A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution i to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

This report is Volume 5 in a five part series that reviews Environmental Education and its contribution to sustainability in Australia. The research which underpins it was undertaken between July and September 2004 by the Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES) for the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage. This series is titled ‘A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability’ and covers the following areas:

Volume 1: Frameworks for Sustainability Volume 2: School Education Volume 3: Community Education Volume 4: Business and Industry Education Volume 5: Further and Higher Education

This volume is the first national review of the status of further and higher education undertaken in Australia and one of few attempts to capture needs and opportunities in this area. It provides a snapshot of the current context and identifies a number of key themes, which assist in constructing a picture of Environmental Education experiences in the further and higher education sector. The document provides analysis as well as recommendations to improve sustainability practice through Environmental Education.

Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the Australian Government, and the Government does not accept responsibility for any information or advice contained herein.

Copyright: © 2005 Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage and Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability

Citation: Tilbury, D., Keogh, A., Leighton, A. and Kent, J. (2005) A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education. Canberra: Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage and Australian Research Institute in Education for Sustainability (ARIES).

ISBN: 1 86408 996 2

Executive Summary: Available for download from http://www.aries.mq.edu.au PDF Version: Available for download from http://www.aries.mq.edu.au ii A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

Acknowledgements

This report is based on research which was framed and directed by Daniella Tilbury, Macquarie University, Sydney.

Many Environmental Education thinkers and experienced practitioners have contributed to this research document. We are grateful to them for their input.

The principal authors were Daniella Tilbury, Amanda Keogh, Amy Leighton and Jenny Kent. Kristen Hebert and Kristina Cooke have also contributed to this document.

The research was peer reviewed to assure validity of findings. Damon Anderson (Senior Lecturer, Centre for Work and Learning Studies, Monash University who has expertise in VET issues), Peter Blaze Corcoran (University Leaders for a Sustainable Future and Professor of Environmental Studies and Environmental Education, Florida Gulf Coast University), Linda Condon (Head of the National Centre for Sustainability, Swinburne University who has expertise in VET issues), Julie Newman (Sustainability Director, Yale University), Dory Russell (Regional Education Officer: Grampians Regional Waste Management Group, Victoria who has expertise in VET issues) and RosTaplin (Coordinator Environmental Management Program, Macquarie University) acted as key informants for this review. We are also grateful to the National Environmental Education Council (NEEC) and its Further and Higher Education Working Group for feedback on initial drafts. A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution iii to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

Contents

Abbreviations iv

5.1 Overview of EE in Further and Higher Education 1

5.2 The EE Experience in Further and Higher Education: From Principles to Practice 7

i) Learning from Greening the Campus 8 ii) Learning for Sustainability in the Curriculum 14 iii) Declarations of Commitment to Sustainability 19 iv) Institutional Learning for Change 23 v) The Changing Nature of Work 28 vi) Generic Skills 31 vii) Competency Based Training 35

5.3 Summary of Needs and Recommendations 39

Endnotes 42

References 46

Glossary 57 iv A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

Abbreviations

ACCI Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry ITAB Industry Training Advisory Board ACTS Australian Campuses Towards Sustainability LCA Life Cycle Analysis ACTU Australian Council of Trade Unions LSDA Learning and Skills Development Agency AGSM Australian Graduate School of Management MBA Master of Business Administration AIG Australian Industry Group NCVER National Centre for ANTA Australian National Training Authority Vocational Education Research ANU Australian National University NEEC National Environmental Education Council AQF Australian Qualifications Framework NSW CEE New South Wales Council AQTF Australian Quality Training Framework on Environmental Education ARC Australian Research Council NTF National Training Framework ARIES Australian Research Institute OECD Organisation for Economic in Education for Sustainability Co-operation and Development AUQA Australian Universities Quality Agency OH&S Occupational Health and Safety BCA Business Council of Australia RMIT Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology CLM Conservation and Land Management RTO Registered Training Organisation DEH Australian Government Department SDEP Sustainable Development Education Panel of the Environment and Heritage SEAV Sustainable Energy Authority Victoria DeSeCo Definition and Selection of Competencies TAFE Technical And Further Education DEST Australian Government Department TEFMA Tertiary Education Facilities of Education, Science and Technology Management Association DVC Deputy Vice Chancellor TVET Technical and Vocational EE Environmental Education Education and Training EMS Environmental Management System UAED Universities of Australia GHESP Global Higher Education Ecological Development for Sustainability Partnership ULSF University Leaders for a Sustainable Future GRI Global Reporting Initiative UN United Nations HEPS Higher Education UNESCO United Nations Educational Partnership for Sustainability Scientific and Cultural Organisation IAU International Association of Universities UNSW University of New South Wales ICT Information Communication Technology UTS University of Technology Sydney ILO International Labor Organisation UWS University of Western Sydney ISC Industry Skills Council VET Vocational Education and Training A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 1 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

5.1 Overview of EE in Further and Higher Education

With the United Nations Decade of target issues such as water conservation, Education for Sustainable Development energy efficiency and waste reduction². ■ Box 5.1 (2005-2014) having commenced, As a result of these and other projects, Challenges of Sustainability all countries are being encouraged environmental and sustainability to take progressive steps to integrate concepts are making their way into ‘The crisis we face is first and foremost one of the mind, perception, and values; hence, it is sustainability into education plans some courses and training packages. a challenge to those institutions presuming to at all levels and across all sectors. In addition, some leading institutions shape minds, perceptions, and values.’ Environmental Education (EE) can have illustrated their commitment to provide an important basis to reflect, sustainability by signing agreements, Orr (1994, p.27) learn and change towards sustainability. such as the Talloires Declaration³ and ‘One of the great challenges of the Creating opportunities for EE within the Australian Ecological Development 21st century for institutions of higher the further and higher education Charter⁴ (see Box 5.3). education is training professionals who are curricula, however, is one of the biggest critical of the present-day development of our society and capable of acting in challenges. The broader notion of sustainability favour of more sustainable development. has only recently come to the forefront Therefore, universities have to work from Change towards sustainability in of campus management, with the most all perspectives… to promote teaching and this sector requires more than just innovative universities establishing research programmes that provide solutions to the present problem.’ rethinking education plans or curricula. sustainability policies. This has resulted Ultimately, learning for sustainability in a further broadening of focus to Geli De Ciurana (2001, p.3) has implications for the core of the include programs such as alternative institutional culture, influencing the transport programs¹⁰, sustainable decisions, management procedures campus programs¹¹ and green ■ Box 5.2 and research actions of the further and purchasing protocols¹². While this is Today Shapes Tomorrow higher education sector (see Boxes evidence that universities are improving 5.1 and 5.2). The large scale changes their environmental performance, ‘The foundations of sustainable development required may explain the struggle this generally they have not used an are built on the way we think, the values we sector has experienced in engaging with approach that addresses sustainability hold and the decisions we make. It cannot depend on just the technology available to us, sustainability. Instead it has focused in an integrated fashion. For education the nature of our environment, or the policy on undertaking sustainability research institutions to more deeply address instruments at our disposal. A public which for changing community thinking and sustainability there is a need to link is educated about the need for sustainable practice rather than changing itself. campus management to research, development is essential to achieving sustainable development.’ curriculum and administrative practice, A handful of initiatives do exist such that sustainability is embedded Department of the Environment and Heritage in Australian further and higher across every aspect of institutional (1999, p.25) education institutions¹ but these operations in a synergistic way. focus on single projects to address sustainability, as opposed to taking a more systemic view of learning and change across the institution. Some projects have taken the form of initiatives to ‘green’ the campus which include environmental management and awareness raising programs and 2 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

Whilst the approach taken to ■ Box 5.3 ■ Box 5.4 integrate sustainability into further Sustainability Commitments International Teacher Education and higher education institutions Initiatives in Learning for would vary from campus to campus, Australian universities and colleges exhibit Sustainability a sustainable institution could varying levels of commitment to sustainability, which can be categorised as follows: be identified if it displayed the In 1992, the Rio de Janeiro ‘Earth Summit’ following critical dimensions¹³: called for formal education to reorient towards 1. Signing Declarations and Charters sustainable development. Although higher Several universities have signed agreements education has received some attention, the ● mission statement expresses committing to change for sustainability⁵. major focus has been on teacher education These declarations demonstrate an ‘in ongoing commitments to initiatives and resources¹⁵. Key initiatives to principle’ commitment, which are yet to sustainability; promote learning for sustainability approaches be put into practice. to teacher education include: ● concepts and practices of 2. ‘Greening the Campus’ sustainability are incorporated Greening the campus through ● ‘The Environmental Educators’ Initiative for environmental management systems and China’ is a joint initiative of WWF China, into all academic disciplines awareness-raising programs are common BP China and the Ministry for Basic (including teaching, professional features at this level of commitment. Education. This initiative is a professional development and faculty and development program for teacher However these initiatives rarely address student research); sustainability issues (eg, sustainable educators and lecturers which is supported consumption) within the campus. or by a network and resource centres¹⁶. are resourced and supported to their full ● there is a conscious recognition of potential. ● The New Zealand Ministry of Education’s the role the institution plays in its ‘Environmental Education Professional social and ecological systems; 3. Curriculum Innovation vs Integration Development Program’, is a national teacher education program that has trained over Some universities and colleges are taking ● knowledge of sustainability is a steps to integrate environmental and 40 teacher educators to provide in-service sustainability content into the existing training for teachers throughout the critical concern in the hiring, curriculum⁶. However, learning for country¹⁷. tenure and promotional systems; sustainability requires a fundamental ● The online and CD-ROM based change, not only in what we learn, but multimedia teacher education program, ● sustainable policies and practices how we learn it⁷. It calls for curriculum ‘Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable are adhered to for operations, innovation rather than integration. This Future’¹⁸ was developed by UNESCO building and site management; and requires the professional development of and Griffith University as a demonstration teaching staff. project for adaptation and translation to suit local educational and cultural ● institutional support and services 4. Institutional Change contexts¹⁹. are present that support the social Whole-of-institution change for capital of the staff and students as sustainability in the further and higher ● The online and CD-Rom education sector is rare⁸. It encompasses - ‘Sustainability and Education’ assists well supporting the sustainability professional, curriculum and organisational tertiary educators in incorporating functions of the university. development engaging every dimension sustainability into teaching and learning. This has been developed by Swinburne of the university or college in change for Creating the fundamental changes sustainability⁹ University’s National Centre for Sustainability²⁰. that are needed to promote and The commitments outlined above are address sustainability issues within explored in greater details within this volume. Also see Volume 1 of this series for further an institution as a whole is a complex information. Examples of good practice at each level are and ambitious task, which may documented explain why few institutions in this sector are addressing sustainability in a comprehensive way. Some argue that addressing the core institutional culture is critical to reorienting the further and higher education sector towards sustainability¹⁴. Encouragingly, it can bee seen that current initiatives are making inroads within a sector which is sometimes A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 3 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

