THE UNIVERSITY of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is celebrating its success following the prestigious Green Gown Awards in Bristol.
BEST NEWCOMER
Awarded to UWTSD for its Institute for Sustainable Practice, Innovation and Resources Effectiveness (INSPIRE). INSIPRE is the University’s institutional approach to delivering sustainability through its culture, curriculum campuses and community.
The judges’ described INSPIRE as delivering ‘strong institution-wide strands for sustainability, embedded at all levels of the University. It demonstrates a top-down structured approach with clear goals and good results’.
LEADERSHIP AWARD
This award was presented to Dr Jane Davidson, Director of INSPIRE at UWTSD. Dr Davidson established INSPIRE in 2012 before which UWTSD had no history of involvement in sustainability. Three years on, INSPIRE has won the Guardian Award for Sustainability in HE in 2013 and the Soil Association Gold Catering Mark for its support of local producers in 2014. In 2015, UWTSD rose from 113th in the UK and a 3rd class degree to a 1st class degree and 8th in the UK (1st in Wales) in the People and Planet University League.
The judges’ said ‘Jane’s exemplary leadership demonstrates powerfully the role of a university as a catalyst for change and an ‘anchor’ institution impacting city/region and beyond. Jane has championed the embedding of sustainability throughout the university strategy. This is particularly powerful as the university is a dual sector institution, and this agenda connected the community during a time of change. Jane is an inspirational leader, charismatic and enabling of others – she is authentic and her passion has created a unique space for creativity and change led by others’.
SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION – STAFF
This award was presented to Luci Attala, Anthropology Programme Director at UWTSD. Luci believes that to stimulate genuine and lasting change people need to experience how their actions make a difference. Recognising that future leadership demands confident individuals who make clear, bold decisions, Luci works stridently to empower undergraduates in diverse ways.
Her community work with students in Kenya was recognised with a UN Gold Star Award in 2014.
The judges were impressed with the breadth, quality and scale of the work undertaken by Luci. She has embedded sustainability into the anthropology curriculum, influenced other academics to adapt their teaching and learning techniques and provided a significant amount of support to students to help them raise money for developing countries. Her passion for sustainability was described by the judges as ‘truly inspirational’.
SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION AWARD – STAFF
Highly commended in this category was Gwenllian Beynon, Art and Design Senior Lecturer and Programme Director at UWTSD. Sustainable Pedagogy incorporating ‘social, economic, environmental and cultural’ values, is central to Gwenllian’s role in Higher Education. She has enabled students to study in their own language, to look at their own and global cultures, and to embrace sustainability in creative practice.
The judges were ‘impressed by the way in which she had embedded sustainability into her art and design course, developed the new Welsh language degrees and the international project with St Michael’s School to share sustainability expertise and learning across borders. The judges were also delighted to see the way that Gwenllion had involved the local community in her work – providing practical, sustainability experience for a student from the local school’.
SUSTAINABILITY IS KEY FOR UNIVERSITY
Now in its eleventh year, the Green Gown Awards provide universities and colleges with benchmarks for excellence and are well respected by governments, funding councils, senior managers, academics and students alike. The Awards recognise the exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by universities, colleges and the learning and skills sectors across the UK. With sustainable development moving up the global agenda, the Awards are now established as the most prestigious recognition of sustainability excellence within the tertiary education sector, as well as the environmental sector.
The UWTSD Group, which includes Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion, was shortlisted in six categories representing cross-campus initiatives as well as individual staff contributions to the sustainability agenda.
Dr Jane Davidson said “This is excellent news that demonstrates clearly the University’s commitment to sustainability. Colleagues and students across the UWTSD Group have worked diligently to ensure that this important agenda is embedded throughout our core operations and culture.
“UWTSD has placed sustainable development as a core value and aims to ensure that our students and graduates develop the skills and attributes that are required by employers and society across the world.”
Professor Medwin Hughes, UWTSD Vice-Chancellor, said: “These are prestigious accolades and they acknowledge our commitment to sustainability as one of our core values. Most importantly it celebrates the excellent and inspiring work of colleagues and students across the University’s campuses.”
Iain Patton, Chief Executive of the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), said: “Every year the Green Gown Awards rewrite what business-as-usual looks like for UK universities and colleges. Sustainability makes business sense and this year’s inspiring initiatives prove that sustainability benefits staff, students, the wider community and of course the bottom line. Congratulations to all the finalists for their hard work.”
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