Creating Major Change? Gloucestershire University’s route to ISO14001 and beyond
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Transcript of Creating Major Change? Gloucestershire University’s route to ISO14001 and beyond
Creating Major Change?Gloucestershire University’s route to
ISO14001 and beyondCarolyn Roberts
Director, Centre for Active LearningUniversity of Gloucestershire
U.K.Third International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, University of Madras, Chennai, India, January 2006
Institutional change• Several examples of the nature and process of
institutional change in universities working towards more sustainable practices – e.g. Downey, for Sheffield Hallam UK; Gudz, for British Columbia; Thomas for Melbourne, Australia; von Oelreich for Mälardalen, Sweden
• Also many examples of the changes occasioned by particular activities such as environmental auditing of a campus (Bardati, for Bishop’s University, Quebec)
• Few are long term studies, and most separate out curriculum from ‘housekeeping’ issues in considering whole institutional practices.
The University of Gloucestershire case study • University based in the Midlands/South West of
England• Higher Education courses since 1847, University title
since 2003• ‘Liberal arts’ College plus+• c. 10,000 Bachelor’s, Masters and PhD students,
including some distance learners• Teaching-led, research-informed • Diverse set of five campuses in three locations
(Cheltenham, Gloucester, London), some historic, some modern
The University Mission
‘is to create a dynamic and sustainable portfolio of learning opportunities for the communities it serves. Within this overarching mission, the University will contribute fully to the economic, social and cultural life of Gloucestershire and its region, while fostering national and international links. It will also develop an approach to social responsibility which reflects its commitment to sustainability and social justice.’
University of Gloucestershire
BS14001 Environmental Management Standard
• First English university to achieve British Standard ISO14001 for the whole institution, in July 2005, after three years of specifically working towards this
• Accreditation undertaken by the British Standards Institute
• ISO14001 intended to provide a framework for targets, responsibility and accountability, plus a driver for continuous improvement
• ENVOY electronic assessment ‘tool’ utilised for subsequent management
Other indicators of ‘sustainability’ practice
• Forum for the Future (NGO) identified the university as a – ‘Trailblazer’ institution, 1997, in their HE21 initiative funded by central government
• Highly commended for transport policy, ‘Green Gown Award’, 2006
• Highly commended, Times Higher Education Supplement Award ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development’ 2006
• Shortlisted for curriculum development, ‘Green Gown Award’ 2007
Institutional Background to change
• Environmental and sustainability commitment in the University ‘Vision’ statement
• Institutional level policy and implementation strategies on sustainable development
• Vice Chancellor’s commitment to sustainability, including in the curriculum
• Strongly centralised quality assurance systems for teaching
Modelling Institutional Change – Simple models 1
1. Initiation Structure, clarity, advocacy,
champions, understanding
2. ImplementationResponsibility, empowerment,
pressure, Faculty development
3. InstitutionalisationEmbedding, organisational, strength, spread, facilitation
In Hopkins, 2002
Modelling Institutional Change – Simple models 2
1. Courtship2. Choosing the target (beginning)3. Expanding the scope of change4. Making connections and sustaining the
change process5. Rebalancing the campus to support
different ways of doing things6. Reflection on the significance of what
we have done7. Ending
Ramaley, 1994
The Four Factors for Success1. Pressure for change2. A clear, shared vision3. Capacity for change4. Action
UK Government Office for the South West, 2004
Modelling Institutional Change – Simple models 3
Appreciative Enquiry Approach1. Appreciating and valuing the best of
‘what is’2. Envisioning ‘what might be’3. Dialoguing ‘what should be’4. Innovating ‘what will be’
Hammond, 1998
Modelling Institutional Change – Simple models 4
• Staff• Style• Systems• Strategy• Structure• Skills• Super-ordinate goals
McKinsey, 2002
Modelling Institutional Change – Simple models 5
Another simple change model
Models of change in Higher Education, according to
Trowler et al, 2003• Technical-rational• Resource allocation• Diffusionist:epidemiological• Kai Zen or continuous quality
improvement• Models using complexity
Kotter’s Eight Stages of Change
1. Establishing a sense of urgency2. Creating a guiding coalition3. Developing a vision and strategy4. Communicating the change vision5. Empowering broad-based action6. Generating short term wins7. Consolidating gains and producing
more change8. Anchoring new approaches in the
cultureKotter, 1995
The Ladder of Divine Ascent metaphor
St. John Climacus’s text explains the ‘journey to Heaven’ as involving many challenging steps. The icon shows monks on the ladder, demons trying to pull them off, the mouth of Hades swallowing up those who have fallen off, the angels lamenting over those who have fallen, and people on the earth praying for those on the ladder. Christ is depicted at the top of the ladder, waiting for the successful ones to enter His holy Kingdom.