renowned for its reluctance to follow the ‘National Strategy for Ecologically social trends. Sustainable Development’²⁵, the ■ Box 5.5 ‘National Action Plan for Environmental Learning for Sustainability Multiplier Effect Education for a Sustainable Future’²⁶, Further and higher education and more recently, state sustainability The NSW learning for sustainability strategy outlines actions for VET providers and institutions play an important role not strategy documents such as Western universities. only in shaping the way we think, but Australia’s ‘Hope for the Future’ ²⁷ also in educating the next generation and Victoria’s ‘Our Environment, Action 38 ‘VET providers are to be encouraged to include relevant environmental content in of decision-makers, such as business Our Future’ ²⁸. These strategies the courses and programs they offer.’ leaders and government executives. provide a framework for a range of They are also critical as they are the other government policies and guide NSW Government (2002, p.36) main training centres of key multipliers government efforts and expenditure such as educators and the core of the in sustainability and education which Action44 ‘NSW Universities are to be encouraged to expand the number of places teaching profession itself. supports it. available in environmental education courses and make environmental electives readily It is estimated there are 60 million Where state-wide Environmental accessible to those in other programs.’ teachers in the world, and the majority Education plans, policies and NSW Government (2002, p.38) have been trained through higher statements exist, they tend to focus education²¹. Universities have huge more strongly on primary and potential to reorient the formal secondary education, with little education sector, and wider society in attention paid to further and higher ■ Box 5.6 turn, towards sustainability. They create education. However, the New Shaping the Future of VET teacher education curriculum, train South Wales EE plan ‘Learning for ‘Shaping our Future: Australia’s National new teachers and provide professional Sustainability’ ²⁹ does outline specific Strategy for Vocational Education and Training development for practicing teachers²² actions for VET providers and tertiary 2004-2010’³⁵ establishes long-term objectives (see Volume 2 of this series²³). education institutions, although these for the VET system. It is developed by the However, presently there are limited are not mandatory and are adhered to Australian National Training Authority, the national statutory body established to provide opportunities for teachers to learn on a voluntary basis (see Box 5.5) a framework for all VET providers. The for sustainability. Some progressive vision of the national strategy is: international organisations and It is the Australian Government governments are attempting to address Department of Education, Science ● ‘VET works for Australian businesses making businesses internationally this need²⁴ (see Box 5.4). and Training (DEST) that administers competitive; Australia’s higher education policy. The ● VET works for people giving Australia Learning for sustainability approaches Australian National Training Authority world-class skills and knowledge; and to EE in further education also have (ANTA)³⁰, a national statutory body, the potential to catalyse change in provides strategic direction and ● VET works for communities building inclusive and sustainable communities.’ other community, industry and a framework for the policies and business sectors. Educating workers operations of VET (see Box 5.8). It’s ANTA (2004, p.1) at para-professional, technical and national strategy ‘Shaping our Future’³¹ trade levels for sustainability through establishes a vision and the long Vocational Education and Training term goals for further education and (VET) represents a major opportunity. specifically identifies the contribution of VET to sustainable communities³² Australian Government Policy (see Box 5.6). National and state policies inform the sustainability agenda in the further and DEST has identified sustainability higher education sector. Key policy as a priority for research³³. Much of documents illustrate the increasing the research in sustainability is often priority afforded to sustainability by carried out by the Collaborative the Australian governments at federal Research Centres, some of which and state levels. These policies include have education and communication 4 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

programs. These are opportunities ■ Box 5.7 to broaden learning for Key Stakeholders in Higher Education sustainability approaches to EE.

Higher Education incorporates universities Australian Universities are responsible Ultimately, governance of throughout Australia, which are established for maintaining the quality of their own universities rests at the state level³⁴ or recognised under State or Territory academic standards, which is independently legislation. verified every five years by the Australian and this has important implications Universities Quality Agency. for how sustainability is promoted. ● The Australian Government Department In practice, the degree of state of Education, Science and Training (DEST) Australian Universities involvement in institutional policy Quality Agency (AUQA)³⁹ is the primary funding body for higher is minimal. Universities operate on education³⁸. Universities are increasingly AUQA operates independently of governments seeking funds from other sources, including and the higher education institutions under an autonomous basis and develop business and industry, the wider community the direction of a Board of Directors. AUQA is their own policies and objectives. and overseas interests. responsible for: VET differs in that the state governments align their own VET ● The formal governing of each Australian ● Conducting quality audits of self- university is undertaken by the Council, accrediting Australian higher education policy and funding arrangements Senate or Board of Governors, presided institutions and State and Territory with a national strategy and over by a Chancellor elected by the Government higher education accreditation financial agreements are negotiated members of the governing body. Sectors authorities on a five yearly cycle; represented include government, industry, with a national statutory body the wider community, academic staff, ● Providing public reports on the outcomes - the Australian National Training graduates and students. of these audits; Authority (ANTA). ANTA’s ● The chief executive authority rests with ● Commenting on the criteria for the responsibilities will be subsumed the Vice-Chancellor, who is accountable to recognition of new universities and within the Australian Government the Council, Senate or Board of Governors accreditation of non-university higher Department of Education, Science education awards, as a result of and is responsible for the academic and and Technology after July 2005 (see administrative operation of the institution. information obtained during the audits of institutions; and Box 5.8). ● In most Australian universities, the Vice-Chancellor is supported by three or ● Reporting on the relative standards and four Deputy Vice-Chancellors (DVC). international standing of the Australian Stakeholders in Decision-Making Each DVC is responsible for one of the core higher education system and its quality Further and higher education both operations of universities; teaching, research assurance processes, as a result of have distinctly different governance information obtained during the audit and administration. Often, management of structures. There are also different campus operations and internationalisation process. also forms part of their portfolios. stakeholder groups aligned with these structures (see Boxes 5.7 and 5.8). In addition to this, each institution will have its own management frameworks for their numerous staff members.

The complexity of these institutional arrangements makes change for sustainability problematic. For even less challenging issues, decisions must follow the established bureaucratic procedure.

Furthermore, some argue that the resolution of sustainability issues requires a broader process of stakeholder engagement³⁶. Other stakeholders such as A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 5 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

student associations, professional organisations, industry and ■ Box 5.8 employers, as well as the wider Key Stakeholders in Vocational Education and Training community stakeholders need to be involved to inform changes for Vocational education and training (VET) Industry Training Advisory Boards is the largest provider of post-compulsory Industry Training Advisory Boards (ITABs) sustainability³⁷. These factors make education in Australia⁴⁰.The bulk of VET are national and state industry bodies for lengthy, complex decision- programs are delivered by Technical and that provide information to government making processes and can cause Further Education (TAFE) institutes, in on industry training demand. At present, problems in implementing change addition to Adult and Community Education Industry Skills Councils are progressively for sustainability. providers and private registered training replacing ITABs at the National level. organisations. Industry Skills Councils International Developments in Australian National Training Authority ANTA is in the process of establishing ten Learning for Sustainability ANTA is the national government statutory Industry Skills Councils which will have two Internationally, sustainability authority charged with providing the strategic main purposes. policy and financial framework for vocational is becoming an integral part of education and training. ANTA reports ● To provide accurate industry intelligence to forward-looking higher education to a Board, which consists of 4 industry VET regarding current and future skill institutions and many institutions representatives. This Board advises the needs and training requirements. Ministerial Council (MINCO) of Australian are linking learning and innovation ● Government, state and territory Ministers To support the development, to sustainability⁴³. This is reflected responsible for vocational education and implementation and continuous by over 1,000 university leaders, training on: improvement of quality, nationally recognised training products and services. presidents and vice-chancellors ● National VET Policy, strategy, priorities, signing agreements⁴⁴ that commit goals and objectives nationally; and To date, eight Industry Skills Councils have their institutions to change towards been announced to focus on a range of sustainability. International ● VET plans, which states and territories skill areas: Agri-Food; Community Services develop each year. These plans detail how and Health; Construction and Property organisations and initiatives, such as national priorities, goals and objectives will Services; ElectroComms and EnergyUtilities; University Leaders for a Sustainable be met. Innovation and Business; Resources and Future, International Association Infrastructure; Services; and Transport and of Universities and the Global One of ANTA’s key roles is the development, Logistics⁴¹. management and promotion of the National Higher Education for Sustainability Training Framework (NTF) administered by Industry Associations Partnership reflect the growing state and territory training authorities. ANTA identifies four key industry interest and activity in this area (see associations, which have direct input into Box 5.9). ● The NTF includes Training Packages, their VET framework: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and the Australian Quality Training ● Australian Chamber of Commerce and The experiences of the last 15 Framework (AQTF), a set of nationally Industry (ACCI); agreed standards for assuring the quality of years have shown that signing ● VET services nationwide; and Australian Council of Trade Unions sustainability charters, involvement (ACTU); in efforts to ‘green’ the campus or ● Training organisations must be registered ● Australian Industry Group (AIG); curriculum will not necessarily lead under the AQTF in order to deliver, to change towards sustainability. assess and issue Australian Qualifications ● Business Council of Australia (BCA). Framework (AQF) qualifications. While innovative individuals and State and Territory Training Governments groups working in the local context From July 2005, the role and responsibilities Although ANTA provides the broad strategic can achieve changes towards of ANTA will be subsumed by the Australian direction for VET, state and territory sustainability, real and lasting Government Department of Education, governments remain the largest funders Science, and Training. of VET and (via their respective training achievements for sustainability are authorities) set state-wide policy and dependent on successful cultural planning priorities and allocate funding to change across the whole of the RTOs via profile agreements and contracts, institution⁴⁵. within the context of annual VET plans negotiated with ANTA. On the international stage, there are a number of government-led initiatives focusing on innovation, 6 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

mostly in higher education, towards ■ Box 5.9 ■ Box 5.10 learning for sustainability (see Global Higher Education International Higher Education Box 5.10). These initiatives offer for Sustainability Partnership Initiatives in Learning for insightful examples to the Australian (GHESP) Sustainability further and higher education sector regarding steps that it could take to Networking and partnerships have proven to UK Sustainable Development Education progress learning for sustainability. be successful in sharing examples and lessons Panel and Higher Education Partnership of good practice and promoting their adoption for Sustainability within other programs. The GHESP is a The UK Department of the Environment, prime example of networking and information Transport and Regions formed the sharing at the international scale. Sustainable Development Education Panel to consider education for sustainability issues The objectives of the GHESP include⁴²: and make recommendations to government for change across multiple sectors⁴⁶. The ● To promote better understanding and more Panel has set a goal that by 2010 all UK effective implementation of strategies for further and higher education institutions the incorporation of sustainability within will have staff fully trained in sustainability higher education institutions; and provide relevant learning opportunities to students. The Panel has also established ● To undertake a global review and the Higher Education Partnership for assessment of progress in making Sustainability (HEPS) initiative, which sustainability a key focus of curriculum, encourages collaboration between institutions research, outreach and operations of higher engaging with sustainability. education institutions; and ● To identify and share effective strategies, New Zealand Tertiary Education Strategy models and best practices for promoting This Strategy was released by the NZ higher education learning for sustainability. Government in 2002 and sets the overall direction for higher education. The strategy includes six national development objectives, including sustainability. The need for relevant research and the development of skills to enable all New Zealanders to address sustainability issues is identified as a critical priority⁴⁷.

