Teaching and Learning > DISCOURSE
The Higher Education Academy ESD Project
Author: Stephan Sterling
Journal Title: Discourse
ISSN: 2040-3674
ISSN-L: 1741-4164
Volume: 6
Number: 2
Start page: 23
End page: 28
Return to vol. 6 no. 2 index page
The Higher Education Academy's Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Project was initiated in January 2005 as a special theme within the Academy's overall programme. The first task was to examine the state of sustainable development related education in the HE curriculum. An audit of subject communities was carried out by a small research team working with 18 of the 24 Subject Centres, and this culminated in the 'Dawe Report' which was launched in November 2005. Entitled 'Sustainable Development in Higher Education', the report - available at http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/esd - provided a platform for taking the project's work further.
The Academy's ESD Project is widely regarded as a key agent as regards realising this vision, particularly with regard to curriculum change and development. The key question is how this can best be achieved, given the barriers to curriculum change that were identified in the Dawe report, and which are echoed in international experience. In the period since the report, the main project has initiated a wide range of projects to develop resources, fund new curriculum initiatives, build capacity and strengthen networks. This work is framed as follows: the purpose is, 'to help institutions and subject communities develop curricula and pedagogy that will give students the skills and knowledge to live and work sustainably.' This gives rise to three aims, to:
- research and support the development of ESD in the HE sector, particularly within subject communities
- build capacity amongst individuals, subject communities and institutions to embed ESD in curricula and pedagogy
- assist the coordination and dissemination of policy, research and practice relating to ESD in institutions, the Higher Education Academy and the wider field.
A description of some of this work follows.
Subject Centres' activity
Sixteen Subject Centres are currently actively working on ESD issues. In addition there are two funded ESD small grants in the area of Physical Sciences and Law. Examples of recent work by Subject
Centres include:
- Bioscience: survey of subject community on ESD issues, and ethics/sustainability curriculum audit tool
- Engineering: working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the development of ESD resources
- ESCALATE (Education): developing a subject-specific pedagogical strategy for ESD
- Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences: survey of employability skills for environmental scientists, and Skills for Sustainable Futures event
- UK Centre for Legal Education: Project entitled 'Developing global citizens through legal education'
- UK Centre for Materials Education: ESD-themed annual conference
- Philosophical and Religious Studies: workshop on religion and the environment
Networking
The Project is convening informal link meetings between key institutions and agencies in the field, in order to avoid duplication of effort and promote cooperation. It has organised a major national conference, 'Sustainability and the Curriculum: Progress and Potential', which took place on July 10th-11th 2007, at the University of Bradford. The conference was an interactive event designed to explore and disseminate the work of the Project and its associated initiatives, Subject Centres and networks.
Solo HEI events
An experimental discussion day was facilitated at the University of East Anglia in 2006 to encourage a 'whole institution' discussion of the past, current and future presence of ESD within the institution, and to encourage consideration of the various manifestations and understandings of ESD. There are plans to hold more events at selected other institutions in the future.
Interdisciplinarity seminar series
Three meetings have been held examining the challenges posed by the coincidence of ESD and interdisciplinarity, at three different universities in the past six months. Some fifteen disciplines were represented. This approach will now be extended to other selected universities.
Small grant funding
Twelve projects from eight different HEIs and/or Subject Centres, representing thirteen disciplines, are being funded to develop innovation in the curriculum. The work ranges from 'Cultural Sounds and Conservation Texts: Soundscapes of a lost Montserrat (British West Indies)' to the 'Development of a Problem-Based Learning Tool to Design Micro-Generation Systems for an Eco-House'. Outcomes from the projects will be available in the summer, 2007. A small grant scheme has recently been initiated for similar projects in Scotland.
Research into UK policy contexts
The Project commissioned Forum for the Future to carry out research that will enable the Project to maximise its activities in each of the four countries by understanding the policy landscape and using a 'roadmap' that will help to negotiate barriers, take advantage of policy openings, and identify supportive individuals.
Problem-based community project
The Project is piloting a community project whereby university students are matched with local sustainability initiatives. The focus of this work is on Thornbury, a market town just north of Bristol. Activities include stakeholder events with local residents, and presentations by students to the town.
Resources
In addition, working with the Centre for Sustainable Futures at the University of Plymouth, the Project is developing generic curriculum and strategy/policy materials on ESD to encourage engagement by academics and senior management.
From such bases, the Project now wishes to extend its influence, and involve and support more academics and HEIs in ESD work. To assist this end, the Project is developing its web presence and aims to become one of the principal sources of information for those in the HE sector wishing to embed ESD. The Project is very much a participative endeavour, led by a small management team to help direct and energise the Project from the centre in collaboration with Subject Centre support, advice and action.
For further information, please go to our website: http://www. heacademy.ac.uk/esd, or e-mail the Project Coordinator, Heather Witham, at sustainability@heacademy.ac.uk
Dr Stephen Sterling, Senior Advisor for ESD to the Academy ESD Project, Centre for Sustainable Futures, University of Plymouth. stephen.sterling@plymouth.ac.uk.
Return to vol. 6 no. 2 index page
This page was originally on the website of The Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies. It was transfered here following the closure of the Subject Centre at the end of 2011.
