Learning, Teaching and Research
‘Tips and Tools for
Creating a Better
Future’
– a warts and all
analysis of the
process of change
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Sustainable Development in Wales
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Think Global, act local
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Sustainable Development in Wales
“Within the lifetime of a generation we want to see
Wales using only its fair share of the earth’s
resources” One Wales One Planet, 2009
Davies, P. 2013. Future Generations Bill.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
2014
2015
Future
Generations Bill
will be introduced
in Assembly
Future
Generations Bill
expected to
become law
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Future Generations Bill
 Legislate to make sustainable development the central
organising principle of the Welsh Government and public
bodies in Wales.
- Welsh Government
- National Park Authorities
- Natural Resources Wales
- NHS Trusts
- National Library of Wales
- Local Health Boards
- National Museum Wales
- Sport Wales
- Higher Education Funding
Council for Wales
- Arts Council of Wales
- Higher Education Institutions
- Local Authorities
- Further education corporations
- Fire and rescue authorities
- Registered Social Landlords
- Town and Community Councils
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Future Generations Bill
Welsh Government. 2014. The Wales We Want; Future Generations Bill.
http://thewaleswewant.co.uk/content/future-generations-bill
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Future Generations Bill
Longer term thinking: a greater emphasis on LT outcomes
and cost effectiveness over the LT.
 Integration – decision making is supported by evidence of
the wider and longer-term economic, social and environmental
impacts.
 Working across organisational boundaries.
 Focusing on prevention; identifying critical early
interventions, which generate long term cost savings and
efficiencies in the future.
 Engagement and involvement: involving
stakeholders who will be affected by decisions.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Sustainable Development in Wales
 Wales is in a unique position.
 There is an opportunity to be ahead of legislative
requirements and be a model of good practice.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
INSPIRE – the opportunity…..
 To influence the development of a university during the process
of major change.
 For sustainable development to be a core value with which to
frame the development of the institution.
 To be an exemplar of sustainability in practice.
 To benefit the local region through partnerships focused on
sustainable outcomes.
 To create commercial opportunities through expertise
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
INSPIRE – the drivers…..
Government
policy
Requirements
of professional
& accrediting
bodies
Student
expectations
Demand for
sustainability
skills
Resource
efficiency
Research
funding
Staff
expectations
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
INSPIRE – the challenges….
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Staff buy-in
Management buy-in
Governors buy-in
Student buy-in
The campus……
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
INSPIRE – Strategic commitments….
 Sustainable development is a:
 core value,
 defining characteristic
 and strategic priority!
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
INSPIRE – Governance….
University Council Annual SD statement goes to Council
Senate
Sustainability Committee reports to Senate
Faculties
All Faculties are required to write SD plans
Procedures
SD is embedded into validation and staff
development processes.
Distinctiveness
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
of offer
Government
and funding
council
mandate
Financial
savings
SD as a
competitive
advantage
CSR
Employability
Rising public
interest and
global concern
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
INSPIRE – Top tips….
 Identify opportunities to take a space others aren’t in.
 Get institutional buy-in.
 Integrate into institutional procedures.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Strategic Development
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
UWTSD Group
 3 universities
 2 further education colleges
 Taking a systemic approach to embed sustainability.
Campus
Culture
Sustainability
Community
Curriculum
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Campus
 Introduction of carbon management system
 Environmental Action plan to achieve Green Dragon Level 5 and
improved rating in People and Planet Green League in 2013
 Cycle to Work Scheme introduced
 Fairtrade status gained
 Students’ Charter commits to achieve NUS Green Impact award
 9 new student sustainability internships 2013
- Sustainability Exchange
- Fairtrade
- Green Impact
 Allotments created
 Food for Life standard gained
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Culture
We are a University that:
 adds value to the learning experience through a distinctive ‘systemsbased’ approach that combines traditional higher education with vocational,
professional and academic research activities, delivered with academic
rigour;
 offers a well-defined undergraduate curriculum, which delivers
distinctive graduate attributes in the areas of employability, enterprise,
sustainable education and global citizenship;
 is dedicated to realising the potential of each individual student and to
supporting students at all stages of their education;
 is pioneering new approaches to work-based learning and professional
practice that enhance workforce and enterprise capabilities; and
 is committed to all aspects of sustainable development
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Community
 Strategic partnerships with local authorities through pledges
containing article: eg
Sustainable Development
The partners will commit to providing strong community leadership
for sustainable development in Swansea and the broader City
Region
 Develop skills, knowledge and expertise to further sustainability
in the region.