South African Environmental Learning Across National Qualifications Framework The South African Framework was produced by the National Government in 2001 to provide guidance to a range of education institutions. It is an open-ended Qualifications Framework, which embraces a broader view of environmental learning to incorporate not only the biophysical but also the cultural and aesthetic aspects of the human environment. The Framework emphasises that environmental learning should be addressed in the development of all standards and qualifications, including those of further and higher education⁴⁸. A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 7 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

5.2 The EE Experience in Further and Higher Education: From Principles to Practice

Much has been written regarding EE are identified to assist in constructing and sustainability in higher education, a picture of current approaches to while the body of knowledge relating sustainability in this sector and needs to further education is less well for moving forward. Although all developed. However, both elements themes are relevant across the further of this sector demonstrate low levels and higher education sector, the initial of engagement with learning for four themes of this document give a sustainability in practice. bias to University examples as these are well documented. The final three Understandings of the term themes, which are of greater relevance ‘sustainability’ and ‘learning for to VET, provide examples and expand sustainability’ vary considerably across upon issues relating specifically to the further and higher education further education. All the themes are sector highlighting that these are inextricably linked and need to be read new concepts and that there are no in conjunction⁵⁰: common agreed goals. It has been recognized that there is a need for i) Learning from Greening ‘critical reflection’ and discussion of the Campus; the concept particularly with regard to its relationship to, and implications ii) Learning for Sustainability for, participants and stakeholders in in the Curriculum; Vocational Education and Training (VET)⁴⁹. The development of shared iii) Declarations of Commitment understandings and consistent to Sustainability; approaches is also required in the further and higher education sector. iv) Institutional Learning for Change;

This document provides a snapshot of v) The Changing Nature of Work; the current context and documents the EE experience in further and higher vi) Generic Skills; and education. A number of key themes vii) Competency Based Training. 8 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education i) Learning from Greening the Campus

Sustainability in practice has been education institutions are only just ■ Box 5.11 interpreted by many in Australian beginning to wrestle with the challenges Australian Examples of ‘Greening universities and VET institutions as of sustainability in the campus. the Campus’ Initiatives ‘greening the campus’. Sustainability initiatives focus on improving the Approaches to Campus Greening Tree Planting environmental performance of Campus greening programs of the With the help of community groups, Newcastle University facilities management campus operations⁵¹ which consist 1960s and 1970s originally focused on staff have replanted a large portion of the of reorienting practices within small-scale initiatives - the creation of Callaghan Campus⁵⁶. buildings and grounds so as to reduce clean, green spaces within the campus Waste Recycling environmental impact and minimise being one example. Environmental ANU runs a waste program that recycles operational costs (see Box 5.11) . In concepts such as water conservation a number of products, including paper, order to achieve this many universities were later addressed, followed by cardboard, commingled glass and plastic, and some VET institutions have the establishment of a broader range computers, and construction waste⁵⁷. adopted environmental management of programs addressing issues such Water Recycling and Retention systems⁵²; engaged in ‘ecological foot- as waste recycling⁶⁷, stormwater In 2001, Monash University introduced printing’⁵³ and ‘eco-auditing’⁵⁴ exercises management⁶⁸, energy use and an irrigation water recycling scheme for and/or implemented environmental greenhouse gas reduction their hockey fields. Irrigation run off water awareness raising programs⁵⁵ amongst programs⁶⁹ (see Box 5.11). is captured at the edges of the field and redirected into a storage tank to be re-used staff and students. for irrigation when required⁵⁸. More recently, environmental The literature on learning for management systems (EMS) have been Stormwater Management sustainability approaches to education established and technical procedures ANU has established a stormwater management scheme by installing sediment specifically advocates the linking such as eco-auditing⁷⁰ have been traps in areas identified as posing the most of campus greening initiatives to conducted to assess environmental risk to the environment⁵⁹. curriculum change for sustainability⁶⁵. impact. Ecological foot-printing is also ⁷¹ Energy and Greenhouse The advantage of linking greening increasingly being adopted . Using a Gas Emission Reduction initiatives and curriculum change is broader approach than environmental A number of universities across Australia that it allows for both a practical and auditing, ecological foot-printing have implemented the Green Office energy conceptual understanding of learning deals with sustainability concepts. It reduction program. This involves campaigns for sustainability approaches for extends environmental assessment to reduce energy consumption and reduce waste production. Monash University⁶⁰ students and staff. This linkage has been to encompass the total impacts of originally implemented this program in 2000 demonstrated as being easily integrated the products and services used by and a number of other universities have through the observations of Ian Thomas universities and colleges⁷². followed suit, including UNSW⁶¹, ANU⁶² at RMIT⁶⁶. A handful of Australian and Melbourne University⁶³. universities are beginning to adopt a These most recent approaches to Awareness Raising Campaigns more holistic approach and are making campus greening are characterised by UNSWitch is an energy efficiency awareness the connection between campus, the use of environmental management raising campaign at UNSW. This campaign encourages staff and students to reduce administration and curriculum change. tools and measures to enhance the their energy consumption by switching off However, much work remains to embed environmental performance of campus computers, lighting and heating when not learning for sustainability approaches operations. There is a broad range of in use⁶⁴. to Environmental Education across the such tools available for this purpose whole of institutions (see Box 5.12). (see Table 5.1). Many of them focus The reality is that further and higher on increasing the resource efficiency A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 9 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

■ Table 5.1 i) Learning from Greening the Campus Tools for Greening the Campus Adapted from TEFMA (2004, unpublished)

Tool Type Description of Tools Available

Building ● Green Star Environmental Rating System developed by Green Building Council of Australia⁷⁶. Rating Tool ● Australian Building Greenhouse Rating provides a national approach to benchmarking the greenhouse performance of buildings and tenancies⁷⁷. ● Green Globe 21 is a benchmarking and certification program based on Agenda 21⁷⁸. ● National Australian Built Environment Rating System is performance-based rating system developed by Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage in consultation with industry and stakeholder groups⁷⁹. ● Basix is the Building Sustainability Index which is an assessment tool used by development applicants to make sure new homes meet the NSW Government’s standards⁸⁰.

Management and Management Systems and Certification Schemes provide a framework for identifying and managing risks and establish clear Reporting Systems processes for planning, implementation and reviewing of performance⁸¹. These include: ● ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. ● ISO 9000 Quality Management Systems. ● AS4801 Occupational Health and Safety Management System.

Accountability and Reporting Frameworks include: ● Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the most widely adopted reporting framework for measuring and reporting an organisation’s environment, resource and social position⁸². ● AccountAbility 1000 Series was developed to complement the GRI by addressing the need for organisations to integrate their stakeholder engagement process into daily activities⁸³. ● Triple Bottom Line reporting.

Energy ● CSIRO Energy Express⁸⁴ - A Software Program to manage energy load designed for use by engineers and architects. Management Tools ● E-Bench⁸⁵ A program to manage energy consumption. ● Greenhouse Challenge Program⁸⁶ is a program to reduce energy use.

Ecological ● The Eco-Footprint Calculator⁸⁸ is a tool which individuals or organisations can use to calculate the size of their impact on the Footprinting⁸⁷ earths resources.

Life Cycle ● LCAid makes life cycle assessment information more accessible to other practitioners to make more complete environmental Analysis Tools assessments⁸⁹. ● LCA Design developed by the CRC for Construction Innovation provides a database of environmental impact of building components and materials⁹⁰. ● Sima Pro is designed to collect, analyse and monitor the environmental performance of products and. services⁹¹. ● LISA (LCA in Sustainable Architecture) identifies key environmental issues in construction and provides a tool for evaluating environmental aspects of building design⁹². ● EcoSpecifier is an extensive resource ‘knowledge base’ on products & materials, and provides knowledge and training on best practice sustainable materials and product specification and design⁹³. 10 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

of buildings through energy and The Tertiary Education Facilities ■ Box 5.12 water conservation. Some of the Management Association (TEFMA) Barriers to Change more advanced tools deal with the is attempting to build the capacity of concept of life cycle analysis (LCA), facilities staff to address sustainability. Barriers to change cover a broad range which takes a more holistic view of It is the peak university facilities of issues which include a lack of interest and commitment towards sustainability environmental impacts. This represents management body in Australia and initiatives; misconceptions or confusion a progression from ‘reduce and reuse’ New Zealand. TEFMA identifies about the topic of sustainability; a lack measures towards addressing the need sustainability as a key focus of their of reward or recognition for innovation to ‘redesign’ more fundamentally, and work and actively aims to promote and change; a lack of financial support for resources and training; and a lack of can be utilised by universities as a more sustainability throughout the experience working across disciplines. systemic approach. Australasian facilities management tertiary education sector⁹⁶. TEFMA These and other barriers to change have been Some universities and colleges held a workshop on ‘Building distilled down to three key areas: complement environmental Sustainability’ in 2004 (see Box 5.13). ● A lack of culture of value or priority given management programs with awareness to greening and sustainability; raising campaigns targeted at staff TEFMA are also developing a resource ● A lack of organisational and resource and students⁷³. These campaigns are to assist their members with addressing support for staff; and designed to provide information sustainability in their roles. Their ● A lack of training for academic staff. relating to the consequences of ‘Guide to Incorporating Sustainability unsustainable behaviour in the hope into Facilities Management’⁹⁷ focuses Thomas (2004, p.39) that such information will lead to on the environmental management a change in behaviour in the target tools that are available for performance audience⁷⁴. However information alone measurement and enhancement. These ■ Box 5.13 is insufficient to enable lasting change tools are valuable mechanisms for Building Sustainability (see Box 5.12). ‘Critical reflection’ on assessing campus greening initiatives, Workshop⁹⁵ current unsustainable practice and however they do not broaden the capacity building for change is required scope of campus greening beyond TEFMA held a workshop at Macquarie to embed sustainability more deeply in environmental management concerns. University in July 2004. Its objective was institutional practice⁷⁵. An educational to enhance the knowledge and capacity of facilities management staff to incorporate campaign supported by institutional Andrew Nixon has reviewed the sustainability principles in campus commitment via policy, governance campus sustainability assessment management. The workshop provided an structure and an operational system, process in a bid to provide a theoretical opportunity for tertiary facilities management will more readily lead to the desired and practical basis for education staff to share their knowledge and experiences of sustainability initiatives. outcome of a sustainable campus. institutions undertaking campus sustainability initiatives⁹⁹. He has Staff Development identified a number of key criteria for Facilities management staff are establishing successful sustainability ■ Box 5.14 usually given the responsibility for initiatives (see Box 5.14). This study Criteria for Establishing planning and implementing campus addresses the broader notion of Successful Sustainability environmental management plans. sustainability and emphasises the Initiatives ⁹⁸ Traditionally, staff have had little importance of a whole of institution training in the environmental field, approach that engages multiple ● Build positive relationships with although more recently, new positions, stakeholders; such as environmental projects officer stakeholders and maximises the ● Obtain institutional commitment or sustainability coordinator, have been potential these programs offer in - financial support, staff time, information created in a number of universities⁹⁴. learning for sustainability. access, public statements of commitment People employed in these roles develop and policy are crucial to a long-term and manage specific environmental Engaging Stakeholders strategy; projects aimed at improving the in Improving Practice ● Involve staff throughout all stages; and campus environment. Academic and administrative staff, as ● Maximise educational benefits by involving well as students, need to play a part in students. moving education institutions towards A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 11 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

