EAUC interviewed Maria Kirrane, Head of Sustainability and Climate Action at University College Cork, to find out more about their International Green Gown Award-winning green campus programme. 

Can you tell us a bit more about your Green Campus Programme and its impact?   

In operation since 2007, our Green Campus Programme is student-led, research-informed and practice-focused. Highlights include the establishment of the University’s Saver Saves Scheme for energy reductions, the development of a teaching toolkit aligned to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, the establishment of a Green Campus Living Laboratory Programme, the decision to rewild most of the green space on campus and self-organised student climate assemblies.  

We have reduced our overall carbon emissions by 26% (absolute reduction) and waste tonnage by 40%. In 2023, UCC completely banned the sale of disposable cups (of any kind) and plastic bottles on campus.  In the first year of this initiative, we diverted more than 1 million disposable cups from landfill and significantly improved our recycling rates.  The introduction of an AI toll for monitoring kitchen bins has resulted in an 18% reduction in food waste.   Many of these achievements are down to the inclusion of sustainability criteria within all of our tendering processes.  This ensures buy-in from service providers and a collaborative approach to the rollout of sustainability projects on campus. 

How have different members of University College Cork played a role in?  

Our Saver Saves scheme sees Green Teams established within different schools and units across campus.  The scheme acts as a “revolving fund”, whereby the monetary savings from energy reductions remain with the team to reinvest in other environmental projects.  This has been transformational in engaging the entire community through devolving decision making to building users.  At a broader level, the community can engage with UCC Green Campus through the Green Campus Committee which is co-chaired by the Student Union and Environmental Society, the Green Forum, which is co-chaired by the President and Director of Buildings and Estates, and a newly established University Leadership Team Subcommittee on Sustainability and Climate Action.  Thus, there are varying levels of engagement and multiple opportunities.  Much of the activity is coordinated by a newly established Office of Sustainability and Climate Action, which is based within the President’s Office. 

You won Sustainability Institution of the Year at the 2023 International Green Gown Awards. How have awards and accolades changed or influenced your work on sustainability?   

Awards and accolades are a great way to celebrate the engagement of the whole community.  For sustainability to really be transformational it has to become part of every role and every facet of university life.  This means that students, staff and service providers must all be open to learning how to do their job in a different way.  It can be a big ask and being able to celebrate significant achievements is a great way of rewarding these mostly voluntary efforts.  Awards are also a great way of getting our story out there and demonstrating to others that change can happen.  It also ensures that senior management see value in sustainability from a reputational perspective. 

What piece of advice would you give to another college or university who are just starting out on their sustainability journey?  

Our main piece of advice would be to just start somewhere!  Identifying quick wins can be a really great way to drive greater engagement and get more people on board.  From a management perspective you should always have long-term strategic plans in mind, as well as shorter term “quick-wins” that will drive buy-in from stakeholders.  Try to identify the co-benefits of what you are implementing, for example some energy conservation projects might also improve wellbeing and comfort levels in a building.  Sustainability is, to a large extent, a change management programme and doing your best to understand the culture within your institution and how to influence that will be essential.  Having a bottom-up drive from students and staff and top-down buy-in from management can really drive transformation. 

More information is available at https://www.ucc.ie/en/sustainability-climate-action/
 
University College Cork are an EAUC member and IAU member.

You can apply for a Green Gown Award: 
International Green Gown Awards – Deadline: 29th April 2024  
UK & Ireland Green Gown Awards – Deadline: 5th June 2024 
Australasian Green Gown Awards – Deadline: 26th June 2024

This interview was originally published on EAUC’s Blog, April 2024, reposted with permission. Photo credits: University College Cork.

UArctic and the Arctic Circle welcome nominations for the 2024 Frederik Paulsen Arctic Academic Action Award until April 30, 2024.

The Arctic Academic Action Award aims to further the development of new ideas that could contribute materially to preventing, mitigating, adapting, and reversing the effects of climate change in the Arctic. 100,000 Euro of unrestricted funds are provided to the awardee to help facilitate the development of ideas and increase impact through outreach, engagement and communication.