8. Anchoring new approaches in the culture
7. Consolidating gains and producing more change
6. Generating short term wins5. Empowering broad-based
action4. Communicating the change
vision3. Developing a vision and
strategy2. Creating a guiding coalition1. Establishing a sense of
urgency
Establishing an initial sense of urgency
Potential employability imperative for students
Vice Chancellor’s personal interest and emphasis
Desire to link curriculum and research activity in the
School of Environment to local, national and
international communities
UK Higher Education
awareness of ‘environmental
issues’ was strong in
1990s
Need for a unique institutional ‘selling point’
for student recruitment
Need for compliance with legislation (e.g. on
waste) at the time of external audit of the University (fear??)
Regional Development Agency interest in
‘environmental issues’
Establishing an initial sense of urgency
1. Drivers for change
• Generic Pressures to HE
• Specific institutional pressures
2. Drivers for change
• Political• Economic• Socio-cultural• Technological• Legal• Environmental
Creating a guiding coalition• From 1992 the ‘Environmental Management
Committee’ and from 2001 the ‘Sustainable Development Committee’, with sufficient power to drive the agenda
• The ‘best’ people, regardless of their roles, including academic staff/Faculty and professional support staff with responsibilities in key areas such as purchasing, estates, human resource management, external relations, curriculum, teaching and learning
• Need for understanding of both the external context and philosophy of SD, and the internal processes of the University
• A subsidiary ‘ISO14001 Working Group’ created in 2002
Developing a vision and strategy
• Wide ranging aspirations embracing all areas of the university’s practice
• Multiple goals and targets – managerial and educational
• Initially ‘environmental’ goals, and latterly ‘sustainability’ goals
• Evidence-based practice• Involving all staff and students as
collaborators
The University Vision
Is to be a high quality university with global reach which is passionate about:
• The creation and transmission of knowledge• Its students and staff working in partnership
for mutual benefit• Providing accessible opportunities for
learning at all ages and levels• Diversity, sustainability and social justice• Building on its Christian foundation
Sustainable Development
‘underpins each of the University’s strategic priorities and informs all elements of University life. The University promotes sustainable development, locally and globally, through teaching, research, knowledge transfer and the general conduct of its business.’
Definition
‘The University of Gloucestershire supports the definition of sustainable development as proposed by the Brundtland Report (WCED, 1987)
“development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”’
Definition continued..‘Sustainable development is recognised internationally and by the UK Government as having four main components, namely
• Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone
• Effective protection of the environment• Prudent use of natural resources• Maintenance of high and stable levels of
economic growth and employment’
The University’s Sustainable Development Policy is integrated with other University processes and is compliant with legislation and regulations.
The Policy is based upon commitment to the following principles:
continual improvement, through setting objectives and targets, continuous monitoring and review;
complying with, and where appropriate exceeding, applicable legal and other requirements relevant to our operations;
prudent use of natural resources and the prevention of pollution;
communicating University commitment to sustainable development across the institution and beyond.
Principles
Curriculum Strategy‘This is a constituent part of the Sustainable Development policy and is consistent with the University Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy. It commits the University to Education for Sustainable Development, an area where the University aspires to be an exemplar of good practice. It will provide appropriate curricular opportunities for students to develop knowledge and skills relevant to sustainable development, and to explore values and attitudes, both their own and those of others.’