sustainability. Inclusive approaches as catering, retail and recreational have the benefit of embedding change facilities. Independent providers run ■ Box 5.15 for sustainability more deeply in every many of these campus services so the Environmental Programs aspect of the institution’s operations. responsibility for their environmental Engaging Staff and Students¹⁰⁰. They also increase the efficacy of practice does not fall under university sustainability programs. Engaging all or college management. ANU Interhall Environmental Program ANU has recently implemented an ‘interhall’ stakeholders develops a broad base of environmental program, which aims to ownership and support for change¹⁰². Campus services employ large provide non-formal education to hall numbers of staff, provide food residents to raise environmental awareness Across Australia there are a number of and drink to a large portion of the and green the halls’ environment¹⁰¹. initiatives that involve both students university population everyday and These programs have been successful and staff in enhancing environmental produce significant amounts of waste. in building awareness for resource outcomes and reducing operational Macquarie University is taking steps efficiency. This has resulted in incremental costs. Few of these programs, however, to address this area and has recently improvements in financial and environmental performance. address the notion of sustainability worked with a sustainability consultant including aspects of sustainable to improve the practice of its student The next step will be to seek more profound consumption (see Box 5.15). recreation and catering services changes in practice, which challenge through a learning for sustainability unsustainable behaviour. This will require deeper, ‘critical reflection’ on professional Most initiatives adopt a collaborative approach (see Box 5.17). and residential practice that would reveal approach to encourage stakeholder the more systemic factors perpetuating engagement and build a sense of shared More needs to be done to embed unsustainable behaviour. responsibility in making environmental sustainability principles within Green Office Program improvements. This practice is aligned campus commercial services. Sarah This program encompasses a ten-point plan with sustainability as advocated by the Hammond Creighton¹⁰⁷ identifies a focusing on resource efficiency in campus United Nations¹⁰³. Active student, staff wide range of actions that can be taken offices. It has been implemented at a number as well as community participation by on-campus service providers to aid of universities across Australia including ANU, UNSW, Monash and Sydney was successfully achieved in an the greening of the campus, including University eco-auditing initiative of a progressive the selection and preparation of food Spanish University, Universidad and the handling of waste. She goes on Autonoma de Madrid (see Box 5.16). to explore issues more closely aligned ■ Box 5.16 An interesting element of this program with the principles of sustainability, Environmental Management Plans was its integration into the curriculum including the opportunity that on- resulting in greater commitment to campus food service providers have to ‘The elaboration and achievement of campus change and better qualified improve health, reduce environmental environmental management plans need graduates¹⁰⁴. Multi-stakeholder impacts and educate students. She to be based on the involvement and active participation in change programs such reinforces the need to engage and contribution of every person who works, studies and/or resides in this environment… as this addresses an important principle educate multiple stakeholder groups Involvement can set in motion EE processes of sustainability. The next challenge in order to embed sustainability more for those who take part in it. Direct for such initiatives is to address deeply in the practice of every aspect of intervention in decision-making and cooperation in every action becomes an sustainability in both the issues they higher education institutions¹⁰⁸. educational process that tends to commit address and the approach they take to students and teachers to their centre’s resolving them. Forming Collaborative Networks sustainable development.’ on Campus Greening Greening the Campus Supply Chain Increasing recognition of the Calvo, Benayas & Gutierrez (2002, p.96) A growing number of progressive sustainability agenda and the institutions, such as Monash proliferation of campus greening University, are asking their suppliers programs in Australian universities has to improve their environmental led to the development of networks practice¹⁰⁵. In this context, the intended to provide a forum for the supply chain includes a wide range of exchange of universities’ experiences. on-campus commercial services such The establishment of collaborative 12 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

learning networks is closely aligned and water conservation, rather than ■ Box 5.17 with the principles of learning for focussing on long-term sustainability Business Planning as Learning for sustainability as it offers opportunities oriented activities such as wider Sustainability for dialogue and partnership institutional change¹¹³. However, there building, as well as sharing practical have been some attempts at influencing Students At Macquarie (SAM) is the recreation and service provider at Macquarie University, experiences¹⁰⁹. decision-making regarding campus Sydney. SAM has a vision to establish: sustainability, such as the National Australian Campuses Towards Union of Students Sustainability ‘…a reputation of providing services of quality Sustainability (ACTS) was established Campaign (see Box 5.19). and relevance to the campus community, in an environmentally, socially and culturally in 1997 to provide Australian responsible manner.’ universities and further education Whilst these efforts seek to broaden the institutions the opportunity to share decision-making base in universities, Students at Macquarie (2003, p.1) knowledge and expertise in the field of their objective is still environmental In 2003, SAM brought in a sustainability campus environmental management¹¹⁰. improvement. The student body has consultant to run a staff workshop in order to ACTS provides a knowledge-sharing yet to grapple with the full breadth and define sustainability in relation to their services forum for all staff, students and the depth of sustainability concepts. and envision SAM’s future direction. This wider community (see Box 5.18). EcoSteps workshop integrated the strategic planning process with a process of learning Incorporating collaborative learning Towards Systemic Approaches for sustainability and led to the development workshops could enhance this valuable Some innovative projects are beginning of a business plan based on the principles of network and encourage participatory to combine campus greening with sustainability¹⁰⁶. reflection on practice. This would not curriculum improvements and are only share knowledge and experience building relationships with external across the network, but also promote stakeholders in the process. The ■ Box 5.18 continuous improvement in practice ‘Green Steps Program’ was initiated by ACTS Objectives in line with learning for sustainability Monash University students in 2000¹¹⁸ approaches. and has been rolled out to several ACTS members include environmental other Australian Universities¹¹⁹. The managers, facilities staff, academic staff and Student Involvement objectives of the program are: students representing nearly every university Students and student organisations are in Australia. The objectives of ACTS are to: critical stakeholders in campus change ● To assist campus businesses to ● Link individuals across Australian for sustainability. These groups have improve environmental practice; universities and TAFE who share the same been closely involved with putting environmental management imperatives; pressure on education institutions to ● To provide environmental change ● Share existing experience in best practice adopt and implement environmental management training and experience to university environmental management management policies and practice. university students; and encourage the exchange, development Most universities in Australia have and implementation of new initiatives ● To assist the university in achieving to reduce the ecological footprint of a student organisation dedicated Australian universities; to some form of environmental its environmental objectives by implementing energy efficiency and activism¹¹¹. Student organisations can ● Promote the integration of teaching, waste minimisation strategies involving research and campus environmental play an important role in creating management to create a synergy between environmental awareness amongst their staff awareness and education; environmental learning and the learning fellow students, although they often environment; ● To provide a ‘bridge’ for university have limited resources, a leadership and students between their studies and ● Identify and develop national, state and membership base in constant transition other cross-university collaborative the environment industry through environmental management strategies, and no immediate access to university work experience and networking decision-making processes¹¹². programs and projects. opportunities¹²⁰. ACTS (2004a) Student groups tend to become involved Over the past 15 years campus greening in short-term projects focussing on has become common practice. This is specific environmental management evidenced by the number of further issues such as waste management A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 13 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

and higher education institutions environmental impact of their activities engaging in programs to enhance their to incorporate reflection on sustainable ■ Box 5.19 environmental performance¹²¹. There consumption and other economic TheNational Union of Students are very few Australian campuses and social themes which have an Sustainable Universities Campaign that do not offer recycling facilities, impact on environmental quality. or energy and water efficiency Further, there is a need to consider This campaign was launched at UNSW to coincide with the annual National Union of programs¹²². change towards sustainability across Students Conference in September 2001¹¹⁴. not only campus management and The campaign aimed to reduce universities’ The next challenge for the further operations, but also in the curriculum, drain on natural resources by cutting energy and higher education sector is to through administrative practice and and water consumption and introducing recycling and waste management practices. extend these efforts to address the research activities¹²³. This is essentially notion of sustainability within a systemic process of institutional Each university was provided with a campus management. Education learning for change¹²⁴. ‘Sustainable Universities Information Resource’ institutions need to look beyond the booklet, which outlined the benefits of a sustainable university, current environmental management approaches and best practice examples¹¹⁵. The key focus of this campaign was to lobby universities to improve environmental management¹¹⁶. by:

● Establishing environmental management systems to reach ISO 14001 standards; ● Employing an environmental officer and establishing an environment management committee; and ● Providing funding for environmental awareness campaigns.

The ‘Sustainable Universities Information Resource’ booklet briefly touches on ‘greening the curriculum’ across the university, but this only focuses on adding environmental issues to current curriculum, not the fundamental changes that accompany learning for sustainability.

