Navigating sustainability challenges and opportunities in the post-16 education

Navigating sustainability challenges and opportunities in the post-16 education

Guest blog: Fiona Goodwin, Deputy CEO of the EAUC

The Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) is the leading body for sustainability in the post-16 education sector in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The membership organisation aims to empower the sector to embed sustainability into everything it does. However, several evolving challenges, including the financial landscape, government policy and the advance of AI, mean that institutions need to be more resourceful and resilient than ever. Hot on the heels of the EAUC’s Annual Conference, we spoke to Fiona Goodwin, Deputy CEO at the EAUC, to discuss all these topics and more and find out how the sector is rising to the challenge.

What were the main themes which came out of this year’s EAUC conference?

The sense of community amongst our membership always stands out. Sustainability can be quite isolating at times. Our members can feel like they are alone banging that drum, but at the conference delegates find there are 300 people all doing the same thing. That connection and that knowledge sharing is so powerful.

One of our major focuses this year was AI and we launched an AI Guide, in partnership with Jisc, at the conference. We explored the environmentally sustainability of AI, as well as the risks and opportunities emerging technologies present for the sector.

With funding for sustainability resources being cut at some institutions, how is this affecting progress?

It was obviously a big blow to the sector when the Department for Energy and Net Zero (DESNZ) stopped future funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS). This has impacted larger technologies in particular, such as heat pumps and solar, which need bigger upfront costs. However, it is encouraging that the National Wealth Bank and Lloyds Bank have recently created a new partnership through which the Government is trying to bring in more private investments to the sector. It will be interesting to see what the impact of this will be. The key question is whether this will just be for bigger institutions or smaller institutions too who don’t have the ability to get loans. I’ve been having discussions with the banks so that they can consider smaller institutions and possibly even the Further Education sector too. Access to funding will be key for these organisations.

Are carbon targets less of a priority than they used to be for institutions?

I think a lot of institutions were quick to get their carbon targets out there but now there has been an element of rethinking and reassessment. Whilst many institutions are progressing well on Scope 1 and 2, Scope 3 emissions are still the elephant in the room. From talking to our members, it seems like many will reassess their Scope 3 targets. However, even if targets change, that doesn’t mean the appetite for carbon reduction has changed. It’s just that it’s going to take a lot longer, particularly through the supply chain, because that’s a huge global issue which requires all companies to provide data. We also need to ensure that the AI vendors supply that data too to support institutions to properly report their emissions.

What do you think the student role is now in driving change? How can institutions engage students further in sustainability issues?

I think students still want to see change, and they want to hold institutions accountable for it. An area which is emerging now is the green skills agenda and green careers. Institutions are facing more scrutiny in areas such as career fairs, in terms of which employers they are putting in front of students. The Government needs to be clear about the green skills agenda and how it develops into a just transition society. This must support institutions to provide students with the skills that they need today for the jobs of tomorrow.

Students are also increasingly looking at the sustainability credentials of the institutions they apply to. So, institutions need to be accountable and transparent about their food, their accommodation services, their public transport options and how they are embedding sustainability into the curriculum. Equality, diversion and inclusion is also a priority issue for students and one which must be embedded into sustainability.

Are there any quick wins that institutions can implement to support their sustainability agenda?

The key thing we advise is to talk to people in your institution and find those green champions – they could be keen academics, enthusiastic researchers or individual students. Getting that engagement can be so impactful. Knowledge sharing is also crucial – we see great examples of positive action taken by institutions through the Green Gown Awards, which TEC also support, and these are often initiatives that can be replicated by others. Sometimes it’s the less sexy things that make real impact, such as insulation. Looking at adaptation in terms of the heatwaves we have been experiencing in the UK could also prove a quick win. Looking at shading, and how you can keep your buildings cool, will be important with the weather changes that climate change is bringing.

Thinking about the sustainability agenda, what makes you hopeful for the future?

I think it’s the passion and enthusiasm of our members which gives me hope. Even when there is very little money around, we are seeing fantastic examples of institutions being really creative and resourceful. We’ve had a record number of applications to the Green Gown Awards this year, which is interesting given the struggles facing the sector with many redundancies and huge budget cuts. Even when facing all these challenges, there’s huge resilience and determination in the sector.

I think that the Higher Education sector can learn a lot from the Further Education (FE) sector. Whilst FE don’t have very much money, they do have huge impactful projects. The sector’s had hard times in the past and I’m confident that we will ride this wave and come out stronger the other end.

You can read the EAUC’s AI Guide to Environmental Sustainability, in partnership with Jisc, here