Nominees should propose creative ideas that are action- and results-oriented and at an early stage of development. These ideas should nevertheless be grounded in academic research and scholarship, while also, where appropriate, giving due regard to the knowledge practices of Arctic residents, including Indigenous peoples. Nominations should describe an action that addresses the causes or impacts of climate change on the Arctic region. Ideas can be broad in scope, or geared toward local issues but could have results scalable to the entire Arctic region, and potentially beyond. We are looking for bright new ideas from people/groups with a demonstrable drive to see something achievable happen, and in the near future.

Read more and nominate by April 30, 2024: www.uarctic.org/actionaward
 

Recognising exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by the world's universities and colleges, the International Green Gown Awards set the bar and put every learning institution at the heart of delivering the UN Global Goals.

Charlotte Bonner, CEO of EAUC and secretariat of the Awards says: "The education sector has a critical role in contributing to our international sustainability goals. This contribution includes preparing learners for their futures, embedding sustainability using ‘whole organisation approaches’, supporting a just transition, taking climate and biodiversity action and shaping society for the better through research and innovation. This is increasingly being recognised around the globe – the role of education now being part of the UN COP agenda is a clear signal of this.t's the tenth anniversary of the International Green Gown Awards this year. 

Through the awards we’re delighted to recognise and celebrate the people and initiatives that are most impactful and innovative across tertiary education internationally. We’ve recently seen a huge spike in interest in the awards - last year saw a 66% increase in applications – so we look forward to continuing to provide a platform for what excellence looks like across our sector." 

We are delighted to be working in partnership with The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), L’Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), International Association of Universities (IAU) and the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI). The International Green Gown Awards, in association with Allianz Global Investors, are supported by UN Environment Programme and are open to any university or college across the world.

Click here to read about our 2023 inspirational Winners, Highly Commended and Finalists. Read up on their projects and watch the Awards Ceremony.

IAU is a longstanding partner of the IGGAs.

Lean more here

Apply here - Deadline 29th April

To enable a true cultural shift that accelerates education for sustainability, listening is vital. In partnership with HESI, Campus de la transition, CGE, CIRCES, EFMD, Enseignants de la transition, GRLI, IAU, THE, PRME, and with the support of UNESCO, UNITAR, UNU, Sulitest launched a global survey titled Exploring Perception of Faculty Engagement in Sustainability: An International Survey Identifying Levers of Action and Best Practices.

At the heart of our mission lies a commitment to accelerating sustainability education. We recognize the pivotal role that faculty members play in shaping the future of sustainability within higher education. Hence, our primary objective is to delve deeper into understanding their approaches and perspectives towards this vital movement.

We have formulated two primary hypotheses for consideration:  

• In the context of sustainability within higher education institutions, there exists a communication gap hindering effective engagement with diverse populations, leading to an inadequate reach and impact;  
• Higher levels of sustainability training provided by the university to its employees will positively correlate with an increased prevalence of actively engaging individuals within the university community.

Through this survey, we aim to achieve several critical goals. Firstly, we develp a comprehensive "typology" of faculty engagement in sustainability education. By assessing the factors influencing faculty involvement and understanding the resources required for each group, we seek to pave the way for more effective and targeted initiatives. Additionally, our aim is to systematically identify, document, and analyse best practices in sustainability education, ensuring that we learn from the successes of others and foster continuous improvement.

Now, you might be wondering how you can contribute to this transformative endeavour. If you are a professional responsible for integrating sustainability into your institution's curriculum, we invite you to share your invaluable insights and experiences by participating in this survey. Your contributions will not only enrich our understanding but also empower us to drive meaningful change.  

Share your experience through the survey!

More information: https://www.sulitest.org/news/global-survey-faculty-engagement-in-sustainability 

Take the survey: https://sulitest.limesurvey.net/FacultyEngagement 

In honor of International Women’s Day 2024, the IAU and EWORA invited interested participants and experts in higher education to discuss the challenges that remain for gender equality in academic institutions, including invisible barriers and the notorious ’glass ceiling’ that prevents women from progressing to senior positions. University leaders have the responsibility to put in place policies that actively encourage and support staff in their career paths and professional development. Speakers will include university leaders and experts in the field from IAU and EWORA Member universities, presenting examples of good practice and institutional and organisational perspectives.