Since the launch of the resource kit in 2001, this campaign has not been a key priority of NUS, but a campaign ‘revival’ is planned¹¹⁷. 14 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education ii) Learning for Sustainability in the Curriculum

Providing learning opportunities for issues in their future professional ■ Box 5.20 sustainability in the further and higher roles¹²⁹. This needs to be done in two Infusing EE education curriculum is important if ways, through the revision of existing we are to empower and equip people courses and development of new ‘Despite its potential for transformation, EE for change towards sustainability¹²⁵. ones. New opportunities need to be at the university level is mostly interpreted as the infusion of environmental concepts into The education of the next generation created also for people who wish to the curriculum’. of leaders and professionals represents receive training and education with a a critical opportunity to address specialism in sustainability or learning Calvo, Benayas & Gutierrez (2002, p.91) sustainability issues. The curriculum for sustainability approaches within change needed to seize this opportunity their chosen field. requires staff development, the ■ Box 5.21 development of teaching and learning Learning About and Talloires Declaration (extract) resources, and the revision of existing For Sustainability courses as well as the provision of new In practice, the predominant trend ‘Universities have a major role in the courses (see Box 5.20). in higher education curriculum education, research, policy formation and information exchange necessary (for initiatives has largely been towards sustainability). We, therefore, agree to take The Need for Curriculum Change learning about sustainability, which the following actions…. Internationally the further and higher fosters environmental literacy amongst education sector has acknowledged students and builds awareness of 3. Establish programs to produce expertise in environmental management, sustainable the importance of learning for sustainability issues¹³⁰. Increasingly, economic development, population and sustainability through various courses introduce students to the related fields to ensure that all university declarations, the most significant of sustainability literature and a variety graduates are environmentally literate and which is the Talloires Declaration¹²⁶, of definitions and interpretations of responsible citizens. which was developed by University this term. In this instance, learning 4. Create programs to develop the capability Leaders for a Sustainable Future in is interpreted as a process that of university faculty to teach environmental 1990. It includes a 10 point plan that develops knowledge as opposed to a literacy to all undergraduate, graduate and commits Universities to curriculum process of inquiry that engages and professional school students.’ change and professional development equips students for change towards University Leaders for a Sustainable Future for sustainability (see Box 5.21). sustainability¹³¹. The learning process (2004, p.1) needs to be taken to this next stage This important document recognizes which equips students with the that curriculum change for conceptual frameworks needed to help sustainability is needed across all them develop the skills to effectively programs of study offered by higher enact change towards sustainability. education, and not just those programs focusing specifically on sustainability A recent study into sustainability in issues¹²⁷. This is because all sectors of the curriculum of Australian business society must be equipped to actively schools shows that sustainability has engage in change for sustainability¹²⁸. been integrated as additional content Curriculum change offers the into existing curricula¹³⁴ (see Box opportunity to embed the principles of 5.22). While there are no compulsory learning for sustainability such that all sustainability courses in postgraduate students can address sustainability business education, environmental and A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 15 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

sustainability themes do feature in both core and elective subjects. ■ Box 5.22 ■ Box 5.24 The approach has been to integrate Education About and For Institutional Change corporate sustainability knowledge Sustainability in Australian ‘Sustainability implies a double learning into the existing curriculum. Business Schools¹³² challenge to higher education, concerning both ‘paradigm’ and ‘provision’. The possibility of This study found that educationabout Innovation not Integration reorientation of higher education in the context sustainability is the prevalent approach in of sustainability depends on widespread and Daniella Tilbury has argued that Australian Business Schools. Sustainability is deep learning within the higher education innovation, not integration is treated as an additional piece of content to be community and by policy makers – and this incorporated into an existing curriculum. required to enable curriculum has to both precede and match change in change for sustainability¹³⁵. This learning provision and practice’. Monash University, MT Eliza, RMIT and is supported by Stephen Sterling’s University of South Australia deal with Sterling (2004, p.49) call for a transformation of the sustainability issues such as corporate learning experience if learning for environmental and social responsibility in sustainability approaches are to their core subjects. A number of other MBA programs such as those offered by UNSW, be addressed in higher education AGSM and the University of Sydney offer ■ Box 5.25 curricula¹³⁶. They argue that elective subjects relating to environmental or Learning for Sustainability addressing sustainability in the sustainability themes¹³³. in VET¹⁴⁰ curriculum requires more than While addressing these issues in the MBA the addition of content, as it Renewable energy courses at Brisbane curriculum is a positive development, it Institute of TAFE are guided by principles cannot be simply integrated into a would be enhanced by developing graduate which aim to: curriculum that implicitly promotes skills to integrate sustainability into their unsustainability (see Box 5.23). decision-making process. This requires ● make sustainability the core of engineering more than the provision of sustainability studies; Currently, education in schools, content and involves a different approach colleges and universities is seen as in how students are taught to consider and ● provide learning about the context of contributing to the predicament contribute to sustainability issues. technology including the social, environmental and economic impacts and that confronts our society¹³⁷. It is barriers to renewable energy technology seen as part of the problem as well adaptation; as part of the solution¹³⁸. ■ Box 5.23 ● provide a learning setting that demonstrates Innovation not Integration best practice in sustainable energy systems, The way knowledge is disseminated energy efficient building design and waste within the curriculum of these Education for sustainability is an innovative management; institutions needs to be challenged. and interdisciplinary process requiring participative and holistic approaches to ● teach a holistic, inter/multidisiplinary Approaches that help students the curriculum. It cannot be inserted into systems approach; to construct knowledge through existing teaching and learning structures. (It) ● promote a supportive learning the learning experience have has a transformative agenda that requires and environment for women and other been advocated. Learning for often leads to professional, curriculum as well disadvantaged groups; as structural change’. sustainability encourages students ● work on real problems in the local/ to envision and collaboratively Tilbury (2003, p.98) regional/global community; and construct their concept of ● work with industry and the community ‘Sustainability cannot simply be integrated sustainability in a way that is on course development, implementation into existing curricula. It requires a and review. meaningful to their own specialist transformative agenda that would require areas. It is a collaborative process changes in education practices, addressing the that develops skills in ‘critical way knowledge is sliced up into disciplines, reflection’, systemic thinking as well as making structural changes in institutions’. as well as action-oriented skills for change¹³⁹. Learning Parliamentary Commissioner for the for sustainability involves an Environment (2004, p.76) innovative approach to teaching that will require the professional development of staff and the 16 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

development of appropriate curriculum ● Action-oriented skills to motivate ■ Box 5.26 resources if it is to be embraced in the and manage change; University Industry Summit curriculum. ● Stakeholder engagement skills and The recommendations made at this summit To add to the challenge, it is unlikely an appreciation for multi-cultural reflect the need to engage with the principles of understanding; and learning for sustainability in curriculum change: that these new teaching and learning approaches will be embedded within ● ● ‘Universities need to review their the curriculum if it is not accompanied Practical problem-solving and project curriculum to ensure the effective by a simultaneous and more profound management skills¹⁴⁵. development and assessment of generic process of institutional change (see skills in education for sustainability across These trans-disciplinary skills need all faculties. Box 5.24). Recent programs such to be addressed in the curriculum of as Learning for Sustainability¹⁴¹ ● Universities need to involve a range of all professional sectors¹⁴⁶, not only in stakeholders in overseeing this curriculum or Action Research for Curriculum universities but also in colleges and review process. Change Towards Sustainability¹⁴² have other training institutes. ● Universities need to offer opportunities for experienced the benefit of approaching professional development of staff in these challenges in tandem. The education for sustainability. program design acknowledged the The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is attempting to address this ● Universities need to ensure that all need for professional development graduates, regardless of specialism have which can support institutional change skills requirement by offering a opportunities to learn about and for and enable curriculum change for sub-major in sustainability in their sustainability.’ sustainability. MBA program¹⁴⁷. Subjects offered include change management and Tilbury & Cooke (2001, p.3) One example of innovative curriculum corporate responsibility. The approach design in VET is the holistic approach to teaching attempts to build the to sustainable futures adopted in skills required for change towards ■ Box 5.27 renewable energy courses at Brisbane sustainability by developing a practical Learning for Corporate Institute of TAFE (see Box 5.25) aptitude in change management Sustainability at UTS programs as well as encouraging ‘critical reflection’ on the role of ‘Responsible Business at UTS seeks to establish Graduate Skills for Sustainability links between business management and The need for innovation in the business in society (see Box 5.27). sustainability issues. It encourages value-based curriculum is also supported by leading management and attempts to bridge the gap Need for Higher Education thinkers in corporate sustainability. The between personal and professional ethics. The Staff Development subject builds ‘critical reflection’ skills and is lack of business graduates with the skills action-oriented.’ required for change towards sustainability There are a number of factors that cause problems in curriculum change has been noted¹⁴³. This skills requirement Bubna-Litic (2004, p.1) was explored at a university and industry for sustainability and highlight the summit convened by the National need for professional development. Environmental Education Council in Academic staff have traditionally proven resistant to any curriculum 2001 at Macquarie University¹⁴⁴. General agreement emerged that there was a lack changes from outside the bounds of of students with the capacity to address their own curriculum, having been sustainability challenges (see Box 5.26). trained in disciplines before the trans- Specifically, a need was identified for disciplinary agenda of sustainability graduates with generic skills in: emerged¹⁵⁰. There is also the tendency to see curriculum changes for sustainability as yet another initiative ● Dealing with complexity and uncertainty; to accommodate in a workplace that has been flooded with other demands, ● Critical, systemic and futures thinking, has few resources to implement them and has received inadequate training and support to do so¹⁵¹. A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 17 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

