The Second Annual Driving Sustainability in Higher Education Conference
Online Conference 7 December 2023, 9:00am - 3:00pm
9:00am
Registration
9:20am
Chair’s Welcome Address
Associate Professor Sumeetra Ramakrishnan, Social Sustainability Researcher, Race Equality Steering Group Member. Founding member of Gender, Enterprise and Social Policy Institute HiVE, University of Surrey
9:30am
Keynote – A system wide view of Sustainability and Climate Change
- An overview of the Strategy for Sustainability and Climate Change for the education system
- Explore how the Department for Education’s initiatives will support educational institutions
- Highlight the pivotal role of Higher Education institutions in driving and supporting sustainability action
Gayle Boulton, Head of Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy, Department for Education
9:40am
A Sustainable Future through Higher Education
- Understand the role of universities in achieving Net Zero
- The current and future landscape of sustainability in higher education institution
Zoe Robinson, Director of Institute for Sustainable Futures, Keele University
10:00am
Integrating Sustainability into Teaching and Learning: Deliver Excellence in Education and Skills for a Changing World
- Examining approaches to infuse sustainability principles across diverse academic disciplines
- Designing effective sustainability-focused courses and programmes
- Sharing practical insights and collaborative discussions on curriculum development
Dr.Bora Kim, Co-Director of Learning and Teaching, Programme Director for BSc IHM & IHTM, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Surrey
10:20am
Creating a Culture of Sustainability on Campus
- Exploring strategies for university leaders to embed sustainability into the institutional culture
- Addressing challenges and sharing success stories
Charlotte Bonner, CEO, EAUC – The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education
10:40am
Questions and Answers Panel
- Speakers from the previous session will join for an audience Q&A
11:00am
Break and Networking
11:30am
Sustainability and Climate Change in Higher Education
- Understand the role of universities in promoting sustainability and their impact on the environment
- Analyse the significance of the UK government’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2050 for universities
- Evaluate the progress and achievements of UK universities in driving the sustainability agenda
Professor Judith Petts CBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Plymouth
11:50am
Advancing Sustainability Through Research
- Exploring how higher education institutions can lead in research that addresses pressing sustainability challenges
- Collaborative Opportunities with External Stakeholders
- Highlighting partnerships between universities, industry, Government, and non-government organisations for impactful research
Professor Lorenzo Fioramonti, Director of the Institute for Sustainability, University of Surrey
12:10pm
Sustainable Development in Disaster Planning for Higher Education
- Promoting a paradigm shift in disaster planning and reduction by integrating transformative learning approaches within higher education curricula
- Cultivating a culture of proactive disaster preparedness, where individuals adopt sustainable behaviours, making them better equipped to respond to and mitigate the impact of disasters
- Bridging the gap between higher education institutions, local government, and organizations to infuse sustainability principles into disaster planning policies
Colonel David Bates, Senior Lecturer/Practitioner in Disaster Response, Institute of Health, University of Cumbria
12:30pm
Questions and Answers Panel
- Speakers from the previous session will join for an audience Q&A
12:50pm
Lunch and Networking
1:50pm
Collaboration for Sustainable Community Impact
- Examining the ways, universities can partner with local communities, businesses, and government agencies
- Interactive session on fostering mutually beneficial collaborations
Dr. Johan Siebers, Theme Director for Sustainability of Communities and the Environment & Professor of Philosophy of Language and Communication, Middlesex University
2:10pm
Carbon Literacy for a Sustainable Future: Man Met's Approach to Embedding ESD and Climate Education
- Discuss the university's innovative approach to training and empowering 130+ departmental Carbon Literacy champions across various academic disciplines
- Explore Man Met's commitment to promoting sustainability across the higher education sector
- Reflect on the key learnings and experiences gained from the university-wide roll-out of Carbon Literacy training
- Share insights into the university's future plans and strategies to meet its commitment of embedding ESD and climate education in the curriculum for all students by 2026
Dr Rachel Dunk, Principal Lecturer Environmental Management and Sustainable Development, Manchester Metropolitan University
2:30pm
Questions and Answers Panel
2:40pm
Chair’s Closing Summary
2:45pm
Close
*programme subject to change without notice