Learn more about the webinar here: https://www.iau-aiu.net/IAU-Webinar-Series-on-the-Future-of-Higher-Education-929 

Watch the recording here.

The International Association of Universities and Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS-UK) collaboration for the Responsible Futures supported change programme embeds sustainability through all aspects of teaching and learning. By working in partnership with students at universities around the world, Responsible Futures aims to increase buy-in and support from senior leadership to drive ESD forward, increase capacity and resourcing for developing curricula with sustainability, and foster collaboration and interdisciplinary experiences for students and institutions alike.

As such, we're pleased this month to highlight Responsible Futures International pilot institution Trinity College Dublin and their latest work related to Responsible Futures!

In 2023, TCD approved its 2023-2025 Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan. The purpose of this plan is to ensure that "All Trinity staff and students will be empowered to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to act as agents of change, individually and collectively, in working for Sustainable Development within planetary boundaries."

How are they working to ensure these goals are met?
➡ ESD Fellowship Programme: Five academic staff members and four ESD student interns are working to develop an implementation plan for ESD and co-create ESD resources.
➡ Consultation with the Trinity Staff and Students: In pursuit of input and guidance on the development of an implementation plan for ESD, meetings were held with various College level committees, individual Schools and departments, and the Trinity Students Union. This consultation culminated with TCD's 1st Citizens' Assembly on ESD for staff and students.
➡ Co-creation of a Common Module for ESD: Utilising a "student-as-partner" approach, TCD developed a common undergraduate module for ESD.

What does TCD have planned for 2024?
💡 Further develop the undergraduate common module for ESD
📚 Development of an ESD professional development programme for staff
🔎 Engage with the student-led audit as part of the Responsible Futures project

Learn more here

Responsible Futures International Programme: https://www.responsiblefutures.org.uk/international-programme 

ESD at TCD: https://www.tcd.ie/teaching-learning/ESD/

Over the last few decades, the concept of sustainable development has grown out of the interconnected environmental, ecological, social and economic challenges facing the planet, and has increasingly coalesced into a driving paradigm in policy, governance and education. Education for sustainable development (ESD) calls for an education that is transformative, which empowers lifelong learners with the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, to not only make informed decisions but also to bring about the individual and collective change required to positively impact our societies, particularly in face of the climate crisis. The 2023 ESD-NET global meeting focused on sharing the implementation and progress of the ESD for 2030 country initiatives, trends and innovation in the context of Agenda 2030 and discussed action points in 2024-2025. 

During the Regional group meetings for Asia-Pacific region, these representatives presented the ESD national initiatives, plans, and priorities of their respective countries.  This meeting also allowed representatives from Central Asian countries to identify the regional priorities with their counterparts from the Asia-Pacific region, and establish new professional links and partnerships with global partners. 

IAU Participation at the 2023 ESD-NET Global Meeting

Session VI-D: ‘Stepping up ESD agenda in Higher Education: A Call for Action', was co-organised by the IAU and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The session explored possible approaches to transforming higher education so that HEIs can fully play their role in enabling societies to move towards more sustainability and inclusion through the provision of quality, holistic, trans-disciplinary education, problem-oriented research, and community engagement. More specifically, the objectives of this session included discussing  how to enable HEIs to inspire societal change, to outline core sustainability competencies and interdisciplinarity, and to illustrate good practices of HEIs as critical and equal partners. 

The session focused on going beyond outdated educational approaches and using transdisciplinary and multidisciplinary methods connected to real-world contexts. This included addressing societal transformation, embracing greening education, and moving to a whole institution approach. IAU Secretary General Hilligje Van't Land talked specifically about the importance of embracing transdisciplinary education as a way to connect learning to reality, understand localised challenges, and embrace diversity and inclusiveness, emphasising how ESD is a valuable framework for impacting the higher education system as a whole. 