UNIVERSITY O FGLO UC ESTERSH IRE
DEGREE & DIPLOMA COURSES IN THE SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENTALSCIENCES
HUMAN ANDCULTURAL
STUDIES
DESIGNSTUDIES
CD Co mmunity
DevelopmentEG Environmental
ManagementEV Environmental
PolicyET Environmental
Sc ienceGD Garden
Des ignGE GeographyGL GeologyHE Heritage
ManagementHG Human
GeographyLA Lands cape
Architec tureLD Lands cape
Des ignLN Lands cape
ManagementLP Local
PolicyNR Natural
Res ource
ManagementPG Phys ical
Geo graphyRP Rural PlanningWR Water
Res ource
Management
HG
GE
WRNR
EV
HE
GL
ET
PG
LD
LA
GD
CDLP
LM
EG RP
His tory
Leis ureManagement
Bus ines sAreas
SociologicalStudies
Vis ualArts
Touris mManagement
Theology
Multimedia
Englis hStudies
CommunitySudies
Politics
&Socie ty
H N D E TH N D E G
H N D L& G D
Utilities Strategy
‘This is a constituent part of the Sustainable Development policy and commits the University to responsible management of its utilities, and efficient operation of its premises, plant and equipment.’
Transport Strategy
‘This is a constituent part of the University’s Sustainable Development Policy and commits the University to encouraging staff and students to walk, cycle or use public transport and to discourage and thereby reduce the use of private vehicles by those travelling to, from and between the University and when conducting university business’
Waste Management Strategy
‘This is a constituent part of the University’s Sustainable Development policy and integrated with its purchasing policy or strategy. It commits the University to responsible management of its waste and to operating efficiently and legally in its purchasing, use and disposal of materials.’
Procurement Policy
• Procurement policy and guidance is extensive and commits the University to sourcing principally from suppliers holding membership of the SW Universities Purchasing consortium, which itself has a sustainable development policy
• Pressure on the supply chain by a major purchaser
• Guidance includes ‘refrain, reduce, reuse, recycle’ instructions
Buildings and Estates• Include a historic zoo and botanical garden with
lake, plus ‘listed’ sites• New buildings are designed to conform with
BREEAM standards of excellence, with high standards of energy utilisation, sustainable materials, sustainable drainage, building management systems/intelligence, low water use
• Some are being used as pilots nationally (e.g. photovoltaic roof on one major building)
• Older buildings are progressively being retrofitted (slow progress)
What did we do?• Environmental Management Committee initiated in
1991, with cross institutional representation. SubCommittee of the Senior Management Group
• Policy development, together with a set of strategies for implementation
• First ‘State of the Environment Report’ undertaken by staff and students in 1993, following local government guidelines
• Individual initiatives such as recycling drives, energy and paper awareness, ecological art exhibitions, mass bicycle rally, ‘environment week’, bus service
Communicating the change vision
• Using every vehicle possible to communicate the new vision and strategies (every trick in the book)
• Appropriate staff development for all, including student and staff induction
• Motivating and inspiring; going for challenging targets
• Linking the ‘housekeeping’ and the formal curriculum
• Mixture of ‘top down’ and ‘bottom up’ initiatives• Tried to be consistent in approach
Empowering broad-based action
• Getting rid of obstacles, including maverick ideas (“well, of course this doesn’t apply to me/our course/my research/my area of responsibility”)
• Challenging structures and pushing the boundaries, including University regulations, and asking ‘why?’