These issues point to the need for staff Action research also provides a development in tertiary education methodology for institutional change. ■ Box 5.28 institutions such that lecturers, tutors It encourages the active engagement The Environmental Agenda: and researchers can engage with the of multiple stakeholders including Taking Responsibility¹⁴⁸ principles of learning for sustainability students and those involved in in their own disciplines. Many overseas management and operations of In 1995, a series of symposia took place in the UK to promote sustainable practice initiatives have recognised that these Universities. It provides a means to through higher education curricula. This processes of staff development can break down traditional organisational initiative was driven by the then UK also help to engage staff in broader boundaries. The compatibility between Council for EE and involved stakeholders organisational and cultural change learning for sustainability approaches from government, NGOs, higher education and industry. The aim of these events was across the whole of the institution¹⁵² and action research offers many to collaboratively explore issues around (see Box 5.28 and ‘The Need for opportunities for the improvement engaging with EE across the full portfolio Institutional Change’ on page 23). of vocational training which, by its of disciplines. They advocated greater They see action research (see glossary) nature, tends to be practically oriented interaction between disciplines and a transdisciplinary approach to engaging with as a means to incorporate the goals and action based. EE across the curriculum¹⁴⁹. of professional development with trans-disciplinary curriculum change An action research project at Change for sustainability will require greater and institutional reform. Macquarie University has addressed interaction and co-operation between all professions due to the systemic nature of the learning for sustainability in the challenges faced. This needs to be reflected Similar requirements exist in VET. A curriculum¹⁵⁸. This project has resulted in the approach taken to sustainability in the need has been identified for universities in change within the curriculum as well curriculum and higher education institutions and other providers of VET teacher as challenging some of the University’s as a whole. training to equip trainee teachers with administrative and management appropriate skills in program design structures (see Box 5.30). and delivery, and a critical awareness of ■ Box 5.29 their role as adult educators and trainers Need for Champions in Learning for Developing Learning for for sustainability. Retraining and Sustainability Sustainability Specialists professional development of existing There has been little consideration in VET teachers (and managers) is also a the further and higher education sector London South Bank University in the UK priority if progress is to be achieved in for the need to develop professionals offers a postgraduate program focusing on education for sustainability. It is designed for the short to medium-term¹⁵³. in learning for sustainability who professional educators and those involved in can take on roles outside formal and non-formal and informal teaching roles in Action Research for higher education. Professionals in other sectors. Key learning outcomes in this Curriculum Change learning for sustainability need to be Masters program include building capacity and leadership. There is also the opportunity On the international stage UNESCO equipped with the skills to champion to design and build an education for and OECD projects have used and lead learning initiatives across all sustainability strategy for the sector in which action research for the professional sectors of society including industry, participants work¹⁵⁹. development of teachers for the government and the community – not past two decades¹⁵⁴. Action research just in formal education. Another issue provides a highly complementary is that in universities and colleges, means to engage with the principles the development of sustainability of learning for sustainability expertise has tended to be the remit in curriculum and professional of the environmental and life sciences development¹⁵⁵. It is a collaborative faculties, with scant attention given to research tool that encourages reflection the need to develop professionals from on teaching practice and actively other specialisms (see Box 5.30). engages educators, students and other stakeholders in action for change Only two Australian Universities towards sustainability (see Box 5.29). seek to develop specialist skills in learning for sustainability approaches to EE for those working outside of 18 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

formal education. The Master of institutional change that lies at the ■ Box 5.30 Environmental Education offered heart of learning for sustainability¹⁶⁵. Action Research for Change at Griffith University is designed to Internationally, some progressive Towards Sustainability give educators the opportunity to Universities are making the connection learn skills in reorienting education between campus greening, curriculum ‘Lecturers are beginning to sow the seeds of change within the curriculum and are towards learning for sustainability. development and the broader process challenging some of the management and It addresses conceptual models and of institutional change, and are administration structures of the institutions.’ highlights the transformative nature attempting to share their experiences of this approach. The Masters of (see Box 5.31). Tilbury (2004, p.108) Sustainable Development at Macquarie Action Research for Change Towards University has engaged with the However, most education institutions Sustainability (ACTS) is a Macquarie principles of learning for sustainability are failing to embrace the challenge of University and DEH project that explores in the approach taken to teaching its curriculum change and engagement ways of changing curriculum and developing ¹⁶⁰ graduate sustainability skills. It is a two-year core units . Students develop the with the principles of learning for project focusing on¹⁵⁶: skills to build their own framework sustainability is rare. Without a broader for Environmental Education for and deeper process of learning for ● exploring research based activities Sustainability programs and evaluate change, sustainability in the further to innovate for sustainability through ¹⁶¹ curriculum, professional and/or international programs . These units and higher education sector will organisational development; are also available to students through continue its current trend towards the Master of Environmental a piecemeal approach that addresses ● professional development of teachers of postgraduate units; and Education, Wildlife Management components of practice without and Environmental Management¹⁶². engaging the whole of the institution. ● cross-faculty involvement. There is a need for further programs of The project is ongoing and positive study to develop professionals capable Professional development in learning outcomes have already been achieved beyond of educating all sectors of society for for sustainability approaches would Macquarie University. UNSW‘s Faculty of sustainability. support that process of reform¹⁶⁶. the Built Environment have engaged with the principles of learning for sustainability Learning for sustainability would and changed the approach adopted in Making Systemic Links engage and equip academic staff in undergraduate teaching and there are also Learning for sustainability in the a broader process of cultural and plans to innovate teaching practice in further and higher education sector organisational change in higher Business Accounting at Griffith University¹⁵⁷. has been treated as a component to education institutions¹⁶⁷. Educating be added onto existing curriculum academic staff for sustainability also has subjects and course modules¹⁶⁴. implications for both the content and ■ Box 5.31 These approaches often neglect the pedagogy of teaching that is required to Curriculum in need for innovation and broader prepare graduates for sustainability¹⁶⁸. Institutional Change

Harvard University has developed an Extension School Course which reaches out to students as far away as Australia and Iraq. The objective of ‘Sustainability: The Challenge of our Institutions’ is to share the lessons learned from the Harvard campus greening experience and it includes exercises designed to relate sustainability issues to individual students’ experiences¹⁶³. A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 19 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education iii) Declarations of Commitment to Sustainability

A number of higher education Understanding the evolution and organisations and professional substance of these declarations ■ Box 5.32 associations have responded to helps build a picture of the Sustainability Declarations documents such as ‘Agenda 21’ and status of sustainability in higher ‘If we are to fully understand the state of other international calls to address education. These declarations have sustainability in higher education and how sustainability in higher education (see become influential frameworks for we might proceed in the future, we must first Box 5.32 and Box 5.33). They advocate incorporating sustainability principles understand the evolution of sustainability declarations and how such declarations for sustainability, mostly within higher and practices mostly within higher have helped frame their commitment to education, and provide encouragement education institutions¹⁶⁹. sustainability in the past.’ and support to institutions in this Wright (2004, p.7) sector by facilitating cross-institutional International Declarations for collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Sustainability in Higher Education These organisations and professional The UN International Environmental associations have also been responsible Education Program (1975 – 1995) ■ Box 5.33 for the development of sustainability was the first to introduce the notion of International Organisations declarations committing those sustainability in higher education¹⁷⁰. Pursuing Sustainability in universities to specific actions to The 1990s subsequently witnessed Higher Education address sustainability through campus the development of a number ● ULSF - University Leaders for a operations, research and teaching of international declarations by Sustainable Future activities. organisations advocating for the ● COPERNICUS - Cooperation Programme adoption of sustainability in in Europe for Research on Nature and Industry through Coordinated University universities (see Table 5.2). Studies ● GHESP - Global Higher Education for ■ Sustainability Partnership Table 5.2 ● IAU - International Association of Outline of the Most Significant Declarations Universities ● AEU - Association of European Universities Year Declarations & Charters Organisation Signatories ● AAGU - Association of Australian Government Universities 1990 Talloires Declaration¹⁷¹ ULSF 310 Agenda 21 ‘Countries could support university and 1991 Halifax Declaration¹⁷² Consortium of Canadian institutions, the IAU 20 other tertiary activities and networks for and the United Nations University environmental and development education. Cross-disciplinary courses could be made 1993 The Kyoto Declaration¹⁷³ IAU N/A available to all students. Existing regional networks and activities and national 1993 Swansea Declaration¹⁷⁴ Association of Australian Government N/A university actions which promote research Universities and common teaching approaches on sustainable development should be built 1994 COPERNICUS Association of European Universities 291 upon, and new partnerships and bridges University Charter created with the business and other for Sustainable independent sectors, as well as with all Development¹⁷⁵ countries for technology, know-how, and knowledge exchange.’ 2001 Luneburg Declaration¹⁷⁶ GHESP N/A United Nations (1992, p.1) 2002 Ubuntu Declaration¹⁷⁷ 11 international higher education organisations N/A 20 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

Talloires Declaration also recognises the problems with ■ Box 5.34 The ‘Talloires Declaration’¹⁷⁸ was the implementing previous declarations The Talloires Declaration: Ten first statement of support made by and calls for the development of Point Action Plan: universities to sustainability in higher a toolkit to enable universities to education. It is a ten-point action plan translate their written commitments 1. Increase awareness of environmentally for addressing sustainability through into practice¹⁸⁸. sustainable development; teaching and research activities, campus 2. Create an institutional culture of operations and cross-sectoral outreach In the lead up to the World Summit on sustainability; activities at colleges and universities Sustainable Development, UNESCO, (see Box 5.34). IAU, COPERNICUS, GHESP, 3. Educate for environmentally responsible citizenship; ULSF and a number of other groups This Declaration is the most widely developed and endorsed the ‘Ubuntu 4. Foster environmental literacy for all; prescribed international declaration Declaration’¹⁸⁹ (see abbreviations with 310 signatories from over 40 and refer to Box 5.35). It reinforces 5. Practice institutional ecology; countries worldwide¹⁷⁹. In Australia, previous recommendations made by 6. Involve all stakeholders 8 universities are signatories to this other declarations and is noteworthy declaration and have committed their as the first to bring together 7. Collaborate for interdisciplinary institutions to address sustainability science, technology and learning approaches; under its auspices (see Box 5.34). for sustainability with a view to 8. Enhance capacity of primary and encouraging integrated and holistic secondary schools; Other Significant Declarations approaches to sustainability issues¹⁹⁰. While the ‘Halifax Declaration’¹⁸⁰ is 9. Broaden service and outreach nationally and internationally; well known, it is specific to Canadian National Sustainability universities, whereas the ‘Kyoto Charters and Agreements 10. Maintain the movement. Declaration’¹⁸¹ is more international As well as becoming signatories to ULSF (1990, p.1) in nature. Common to both is the international declarations, a number of recommendation for universities to Australian universities have endorsed Australian Signatories to Talloires develop frameworks and concrete national charters and declarations. action plans to implement Talloires. There are two national charters ● University of New South Wales commonly signed by universities ● Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology The ‘Kyoto Declaration’ arose from the – the ‘Greenhouse Challenge’¹⁹¹ and ● Australian National University Ninth International Association of the ‘Universities of Australia Ecological Universities Round Table discussion¹⁸³ Development (UAED) Charter’¹⁹². ● Melbourne University in 1993 and was closely tied to ‘Agenda ● University of Technology Sydney 21’¹⁸⁴. It challenged all universities to Launched in 1999 by the National ● University of Canberra promote environmental sustainability Union of Students, the ‘UAED through both education efforts and Charter’ is the more significant of ● University of Sunshine Coast physical operations¹⁸⁵. There are no these for higher education (see Box ● University of Western Sydney formal signatories to this declaration, 5.36). This charter is similar in although it was formally adopted by content to the ‘Talloires Declaration’ the 90 international university leaders and provides a strong framework to assembled at the Kyoto gathering¹⁸⁶. guide sustainability within Australian Universities. However, progress The ‘Lüneburg Declaration’¹⁸⁷ was towards implementation of the drafted by members of GHESP prior initiatives outlined in the Charter has to the Rio +10 Higher Education not been assessed or documented. for Sustainability Conference held Since the ‘UAED Charter’ is a specific in Lüneburg, Germany in 2001. Australian initiative it does not carry This declaration synthesises the as much weight as other international recommendations of preceding agreements such as Talloires, which sustainability declarations, but have the support of key international A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 21 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