 External engagement priorities related to strategic
priorities.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Curriculum
 UWTSD is embedding sustainability into 15% of all students’
experiences creating a distinctive Trinity Saint David curriculum.
 The University has developed the TSD+ Award; a new ‘skills
passport’ including a mandatory sustainability component.
 The University has included ‘creative problem solving’
and ‘active citizenship’ in its new graduate attributes.
 Intra-faculty approach in Humanities.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Active
Citizenship
Communication
TSD+
Employability
Award
Creative
Problem
Solving
Teamwork
Learning and
Personal
Development
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Staff sustainability skills survey
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Staff sustainability skills survey
Evidence
Enhancement
Engagement
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Staff sustainability skills survey
Evidence
 Identify staff expertise and where sustainability is already
embedded within curricula and research.
 Identify new opportunities.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Staff sustainability skills survey
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
SMU: Built
Archaeology,
Archaeology, History and
and Natural
History and
Anthropology
Environment
Anthropology
Theology, Religious
Studies and Islamic
Studies
School of Business
Sustainable Rural
Communities
Cluster
Sport, Health and
Outdoor Education
Social Justice and
Inclusion
Outputs
Research, knowledge and
innovation into sustainable
rural communities
Benefit the communities
within the region
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Staff sustainability skills survey
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Staff sustainability skills survey
Engagement
Sustainability can be one of a
range of perspectives that is
considered
Some subjects will not lend themselves
easily to this topic and should not be
discriminated against for this
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Staff sustainability skills survey
Enhancement
 New courses identified and being developed
 Research and partnerships being set up
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Advice to staff on sustainability
Enhancement
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Provision of clear guidelines – Future Fit Framework
It’s not just what we teach but how we teach.
Subject benchmark statements.
Requirements of professional and accrediting bodies.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Staff sustainability skills survey
Enhancement
 New courses identified and being developed

 150 new programmes!
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
1
2
3
4
5
6
• Strategic Commitment
• Engage with staff.
• Understand skills, expertise and commitment in the organisation.
• Let faculties determine how SD is relevant to them
• Faculties develop sustainability plans
• Embed into academic quality procedures
• Audit the curriculum and ……………….
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Be vigilant!!!
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
What’s next?
 Measuring success – how do we measure the impact of
embedding sustainability in the curriculum?
 Sharing of good practice in teaching, learning and
research.
 Sustainability and staff development.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Top Tips
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Must be strategic priority if there is any hope of embedding it.
Needs prominent position on University homepage
Talk to everyone at every level to gain support
Evidence base: staff skills/commitment audit and curriculum
audit
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
Top Tips
 Introduce structures to make it work while the support is rock
solid - most important being faculty/school plans/ validation/
student engagement/estates and facilities/HR/university
governors/communications.
 Use as key external message.
 Be vigilant!
 Use sustainability as a tool for enhancement.
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
‘Aha’ moments
“The strategic commitment to sustainability has been a
constant thread running through the development of the new
University that has involved a complicated merger process.
The consolidation of the strategic agenda is directly attributed
to the opportunity provided by the Green Academy and this has
helped to maintain the strategic commitment during several
changes of the governing body”.
McCoshan, A. & Martin, S. 2013. From strategy to
implementation: the second evaluation of the Green Academy
programme. HEA
Learning,
Teaching and
Research
If you always do what you've always
done, you'll always get what you've
always had” Mark Twain
“It is not the strongest of the species
that survives, nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to
change” Charles Darwin