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Sustainable Development in the Curriculum:
A Key CSR Commitment
Fraser Lovie
Policy, Planning & Governance
Amy Gray
Environment Office
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
Content
• Definitions
• CSR/Sustainable Development in an HE context
• Typology of Sustainability in HEIs
• Aberdeen and SD
• Reasons to Pursue SD in HE
• Conclusions & Next Steps
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
Definition of SD
“Sustainable Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.“
Brundtland Commission, 1987
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
UN Decade of Education for SD
“The goal of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) … is to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning.”
This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations.”
UNESCO
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
HE & CSR
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
HE & CSR
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
HE & CSR
CSR/SD Impact Areas for HE
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
ResearchCurriculum
Operational Community
Typology of SD in HEIs• Minimal Inclusion
– one-off courses; limited commitment; limited research• Moderate Inclusion
– some degrees with SD; pockets of research excellence but SD not yet a strategic priority
• Routine Inclusion– SD an institutional priority; many students exposed to
SD in courses or as part of student experience• Structural Inclusion
– systematic exposure to SD as part of degree prog and experience; SD a strategic & operational priority
• Strategic Inclusion– SD seen as a key institutional USP; efforts to fully
embed SD across curriculum
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
Aberdeen and ESD• Expand
– the number of courses with SD content and number of students exposed to SD issues e.g. NAC model+
• Enrich– all/most programmes with some consideration of SD
• Embed– cross-reference SD into the whole curriculum
and in all cases• Enhance
– existing activity e.g. ACES, CHP, OceanLab, Cruickshank Gdns, Lifelong Learning
– reflect ‘operational’ activity with commitment in all areas
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
Reasons to Pursue • Contribution
– supports the wider operational effort to ‘do our bit’• Employability
– enhances graduate employability• Knowledge Economy
– supports the development of core skills• Competitiveness/Benchmarking
– enhance institutional reputation i.e. supports strategy– recognises we will be judged on our performance
• National/International Initiatives– UNESCO’s Decade for ESD– Scottish Government strategic objectives
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
Conclusions / Considerations• Does the new NAC model go far enough?
– embedding versus additionality
– how to expose all/most students
• How can we build on existing activity?
– Expand Enrich Embed and Enhance
• Where can we play our part?
– Community engagement.
– Research that reflects institutional values.
– Curriculum as a key driver.
PLUS – ‘skills for sustainability’ reflect “enlightened self interest”.
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
Next Steps• Resources to exploit:
– HE Academy ESD Project• CETL at University of Plymouth• Scottish network• Newsletter
– EAUC ESD online resource bank– UNESCO Decade of ESD Website
• Key players:– Prof Patricia Broadfoot: VC, Univ of Gloucestershire– Dr Prof Peter Hopkinson: Director of Sustainable
Education, Univ of Bradford Ecoversity– Dr Stephen Sterling: CETL, Univ of Plymouth
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
Questions?
Fraser Lovie Amy GrayE: [email protected] E: [email protected]: 01224 273165 T: 01224 272053
CREF Presentation, 13 March 2008