The session also discussed a number of best practices in achieving the ESD agenda, notably the IAU Global Cluster on HESD, which brings together HEIs from all over the world and encourages collaborations on ESD initiatives. The IAU Global Cluster includes York University and Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, both of whom work specifically on SDG 4: Quality Education. Mayad Belal, Professor at Helwan University in Egypt, also discussed best practices in Egypt, including a competition to green Egyptian universities. Reita Furusawa, of Chubu University in Japan, emphasized how biodiversity projects in Japanese universities promote ESD by connecting nature with higher education. All in all, the importance of fostering global dialogue for knowledge exchange and encouraging communication across different parts of the world was central to the discussion. 

More Information

For more information about the ESD-NET Global Meeting here or watch the recorded portion of the event here. The schedule for the event is located here, and includes more information about Session VI-D and IAU participation.

The Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program, or CADFP, is a scholar exchange program for African higher education institutions to host a diaspora scholar for 14-90 days for projects in curriculum co-development, collaborative research and graduate student teaching and mentoring.

The CADFP is a two-sided application: a project request submitted by the African institution and a scholar application submitted by the diaspora scholar. Links and information about the African host institution project request, scholar application, types of fellowships, review guidelines, and FAQs are posted on the program website.

Who is eligible? 

• Universities in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and member institutions of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) can submit a project request to host a diaspora scholar. Potential host institutions can apply with a diaspora scholar in mind or request a match from IIE. 
• Diaspora scholars born in Africa, who live in the United States or Canada and work at an accredited college or university in either country, can apply online to be placed on a roster of candidates for a fellowship. Scholars must hold a terminal degree in their field and may hold any academic rank.
• The lifetime maximum for CADFP Fellowships is two (2).

Timeline

The deadline for Project Requests and Scholar Applications for diaspora scholars is March 4, 2024 at 11:59 pm EST. Selection decisions will be made by late April or early May 2024; project visits can begin as early as May 15, 2024 and must be completed by November 30, 2025.

More Information

Interested parties are invited to register for one of the informational webinars:

•  Information for Diaspora Scholars, Webinar #1: Monday, January 8 at 1:00 PM Eastern US Time
• Information for Potential Hosts, Webinar #1: Wednesday, January 10 at 2:00 PM West Central Africa Standard Time
• Information for Diaspora Scholars, Webinar #2: Monday, February 12 at 2:00 PM Eastern US Time
• Information for Potential Hosts, Webinar #2: Wednesday, February 14 at 4pm West Central Africa Time

Webinars will be recorded and posted on YouTube.

Visit iie.org/AfricanDiaspora for more information about how to apply, program benefits, and details about previously funded Fellows and Projects.

Please note that IAU is not affiliated with the CADFP programme and cannot help with the application process. 
 

About

The WHO announced that the COVID pandemic was no longer a health emergency on May 23, 2023. However, the emergency left in its wake many challenges that countries are now dealing with, one of them being the increase of mental health issues. Current health systems are having trouble matching the increase in demand related to mental health. Addressing mental health issues as they arise, and preventive measures are key to improving mental health at university and in society, and to avoiding more severe cases.

During this Webinar on 16th November 2023, experts from the IAU HESD Cluster on SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing discussed lessons learned from higher education and research, and the role of e-health in reducing the burden on health care systems.

Speakers

• Chair: Hilligje van’t Land, Secretary General, International Association of Universities
• Marta Aymerich, eHealth Center Director, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
• Tania Perich, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, Western Sydney University
• Dickens Akena, Senior Lecturer and Psychiatrist, Department of Psychiatry, Makerere University
• Diana Setiyawati, Director of The Centre for Public Mental Health (CPMH) and Leader in the Mental Health working team of Health Promoting University, Universitas Gadjah Mada
• Oscar Mauricio Castaño Ramírez, Psychiatrist, Department of Mental Health and Human Behavior, Universidad de Caldas
• Sofía Seinfeld, Associate professor, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
• Carlos Contreras, Professor-Researcher, Department of Sociology, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana de Mexico

Watch the recording

https://youtu.be/-JZ9PZRUJA0?si=4EdhHPuZlrMylh1x 

Read the article and summary of the discussion

https://www.uoc.edu/portal/en/ehealth-center/actualitat/noticies/2023/noticia_report-mental-health-digital-health.html