GuildHE Climate and Sustainability Programme

Climate change is one of the key issues of our time but it can feel too big for institutions to tackle on their own. To provide tailored support to our members GuildHE, in partnership with EAUC, is delivering a comprehensive programme to tackle climate change and embed sustainability in its widest sense. The programme will support member institutions to take action and develop their sustainability strategies.
 
The programme is delivered over 6 sessions – each session focusing on specific areas each lasting 1½ hours and delivered virtually.  

Ideally a senior member of your team that has overall responsibility for sustainability would attend the full programme and invite key colleagues to attend specific area sessions. For example, a curriculum lead could attend session 4, your Director of Estates could attend session 5, a member of your governing body could attend session 2.

Introduction to Sustainability – 24th February – 0930-1100

This session will provide participants with an introduction to climate and sustainability and how this relates to a higher education institution.  It will provide practical examples of how to develop and bring to life environmental and social equity at an institutional level. The session will provide a foundation for the rest of the programme.  

Governance and Leadership – 22nd March – 1000-1130

Governance and leadership are key to driving forward sustainable change.  This session will discuss different approaches to governance, with practical discussion of how to achieve true but pragmatic transparency and accountability.  The session will also outline different approaches to leadership and how to harness these across the whole institution. 

This session is relevant for anyone working in university leadership and those with responsibility for sustainability. 

Partnership and Engagement – 26th April – 1000-1130

This session looks at the importance of collaboration in achieving sustainable futures.  It will look at practical examples of partnerships, both internal and external to higher education institutions.  Participant will also explore different mechanisms for achieving effective engagement around climate and sustainability. 
 
This sessions is relevant for anyone working in a leadership position, those who work with external stakeholders and those who work with staff and students to create change. 
 

Teaching and Learning – 17th May – 1000-1130

The education of students is core to higher education, and it is imperative that their curriculum reflects the needs and challenges of modern society. This session will look at how to practically embed sustainability and climate into the curriculum in a more effective way. 

This session is relevant for anyone working in a leadership position, those who teach and those in student education support roles.

Estates and Operations – 21st June – 1000-1130

The way higher education institutions operate contribute directly to local and global environments.   This session will look at how institutions can create positive impacts, sharing practical experience and exploring how the operational activities is link to other strategic areas such as learning and teaching. 

This session is relevant for anyone in a leadership position, those with responsibility for sustainability, those with estates and FM roles and those with a wider operational remit. 

Data, Emissions and Reporting – 19th July – 1000-1130

This session will look at the specific needs associated with reporting and data collection.  It will draw on case studies to share practical examples. 

This session is relevant for anyone in a leadership position, those with responsibility for sustainability, those with estates and FM roles and those with a wider operational remit. 


Each session will include key aspects to consider in the specific area, case studies and resources to help you on your journey and to implement change in your institution.

The programme is delivered by Dr Louise Ellis FRSA, a dynamic influential senior leader with 25 years’ international experience developing strategy and solutions with emphasis on, but not limited to, the sustainability, social responsibility and E.S.G. fields. Louise has worked for 18 years in Higher Education, and has held both academic and central leadership roles. Each session will also include guest speakers.

This programme will support your thinking around how to develop a sustainability action plan that suits your unique setting and how to embed sustainability into your institution.

Book your place by chosing the relevant session below, or the full package if you plan on attending all the sessions.  

There is a maximum of 30 delegates per session. The course is being funded by GuildHE and is exclusively available for GuildHE members. if you are unsure if your institutions is a member please check here

GuildHE has been an active member of the Climate Commission for Higher and Further Education, helping establish the Commission and launching it following our annual conference in 2019. The Commission seeks to challenge, unite and enable action from the tertiary education sectors and has created resources for the sector including the HE Climate Action Toolkit, sector targets as well as gathering evidence and influencing Whitehall officials. In late summer 2021, GuildHE conducted a survey of its members which sought to better understand institutional climate engagement across the GuildHE membership identifying a need for tailored support for smaller institutions.