Transformative Potential: University of Plymouth Sustainable Education Journey

1. How to be a ‘catalytic converter’: a conversationaround the University of Plymouth experienceCentre for Sustainable Futuresat the University of PlymouthESD CETLwww.csf.plymouth.ac.uk Stephen Sterling and Alan Dyer

2. Five question for us - and yourselves A) Introduction – what are you trying to achieve? B) What are your barriers, advantages, and opportunities? C) What approaches work? D) How do you evaluate progress? E) What are you learning? (lessons and success factors)

3. Introduction – what are you trying to achieve?

4. Goal of CSF The Goal of this CETL is to transform the University of Plymouth from an institution characterised by significant areas of excellence in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to an institution modelling university-wide excellence and, hence, able to make a major contribution to ESD regionally, nationally and internationally

5. One-liner Response “To develop the transformative potential of higher education at the University of Plymouth and beyond for building towards a sustainable future”

6. Towards holistic change - the 4C model

7. FROM: TOWARDS: Towards ‘sustainable institutions’ • Human scale • High connectivity • Open community • Learning organisation • Sustainability is key guiding principle of policy/practice • Microcosm of sustainable society? • Incoherence and fragmentation • Large scale • Poor connectivity • Closed community • Teaching organisation • Patchy on sustainability • Microcosm of unsustainable society

8. What are your barriers, advantages, and opportunities?

9. Size of institution Crowded curriculum Perceived irrelevance Limited staff awareness and/or expertise Limited institutional commitment Too demanding/time issues Limited support/resources Limited commitment from external stakeholders Types of barriers Paradigmatic/psychological Policy/purpose related Structural (governance, compartmentalisation etc) Resource/information deficiency Barriers

10. Advantages of CSF Well funded. Some prestige as CETL Well connected, knowledgeable staff Initial chancellery support; Corporate plan Unusual status in university, belonging to no faculty, and no previous baggage Free rein and encouragement from HEFCE to be innovative Quite fertile ground – levels of interest, awareness and existing activity Funded connection with HE Academy ESD Project Reputation in wider field and expectations on UP Context: increasing sustainability profile in HE and wider society

11. Disadvantages/issues • All CSF staff were imports to Plymouth campus • All CSF staff have ‘education’ background • Student body hard to engage • Evidence of some resistance • Large university • Chancellery support uncertain • Communication problematic

12. What approaches work?

13. Systematic – ‘frameworks’ - policies, strategies, rules, procedures, assessment, evaluation, structures etc Systemic – ‘glue’ - collegiality, social learning and exchange, informal networks, collective intelligence, ethos, self-organisation etc Two dimensions of change ‘enabler role’ ‘converter role’

14. Approach - keywords Learning Dialoguing Inviting Mentoring Facilitating Valuing Challenging Supporting Opportunism Platforming Connecting Initiating

15. How do you evaluate progress?

16. What are you learning? (lessons and success factors)

17. Lessons • Don’t overreach your capacity • Marketing is important • Attract allies and support them • Create spaces for discussion, exchange and trust building • Make connections that wouldn’t otherwise exist • Don’t assume too much • Slow is the new fast • Balance systematic and systemic aspects • Invitation not exhortation • Find out about, and value what exists • Learn how the organisation works • Be exemplary as far as reasonable • Ensure feedback • Passion and commitment is key – but hard to sustain

18. Centre for Sustainable FuturesKirkby LodgeUniversity of PlymouthDrake CircusDevon PL4 8AA01752 238890csf@plymouth.ac.ukESD CETLwww.csf.plymouth.ac.uk Building the future…!