean?

  • It means sustainability is a core activity of the University
  • It means more than greening the campus
  • It means a focus on mainstreaming across all portfolios
  • It means investment in establishing monitoring and accountability systems
  • It means investment in capacity building
  • It means strong alignment with the core strategic priorities of the Universities

 

Framing this vision are ambitions associated with:

1. Embedding sustainability in the curriculum

2. Developing cross-faculty research expertise in
    people engagement with sustainability, and:

3. Linking international and capital development
    initiatives with sustainability

 

 

Q How will it show?

  • Sustainability is in all key policy documents - Strategic Development Plan; Teaching and Learning Strategy; Research Plan; Public Engagement Policy, etc.
  • University has a sustainability accountability system
  • Procurement decisions are influenced by sustainability
  • Student work experience in sustainability
  • Public engagement programme in sustainability
  • High profile opportunities for academic debate in sustainability
  • Postgraduate Research network in Sustainability
  • Carbon strategy and carbon management plan
  • Programme for FE partner colleges
  • Formally embedded in course validation


Q How will it happen?

A Sustainability Team has been established to facilitate the actions. However, the implementation of the proposed strategy requires engagement from staff and students across all campuses.

It is important to recognise that:

  • This will not happen overnight - it is a journey of continuous improvement.
  • There is a need to be inclusive and seek engagement of staff and students  as well as external stakeholders.
  • There is a need to be systemic and not just strategic when implementing this strategy.

Above all this ambitious strategy requires continuous commitment from the Senior Management of the University.

 

 

Other Sustainability Webpages:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following academic targets guide our actions

Curriculum: Develop a teaching and learning framework plus subject-specific guidance, as a platform for ongoing work to support colleagues in embedding sustainability across core course offerings, particularly professional courses.

Research: Seek funding to establish new research streams and support research networking opportunities

Student Experience: Develop a work placement and professional exchange programme for students.

Public Engagement: Launch RCE and establish its programme of public engagement activities.

Partnerships: Develop a sustainability partnership programme for FE Colleges in the area of sustainability.

Academic Profile: Participate in international and high profile sustainability research programmes.

 

The following corporate targets guide our actions

Strategy: Pilot embedding of sustainability into strategic decision making by the leadership of the University.

Action Planning: Develop a sustainable travel action plan in consultation with staff and students.
Campus Management: Implement the University’s carbon management plan to reduce our carbon emissions and install sub-metering across the University estate..

Communications: Develop web content that illustrates what sustainability means to our students and celebrate sustainability achievements of all departments across the University.

Accountability: Continue to develop a system for tracking the implementation of the Sustainability Strategy which enables us to report against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for sustainability.

Reporting: Widen the scope of reporting on the University’s greenhouse gas emissions to include emissions from travel.
 

The following actions will be prioritised from 2011 to address the need to reduce our carbon footprint:

  • Establish a Low Carbon Sub-Working Group.
  • Install sub-meters across the University estate with automatic monitoring and reporting (AMR).
  • Initiate a monitoring & targeting (M&T) system.
  • Investigate potential sources of funding to assist the University to achieve its low carbon aims.
  • Establish a baseline travel carbon footprint and develop a sustainable travel action plan to reduce the emissions from travel.

 

Download 'Promising Futures', our Sustainability Strategy 2009-2015 here

 

 

The Sustainability Team has been collecting data and information to monitor and report the University's sustainability achievements during the 2009/10 financial year.  To download a copy of the 2009/10 sustainability report, please click here. 

Our Carbon Strategy 'Carbon Matters 2010-2020' which sets out our objectives and targets for carbon reduction over the next decade. It also provides  the University’s carbon baseline, scope of emissions and actions to help us achieve our targets. Download here.

 

  • Ranked 2nd in the Green League in 2011 and 2010 and 1st in 2008 – the only University to consistently stay in the top 5 since the Green League began..
  • Shortlisted in 5 categories in the 2010 Green Gown Awards (Continuous Improvement, Sustainable Procurement, Green ICT, Student Initiatives and Campaigns, Skills) – the most nominated University in 2010.
  • Winner in the Green Gown Continuous Improvement category for our work on Education for Sustainability (EfS) in 2010.
  • Improved and higher than sector average Universities That Count (UTC) score, including an "outstanding" score in the Teaching, Learning & Research component (2009)
  • Gold Green Impact Award for our Students’ Union (2011), with silver awards in 2010 and 2009.
  • Development of a Carbon Strategy and Carbon Management Plan, with a reduction in our carbon emissions of 9% since 2005.
  • Establishment of a mentoring and support programme in EfS for teaching staff and development of guidelines to assist staff to integrate sustainability into their courses.
  • Development of a Student Engagement Plan in Sustainability, from which an increasing number of student engagement opportunities are developing.
  • Development of a sustainable food policy and introduction of sustainability across university catering outlets (2010)
  • Programme of sustainability seminars, events and campaigns throughout the year.

 

University of Gloucestershire, The Park, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 2RH. Telephone +44 (0)844 8010001.