An update on the Sustainability Exchange

24th October 2011

Curiosity for the Sustainability Exchange has been building so we wanted to take this opportunity to give you an update on its progress. For those of you who are yet to hear about it, a bit more information about how it’ll help you.

By definition, to Exchange is to share, give and take. The EAUC is building the Sustainability Exchange to enable people to not only Exchange, but to do so easily, freely and interactively.

Whilst we cannot show you what it will look like yet, we can give you the low-down on what it is and how it will help you and your organisation operate in or around the fields of sustainability and education.

Overcoming daily challenges
Many of us will have had first hand experience of the vast number of different ‘sustainability’ resources available online. They can be available in different places, produced by different specialist organisations, and each with their own libraries. Few of us have the time to spend finding the most relevant document to help deliver your role, let alone clicking through numerous websites or even knowing where to look initially.

The Sustainability Exchange is being built to resolve this very challenge.

The Sustainability Exchange is a HEFCE funded project, led by Staffordshire University and is delivered by the EAUC. But it doesn’t end there – it also has a pool of specialist organisations supporting it, many of whom will be sharing their own resources and promoting it to their members. To name but a few: AUDE, Procureweb, SPCE, BUFDG, The Energy Consortium, JISC, The Carbon Trust, UCU, USHA, UUK, HEA, AUPO and NUSSL. We’d like to thank everyone for their hard work so far!

Not just any website
So is it yet another body, entity or organisation that will be reduced to being called the Sustainability Exchange in time? No folks, it’s a website, but not any website. Whilst HEFCE have helped provide the initial resource to get it off the ground, it is being seen as a tool that will, in time, support both higher and further education communities and sector supporting organisations across the UK.

For the user, searching through the repository of information, case studies, best practice guides, videos and other resources will be easy and quick to use. For someone who has a specific query, there will be online groups of users who can help provide you with an answer. You’ll also be able to find events, links, news, meetings and CPD opportunities, driven by the users and supported by the different organisations, including the EAUC. It will be interactive, friendly and useful.

It is currently being developed, and very shortly it will be checked and verified by a group of testers. This group will be made up of the people who will ultimately be using the Exchange as we need to ensure it does everything you want and need. If you’d like to get closer to the action and get involved, why not join the group by contacting Gill Ainge, Project Manager (see contact details below).

By early 2012, the Sustainability Exchange will be ‘live’ but we’ll keep you posted on the key developments.

Find out more
Visit the Sustainability Exchange project page for all of the latest news and updates. To find out more contact the Project Manager, Gill Ainge, on gainge@eauc.org.uk.