organisations, such as ULSF, IAU and UNESCO (see abbreviations). ■ Box 5.35 ■ Box 5.36 University Leaders for a The Universities of Australia Trends in Declarations Sustainable Future¹⁸². Ecological Development Charter There are some commonalities University Leaders for a Sustainable 1. ‘Formulate and implement university amongst all of these declarations Future (ULSF) is one of the pre-eminent wide environment policies including from Talloires to Ubuntu as later international organisations addressing detailed strategic plans regarding energy, declarations have tended to reinforce sustainability in higher education. The ULSF waste, water, purchasing, natural and built the intentions and contributions mission is to make sustainability a major environment, transport and curriculum. focus of curriculum, research, operations and of those preceding them. Each outreach at higher education institutions 2. Adequately resource the implementation refers to the ‘moral obligation’ of worldwide. It has developed a list of the of these policies, including the universities to become sustainable common themes a sustainable university employment of specific personnel to assist institutions and they all point to the should address: with the establishment, monitoring and evaluation of environmental programs need for outreach activities to engage ● Integration of sustainability across the within the university. stakeholders from the broader society curriculum; in the activities of universities. The 3. Actively promote the urgent need to ● Focus on sustainability issues in research development of ‘environmentally address environmental issues, including activities; university participation in co-operative literate’ staff, faculty and students ● Outreach to other sectors of society projects with non-government and student is also a recurring theme, along including schools, industry, government organisations. with partnership-building across all and NGOs; sectors. 4. Develop, maintain and encourage ● Sustainable campus management and information sharing between all Australian institutional operations; universities in relation to issues of Although some of these declarations ecologically sustainable development. ● Professional development for sustainability; refer to the need to establish and an institutional culture of 5. Develop, maintain and encourage links ● Opportunities for students to become with primary and secondary schools sustainability¹⁹³, few universities involved with sustainability initiatives. around issues of environmental have addressed the process of sustainability. organisational change that would establish such a culture. Leading 6. Seek to ensure that principles of ecologically sustainable development thinkers have emphasised the are incorporated into all areas of need to engage the whole of the education, training and research within institution in a learning process the university with a view to improving for systemic, institutional change the environmental literacy of all students and staff. if sustainability is to be properly addressed in higher education¹⁹⁴ 7. Sponsor ongoing discussions with (refer to Table 5.3) appropriate representatives of local indigenous groups with a view to reaching consensual agreement on land Putting Principles into Practice use issues. Much of the value of these declarations is in providing a vision 8. Establish an independent body, which for sustainability, bringing the monitors and evaluates the implementation of the principles and sustainability agenda to the attention under-takings in this charter and facilitates of further and higher education communication and co-operation between leaders and in the role of supporting universities on sustainability issues.’ associations as knowledge-sharing ACTS (2004, p.1) networks encouraging inter-university and cross-sectoral collaboration. In a few instances they have catalysed the development of sustainability policies, strategies and action plans¹⁹⁵. 22 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

■ Table 5.3 ■ Box 5.37 Alignment of Declarations with an Institutional Culture of Sustainability Beyond Endorsement Adapted from Wright (2004, p. 13) ‘Endorsing a declaration is no longer adequate proof of a commitment towards becoming more sustainable’.

Wright (2002, p.210) Declaration Moral obligation Moral outreach Public greening Campus Environmental literacy Interdisciplinary curriculum Research activities Cross-sectoral partnerships Inter-university cooperation ■ Box 5.38 Talloires X X X X X X X X Feasibility of Sustainability Halifax X X X X X Kyoto X X X X X X X Programs to encourage engagement in sustainability both through curriculum and Swansea X X X X X X operations need to take into account the COPERNICUS X X X X X economic nature of institutions and the programs must be realistic in their objectives. Luneburg X X X X X X For example: Ubuntu X X X X X X

● Many eco-buy options are still prohibitively more costly than products made from To date, there has been no formal The feasibility of putting policy into virgin products. evaluation of the extent to which the practice can come against many barriers, ● Sustainability is not viewed as the core recommendations of these declarations not the least of which are the economic business of universities by the majority of have been implemented by their factors (see box 5.38). Calls have been users of these facilities. In this way, they signatories¹⁹⁶. Some have argued that made for the development of resources reflect the wider society, especially the these statements of support constitute such that the sector can translate its commercial and business sector. ‘greenwashing’ on the part of higher adoption of these declarations into education, resulting in few meaningful action²⁰¹. In a bid to address this need the steps towards institutional change for GHESP is in the process of developing ■ Box 5.39 sustainability¹⁹⁷ (see Box 5.37). both online and print resources to GHESP Resource Project assist universities in reorienting towards In Australia, the ANU, a recent sustainability (see Box 5.39). ‘The purpose of the online Global Higher Education for Sustainability Partnership signatory, has established a detailed Project is to provide regionally relevant point-by-point implementation plan to In practice many universities struggle resources, tools, and change strategies to address its commitment to Talloires¹⁹⁸. to fulfil their commitment through individuals and institutions around the UTS has established a sustainability institutional policies and implementation world who are striving to make education for sustainability a major focus of teaching, policy and is committed to a broad plans²⁰². This would suggest that research, service, and physical operations… range of sustainability initiatives in its declarations are at least of some value The project is developing through an ongoing campus operations, research activities in providing direction and instigating global dialogue and consultation process that and through the curriculum¹⁹⁹. However, a process of change. However, they engages diverse cultures and individuals in identifying resource needs and contributes to one review has found that just over half need to be accompanied by a process a dynamic and ever evolving online resource of Australian universities endorsing of institutional strengthening and center.’ these declarations have made at least professional capacity building in order some attempt to implement their key for their principles to be properly put ULSF (2004, p.1) recommendations²⁰⁰. into practice. A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 23 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education iv) Institutional Learning for Change

Institutional²⁰³ learning and change learn how to think about, and respond across all sectors is critical for the to, sustainability issues as their current ■ Box 5.40 achievement of sustainability, but campus greening and curriculum change Role of the Universities especially in the further and higher approaches are proving inadequate to ‘No institutions in modern society are better education sector. This is because properly address them²⁰⁸. situated and more obliged to facilitate the organisations operating in an transition to a sustainable future than colleges educational capacity have a formative Stephen Sterling promotes a strategic and universities’. influence on their students and on approach to institutional change, their students’ potential to inform based upon identifying and addressing Orr (2002, p.96) change for sustainability in the sectors the root causes of sustainability in which they become employed²⁰⁴ (see issues²⁰⁹. Instead of just focusing Box 5.40). on resource efficiency, universities ■ Box 5.41 should also address the underlying Need for Institutional Change Most universities equate change for and interconnected reasons for sustainability with adding sustainability unsustainable consumption amongst ‘Without institutional change we will not content to the curriculum, or campus its staff and students (see Box move purposefully towards sustainability.’ greening initiatives designed to 5.42). Stephen Dovers maintains Dovers (2001, p.1) minimize the environmental impact that systemic change, including of their operations²⁰⁵. These programs significant reform of our institutional take a piecemeal approach to tackling arrangements, is required for ■ Box 5.42 sustainability issues resulting in any meaningful progress towards A Deeper Change incremental improvements in staff sustainability to be made²¹⁰. and student practice²⁰⁶. They build ‘Sustainability does not simply require an awareness and can achieve greater This is supported by the work of ‘add-on’ to existing structures and curricula, resource efficiency, however, they other leading thinkers in this field but implies a change of fundamental fail to address the underlying causes who concur that if ‘education epistemology in our culture and hence also of unsustainable practice in further for change’ is to occur in higher in our educational thinking and practice. Seen in this light, sustainability is not just and higher education institutions education then ‘change in education’ another issue to be added to an overcrowded or prepare students to contribute will be required²¹¹. This is not curriculum, but a gateway to a different view to a more sustainable society. Some a new development in learning of curriculum, of pedagogy, of organisational have argued that in order for deep for sustainability approaches to change, of policy and particularly of ethos.’ and lasting change to be achieved, Environmental Education, as chapter Sterling (2004, p.50) sustainability issues need to be 36 of ‘Agenda 21’²¹² called for the addressed in a more systemic way that reorientation of education systems for involves the whole of the institution in sustainability in 1992. While efforts learning based strategies for change²⁰⁷. have been made to reorient curriculum and campus practice, little in the The Need for Institutional Change way of systemic change that engages Sustainability presents a significant the whole of the institution has been challenge and opportunity to review attempted²¹³. existing structures and organisations across society (see Box 5.41). Our further Whole-of-institution change for and higher education institutions need to sustainability in higher education 24 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

