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Education in a warming world: Trends, opportunities and pitfalls for institutes of higher education

2022-07-07, Kelly, Orla, Illingworth, Sam, Butera, Fabrizio, Cowman, Sian, et al.

Higher education institutes (HEI) face considerable challenges in navigating how to respond to the escalating and intertwined socio-ecological sustainability crises. Many dedicated individuals working in the sector are already driving meaningful action through rigorous research, teaching, knowledge sharing, and public engagement, while there is a growing consensus that sector-wide change is needed to ensure that aspirational declarations and positive individual actions translate into sustainable and transformative change. This article seeks to contribute to such efforts by illustrating a number of trends, examples, and reflections on how third-level educational institutes can act sustainably. We highlight the potential of five strategies HEI could employ to support the creation of a more sustainable future namely, (i) innovative approaches to climate change education; (ii) research agendas for societal transformations; (iii) providing climate change education for professional development; (iv) supporting public intellectuals; and (iv) investing in whole-systems approaches to greening the campus. The insights are the product of an interdisciplinary working group with members from across Europe, Australia, and the UK. These international examples provide insight and a sense of possibility for future application.

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Tertiary Education in a Warming World; Reflections from the field

2022-03-22, Kelly, Orla, Illingworth, Sam, Butera, Fabrizio, Schuitema, Geertje, et al.

This report has been produced as part of the Education in a Warming World Research Consortium, supported by Worldwide Universities Network. The consortium comprises university academics with a broad range of expertise in education, sociology, climate change, science communication, health, sustainability, and human behaviour. The group has interest and experience in promoting sustainability and climate change education portfolios at the tertiary level. The consortium aims to contribute to the growing field of transdisciplinary work dedicated to understanding the evolving role of education in this era of rapid climatic change and overlapping socio-ecological crises. This report is a compilation of research, practical examples, and reflections from our own experience of advancing pro-environmental agendas at Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs). It is intended to be a resource to other academics and policymakers who are also grappling with promoting a robust climate change and sustainability agenda within IHEs. For this report, we define IHEs as universities and colleges engaged in teaching, research, and public service.