• Recognising immovable objects and circumventing them
• Drawing in student activity e.g. in community programmes and in reviewing the University’s operations
Generating short term wins• Media interest in environmental ‘stories’ • University hosts part of the national seminar series
on ‘Taking Responsibility: Promoting Sustainable Practice through Higher Education Curricula’, 1994-5
• University identified as an environmental ‘Trailblazer’ in 1997
• School of Environment achieves success and is identified as a national ‘Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning’, and wins £5M, in 2005. New ‘Centre for Active Learning in Geography, Environment and Related Disciplines’ established
Consolidating gains and producing more change
• Identifying ISO14001 as the vehicle for maintaining progress
• Review suggests areas for improvement, including limited progress on estates, water management, some areas of the curriculum
• Need to involve more students, and re-engage with the Students’ Union
• Need for more high profile initiatives • ‘Fairtrade University’ status achieved, July
2006
Anchoring new approaches in the culture
• Using the Quality Assurance system for teaching to promote ‘compliance’ in the curriculum
• Encouraging multiple interpretations of the phrase ‘SD’ by different groups
• Maintaining dialogue amongst different groups internal and external
• Enabling activity; promoting links• Sustainable Development Committee
reconfigured in September 2005, with reduced membership but a wider focus on social justice
The Gloucestershire approach to active learning
“The distinctive feature of the University of Gloucestershire definition of active learning is that it centres on the mastery of theory within a ‘learning by doing’ approach involving working in real places with actual people and live projects”
• Linking the thinking, doing and reflecting • Innovative ways of linking the theory and practice• Embedding active learning in all teaching• Innovative methods for developing blended learning• Active involvement of external agencies• Creative ways of assessing active learning• Underpinning practices by pedagogic research • Involvement nationally and internationally • Maintaining inclusivity• Making learning enjoyable for everyone
The Gloucestershire approach to active learning
What were the key drivers?• External pressure/stimulus/risk• Strong guiding coalition/team• Drawing on existing diversity of strengths
and interests in the University• Utilising a mixture of centralised and
decentralised decision making• Utilising diversity in the campuses as a
‘laboratory’ for experimentation• Publicity relating to early wins• New goals being adopted e.g. ISO14001• Serendipity
What did not drive change• Significant expenditure of resources, except time
(especially ‘transactional’ time). Costs included a junior part time ‘environmental manager’ from 2005, but the main responsibilities for administration were linked with Health and Safety
• Technology was not a principal driver, but ‘Envoy’ software assists in monitoring for ISO14001
• Agonising over ‘top down’ or ‘bottom up’ • Promotion or other financial rewards
Ambiguous issues• Students’ interest and attitudes are variable, and
challenging to harness except through the formal taught curriculum. Voluntary groups come and go.
• University Quality Assurance systems for teaching have vacillated in their support for ESD
• Research and curriculum strengths will vary with national patterns of recruitment and funding
• In the transformation from ‘environmentally friendly’ to ‘sustainable’, ISO14001 is insufficient.
8. Anchoring new approaches in the culture
7. Consolidating gains and producing more change
6. Generating short term wins5. Empowering broad-based
action4. Communicating the change
vision3. Developing a vision and
strategy2. Creating a guiding coalition1. Establishing a sense of
urgency
Models of change• Change is highly complex, not linear, but can
be steered to some degree• Many changes occur concurrently, change
breeds change• Change can be developmental or emergent• We shift rapidly and dynamically between
states• Goals are adjusted and we move towards a
new goal without achieving the first• No end point can be defined
What’s missing from the simple models of change?
• Key roles and strengths of team members• Communication amongst the team and beyond –
celebrating success: • Developing mutual support, a ‘community of
scholars’, through staff development• The role of the students, in joining and supporting
the enterprise• Evaluating the change and developing as a
‘learning institution’• Serendipity, and new opportunities, challenges (and
risks) appearing
Models using complexity• Indeterminate systems, hence outcomes are
not predictable. Can create likely conditions for change
• No locus of power; ‘power is’. System not directly controllable but open to indirect influence
• Multiple small changes provide suitable conditions for change
• Over-optimal supply of ‘tools’ required• Change champions are organic, intellectual
and skilled in praxis and creating affordances
Trowler, Saunders and Knight, 2003
Dreamtime as a metaphor of change?
Taking risks and dealing with the unexpected?
Please look at our websitehttp://www.glos.ac.uk/sustai
nability/index.cfm
‘Making a difference’