We will showcase how School of Applied Sciences (SAS) has incorporated sustainability into teaching, practice, and widening participation. Contextually, SAS has a diverse portfolio of courses, many of which are underpinned by relevant PSRB requirements which place certain limitations on course content. Experience indicates PSRB requirements and subject level benchmarks are updated on timescales that do not necessarily correspond with the latest thinking on contemporary issues, particularly community-driven initiatives.
SAS staff are encouraged to develop flexible, pragmatic solutions for their specific subject areas. Our workshop will highlight a variety of approaches taken including development of new provision incorporating UN Sustainability Development Goals; colleagues working with PRSBs to develop new standards; and enhancing existing provision through pragmatic module changes without compromising accreditation.
Incorporation of sustainability into our working practices are demonstrated through our involvement with the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF). This sector-wide initiative is designed to drive efficiency gains in laboratory practices and reduce carbon footprints. We will illustrate how our efforts to move to the bronze LEAF standard have seen comprehensive review of current practice and evaluation of alternative ways of working.
Finally, colleagues have also managed to secure external NERC funding to relate EDI and widening participation issues to sustainability opportunities in geosciences. We will share our experience of running community-based workshops, particularly some of the challenges which have to be overcome.
Rob Allan, Michael Ginger, Alison Astles, Anna Davidson, Beth Fox, Natasha Reed, Thomas Smyth