SEMINAR REPORT - 'Strengthening the role of the Irish Higher Education community in support of sustainable development'

Feasta	Tipperary Institute	Development Studies Center

PDF version of report

Held on Wednesday 28th November 2001 at Tipperary Institute, Thurles, Co Tipperary

The organisers gratefully acknowledge the support of the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC).

Authors:
Tom Campbell
Kevin Healion
David O'Kelly
Marie Quirke-O'Gorman

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Background to the Seminar

Objectives of the Seminar

Seminar Programme

Networking Exercise

Opening Address by Séamus Puirséil

Introduction by Tom Campbell

Keynote Address; 'The Challenge of Sustainability' by Richard Douthwaite

"Greening the Institution" Discussion Group

"Sustainability in the Curriculum" Discussion Group

Recommendations

Appendices - List of Participants

Acknowledgements

The members of the FEASTA Education Group that were involved in the organisation of the seminar were:

• Tom Campbell    The Development Studies Centre, Kimmage Manor
• Kevin Healion    Tipperary Institute
• David O'Kelly
  Ann McBride
  Davie Philip    FEASTA
• Marie Quirke-O'Gorman    Tipperary Institute

Thanks to all the participants who contributed so enthusiastically to the success of the event.

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Background to the Seminar

The seminar was instigated by the Education Group of FEASTA (the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability). The seminar was aimed at those involved in third level education, and was prompted by the issuing of guidelines on environmental awareness by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) in early 2001. HETAC is the Irish Government's accrediting body for the non-university third level sector.

The guidelines were issued by HETAC in response to a request by the then Minister for Education and Science, Dr. Michael Woods, T.D. The guidelines are about the Community Support Framework requirements on contributing to the protection and improvement of the environment through the promotion of awareness of global and local environmental issues. The Community Support Framework is the legal document which gives effect to the National Development Plan.

The guidelines offer a number of positive suggestions on how higher education institutes can play a crucial role in promoting environmental awareness and sustainability - through curriculum and course development, and by improving the environmental performance of the institutes themselves. The guidelines are applicable across all four disciplines in HETAC-designated institutions (Science, Engineering, Business, Humanities).

The seminar was organised by FEASTA in co-operation with the Tipperary Institute and The Development Studies Centre, Kimmage Manor and with the support of a grant from HETAC towards the costs of holding the seminar.

The seminar offered a forum whereby interested educators could come together to explore ways in which they can best respond to the HETAC guidelines and, more broadly, to identify what their needs are in terms of meeting the challenge of sustainability. There was maximum opportunity for participation and a set of workshops dealt with more specialised interests. While the seminar took the HETAC guidelines as a starting point it was intended to provide a forum for people from both the non-university (HETAC) and university parts of the third level education sector. To that end invitations were sent to universities, Institutes of Technology, and other HETAC-designated institutions.

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The Organisers

FEASTA (the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability) is a registered educational charity. Since it was launched in October 1998 it has organised three major public lectures in Trinity College, Dublin. In 2001 it published the Feasta Review, a collection of articles by David Korten, Herman Daly and other environmental economists. It has organised a number of conferences and has made detailed submissions to Irish Government committees on the implementation of its climate change strategy and on sustainable development.

TIPPERARY INSTITUTE opened its two main campuses in Thurles and Clonmel in September 1999. The Institute is a highly innovative initiative, integrating higher education with practical hands-on development work in the business and rural community sectors. This means that the Institute is both a provider of higher education at Certificate, Diploma and Degree levels in the areas of Computing, Business and Sustainable Rural Development as well as a resource and driver of local and regional development. Tipperary Institute courses are accredited by HETAC.

THE DEVELOPMENT STUDIES CENTRE, KIMMAGE MANOR, has been involved in education and training for development since 1975. It provides HETAC-accredited courses in Development Studies at undergraduate (National Diploma) and post graduate (Graduate Diploma and MA) levels, as well as offering a range of consultancy, training and research services in Ireland and overseas.

Objectives of the Seminar

The concept of sustainability challenges us to explore how the socio-economic objectives traditionally associated with economic growth can be reconciled with concerns for environmental quality, social justice and cultural diversity. It is imperative that Irish third level educational organisations respond to these challenges and take a leadership role in the transition to a more sustainable society. The objectives for the seminar were therefore:

• To determine how best Irish higher education organisations can respond to the requirement under the Community Support Framework to contribute to the protection and improvement of the environment and the promotion of sustainability
• To share information and experience from the field of education for sustainability in Irish higher education
• To be informed of what ecological economics has to offer to the debate
• To build a support network of interested individuals and organisations

• Opening by Ciarán Lynch, Director of Rural Development, Tipperary Institute
• Welcome by Pádraig Culbert, Chief Executive of Tipperary Institute
• Introduction by Tom Campbell, The Development Studies Centre, Kimmage Manor and FEASTA
• Address by Séamus Puirséil, Chief Executive, Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC)
• 'The Challenge of Sustainability' - keynote address by Richard Douthwaite
• 'Experiences in Education and Action for Sustainability' by Ciarán Lynch, Director of Rural Development, Tipperary Institute
• Workshops / Discussion Groups on:
  1. Education for Sustainability in the Curriculum: Challenges and Opportunities
  2. Greening the Institution
  3. Ecological Economics
• Plenary Session - main points from workshops
• Presentation on the work of FEASTA by David O'Kelly
• Discussion on 'Where to from here? Building a Network', facilitated by FEASTA

Continue to Networking Exercise

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