High Profile Opportunity

10th August 2018

Urgent call for sustainability case studies

EAUC first published a Business Guide for University Governors in 2014, to make the case for embedding sustainability at the very highest level in universities.

With the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals and other recent global trends, in partnership with the Chairs of University Committees (CUC), EAUC is now updating the Guide so that it continues to support strategic institutional agendas. It has commissioned the University of Edinburgh to deliver the work, guided by the expertise of a cross-sector Advisory Group of University Chairs and Vice Chancellors.
 
The updated Guide will frame sustainability as being key to institutional success, in a context of on-going risk and uncertainty in the higher education sector. It will explain that sustainability is key because it embodies the long-term, systems-thinking required to respond to complex challenges. Sustainability also helps to reduce risks, enhance reputation and manage costs by balancing financial health with social and environmental impact.
 
The Guide will outline the business benefits of sustainability in relation to drivers that underpin institutional success. It will call on governors to use sustainability as a means of future-proofing higher education institutions in relation to these issues:
 
EAUC is now looking for sector examples for when sustainability represents a key strategic solution to the following institutional challenges.
 

• Financial Resilience – encompassing agendas such as cost saving and efficiency, internationalisation, growth, commercialisation, management of supply chain/remote risks, etc.
• Student Outcomes – including agendas such as employability, student experience, teaching excellence, access and retention, etc.
• Societal Impact – covering agendas such as community engagement, Sustainable Development Goals, community relations, etc. 
• Research and Innovation – comprising agendas such as research excellence, knowledge exchange and impact, etc.

Please get in touch if you might have a potential case study that illustrates how your institution is benefiting in one or more of these areas as a result of embedding sustainability across the organisation. At this stage, we are looking for brief outlines which can later be written up to a short case study.
 
If you think you might have a potential case study please contact Charlotte by Friday 7th September. 
 
Final case studies will be no more than 200 words accompanied by a high quality image. Some accepted case studies will feature in the guide and most will be used in the online version.