has been described as a process that in collaborative learning²²¹. This is ■ Box 5.43 encompasses professional, curriculum because sustainability is not a defined Principles for Institutional and organisational development²¹⁴. It concept that can be imposed²²². Its Change²¹⁵ involves multi-modal change engaging meaning is constructed through every dimension of the university. The stakeholder dialogue, and it is achieved Participation: The full range of stakeholders benefit of this approach is that it links by building capacity for change²²³. are actively involved in all aspects of change. together change programs in such For organisations this involves the Purposefulness: Change initiatives are a way that the achievement of each active participation of multiple informed by collaboratively constructed program’s objectives is supported and stakeholder groups in the development principles, visions and goals. complemented by the work of other of a shared vision for sustainability. Persistence: There is a shift from ad hoc programs. It will also involve a collaborative change programs to long-term strategic process of ‘critical reflection’ on initiatives reflecting an agreed direction. Principles for Institutional Change current unsustainable practice and Principles for effective institutional the underlying reasons for it. In fact, Flexibility: There is a move from rigidity to responsiveness in organisational approaches change for sustainability have been stakeholder engagement is required - plans for change are adaptive. identified (see Box 5.43). These do not at every stage of the ongoing change represent a comprehensive check list process that advances institutions Contextual: Initiatives are well informed for how change should be managed, towards sustainability from planning, and contextually relevant to the particular situation of the organisation and its culture. but rather a set of over-arching tenets to implementation and evaluation²²⁴. that should guide change initiatives. Organisational Learning: Shift from Addressing Participation in responding to problems to learning to address These principles are closely aligned Sustainability Programs their root causes. with those of learning for sustainability. A common approach to stakeholder The works of Sterling²¹⁶, Corcoran engagement is to actively involve and Wals²¹⁷, Fien²¹⁸ and Tilbury²¹⁹ them in the operation of sustainability ■ Box 5.44 have all emphasized the importance programs. The engagement and Higher Education Engaging with of engaging multiple stakeholder participation of stakeholder groups the Community groups in participatory planning and is good practice in change towards collaborative learning for ongoing sustainability²²⁵. Many university Sheffield Hallam University in the UK is beginning to engage with its stakeholders change towards sustainability. This and college environmental programs in broader society. Its policies advocate the is supported by the literature in address this by encouraging the development of community partnerships, organisational theory, which has also involvement of students and staff joint ventures and networking initiatives. For identified the need for a learning in ecological foot-printing and the University the significance of this is in the process of dialogue and relationship building process to institutionalise change²²⁰. other campus greening initiatives²²⁶. with stakeholders external to the institution, However, stakeholder participation is and less so the actual content of the The next critical challenge for more than active involvement in the engagement²²⁸. Advocating multistakeholder sustainability in higher education operation of programs. It embraces partnerships is closely aligned with the principles of learning for sustainability²²⁹. institutions is the adoption of the the concept of collaborative learning principles of participation and of for informed, shared decision-making organisational learning in change at every stage, especially when initiatives (see Box 5.45). There is a institutional change is a goal²²⁷. ■ Box 5.45 significant body of literature exploring Knowledge Producers these two tenets of sustainability, which Engagement with external, as well as ‘The institutions that claim the position of can guide sustainability policy and internal, stakeholders is required for the premier and most advanced knowledge programs in higher education. universities and colleges to properly producers in society frustrate learning and address society’s needs in the transition social change in most of their internal Participation in Institutional Change to sustainability. However active processes and their articulation with the surrounding society.’ towards Sustainability collaboration between universities, The transition to sustainability is best Registered Training Organisations and Levin & Greenwood (2001, p.103) described as an ongoing process of colleges with their external stakeholders change that engages all stakeholders is not common²³⁰. Some of the more A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 25 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

progressive education institutions interest and support for sustainability are promoting dialogue and building issues is high across education ■ Box 5.46 partnerships with their community institutions²³⁶. However, the ad hoc Organisational Learning stakeholders (see Box 5.44). In VET, nature of the measures taken to TAFE institutes have established a broad achieve sustainability lacks a strategic Different approaches to achieving institutional change have been suggested range of training partnerships with approach that would embed change from top-down strategic planning, to the industry and community organisations. more deeply in institutional practice²³⁷. establishment of change management units However, few of these focus explicitly It has been argued that further and responsible for process reengineering, to on sustainability and those that do tend higher education needs to adopt a whole systems design²⁵⁴. Organisation development theory has been greatly to be localised in scope. more integrated and long-term view on influenced by the work of Peter Senge²⁵⁵, organisational change in order to move Arie de Geus²⁵⁶, Chris Argyris and Donald There is some evidence to indicate beyond its rhetorical adoption of the Schon²⁵⁷, all of whom have emphasized the importance of organisational learning that further and higher education principles of sustainable practice²³⁸. for change to be effective. This has been institutions in Australia are beginning embraced by progressive corporations with to reach out to a broader range of The collaborative development of respected visionaries such as General Motors stakeholders in a more meaningful a shared vision for sustainability CEO Jack Welch equating competitive way. The National Environmental is a critical element of achieving advantage with a company’s ability to learn²⁵⁸. Education Council (NEEC) has been institutional change²³⁹. It establishes involved in a series of University the purpose of change programs, Organisational learning is more than the sum Summits designed to encourage informs their direction and motivates of the parts of individual learning. Learning organisations embed learning into the fabric cross-sectoral collaboration for action²⁴⁰. Meaningful change in the of their operations. They have developed the change towards sustainability²³¹. The higher education sector has been ability to gain insight and understanding EE Summits held in 2001 provided described by Ali Khan as a process that from both positive and negative experience an opportunity to exchange views involves multiple stakeholder groups through experimentation, observation and on how tertiary institutions can in collaboratively developing visions analysis. These cycles of experiential learning are closely related to the methodology of contribute to industry, and assist in for change towards sustainability in a action learning. the achievement of sustainability way that repositions Universities within objectives²³². Summits were convened their community of stakeholders, both at the ANU in Canberra, Macquarie internal and external²⁴¹. This has the ■ Box 5.47 University in Sydney and Murdoch benefit of building a broad base of Transformative Learning University in Perth, bringing together ownership and support for the change stakeholders from business, industry, plans. However, most education ‘The learning required in becoming a learning government organisations and tertiary institution planning processes are still organisation is transformational learning’. institutions²³³. Dialogue led to concrete based on a traditional hierarchical recommendations for campus and management technique where change Kofman & Senge (1995, p.37) curriculum change to better address is driven from the top down²⁴². This A learning organisation is supported the need to educate graduates for type of management makes building by a learning culture that encourages sustainability, such that their skills for a broad base of commitment to the critical examination of values, the co-creation of visions and systemic and achieving change were developed²³⁴. sustainability difficult as responsibility participatory approaches to problem-solving. The Macquarie Summit in 2001 for decision-making regarding change It embraces collaboration, team learning catalysed an action research initiative is not shared²⁴³. and open dialogue, all critical components designed to achieve curriculum of transformative learning and highly change in such a way that would also Organisational Learning for congruent with the principles of learning for sustainability. lead to a more profound process of Change towards Sustainability organisational change²³⁵. Internationally recognised literature on organisational theory clearly points to Addressing Participatory the need for organisational learning in Planning for Change order for change to be effective²⁴⁴. With The level of sustainability-related globalisation and the rising importance activity in the further and higher of the knowledge economy, there is education sector is evidence that growing acceptance that the value of 26 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

organisations is based in the capacity of produces change²⁶⁰. It encompasses the ■ Box 5.48 its human capital to respond to change notions of experiential learning, action Universities Establishing (see Box 5.46)²⁴⁵. The business and learning as well as ‘critical reflection’ ‘Centres of Change’ industry sector is making the shift from on action²⁶¹ and is closely aligned to top-down planning and management a learning for sustainability approach The University of British Columbia in approaches that perpetuate rigid (see Box 5.47). Canada was one of the first to establish and implement a sustainable development hierarchical organisations to a more policy²⁷⁸. This led to the formation of flexible mode of operation²⁴⁶. Further Approaching Organisational Change Sustainable Development Research Institute and higher education has been slow Leith Sharp is a leading advocate of and a Campus Sustainability Office, which to catch up with this evolution of learning for organisational change instigated a number of campus greening and curriculum change initiatives. They organisational thinking²⁴⁷. While towards sustainability in higher attempted to encourage participation by progressive corporations have engaged education and runs a successful establishing ‘sustainability circles’ for dialogue with the concept of organisational campus greening program at on sustainability issues and encouraged staff learning for change in order to Harvard University²⁶². She points to become ‘sustainability co-ordinators’²⁷⁹. remain competitive, education to the importance of crossing However there has been resistance to institutions have been described as divisional boundaries and engaging their attempts to instigate change, in the ‘ivory towers’ resistant to change for multiple stakeholders in learning for curriculum especially. It is unclear why this reasons relating to their hierarchical organisational change²⁶³. In practice, is the case. However, the initiative could do more to share decision-making across structure, traditional management and internationally, the ideal of whole-of- stakeholder groups. bureaucratic procedures²⁴⁸. Few further institution learning for change is rare. and higher education institutions The establishment of specialist units are engaging with the concepts in sustainability is a more common ■ Box 5.49 of organisational change in their approach. Action Research and sustainability initiatives²⁴⁹. Fewer still Organisational Change are making the connection between The University of British Columbia in for Sustainability effective organisational change and Canada attempted to institutionalize learning based change²⁵⁰. a commitment to sustainability Action Research promotes stakeholder through the activities of an office empowerment and engagement in Peter Senge has called for specialising in change for sustainability collaborative cycles of planning, the development of ‘learning (see Box 5.48). The University of implementation and evaluation²⁶⁶. Its fundamental premise is that participation organisations’²⁵¹, however universities Amsterdam is also one of many others in problem assessment, design and change have largely remained ‘knowing attempting to integrate sustainability greatly increases the chances of embedding organisations’ where teaching, research, into education and research activities change within the institution²⁶⁷. operations and relations with local through the establishment of a similar This is especially significant in higher communities are treated as distinct centre²⁶⁴. However, organisational education. The ‘latent curriculum’ of activities conducted in isolation from change initiatives for sustainability lessons taught through institutional each other²⁵². Change for sustainability are usually more effective when they practices and operations is as important requires the integration of these engage all stakeholders in planning, as the actual curriculum, especially when the two reinforce each other²⁶⁸. It is not activities such that the context, content implementing and evaluating the adequate to merely foster environmental and process of learning reflect the change process²⁶⁵. literacy, stakeholders must also be engaged principles of sustainability²⁵³. in the change process such that their sense This was demonstrated by the of ownership, responsibility and capacity is developed for addressing sustainability This involves a process of organisational experience of another faculty within issues. Action research has been advocated learning for change whereby the University of British Columbia²⁷¹. for all stakeholders to become active change universities and colleges assess every The Faculty of Agricultural Sciences agents and champions of sustainability²⁶⁹. By aspect of their role and adopt a whole- has been successful in transforming adopting this methodology, change projects can engage and educate a broad diversity of of-institution approach to achieving their own teaching practices by stakeholders²⁷⁰. sustainability²⁵⁹. It has been suggested adopting a learning in action that this type of learning organisation approach that is closely aligned with has embraced transformative learning. learning for sustainability²⁷². It used a Transformative learning is learning that ‘scenario workbook’ and established A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 27 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

‘learning-thinking-working’ circles change and campus greening are the to foster dialogue on the direction prevalent response to pressure for ■ Box 5.50 of the faculty and it how it might change²⁸¹. While these incremental Organisational Change and achieve change for sustainability²⁷³. change programs indicate a Learning Institutions An action plan emerged that sought to commitment to sustainability, which develop ‘a community of learners’ and should be applauded, they do not ‘The challenge for the University sector is to become skilful at the process of change itself. led to a more flexible and responsive contribute to the achievement of This requires the University sector to expand administrative structure²⁷⁴. It adopted transformative change that would its core mission of teaching and research to an approach to teaching that developed embed sustainable practice much more include learning. Universities must become problem-solving and ‘critical’ thinking deeply across every dimension of these learning organisations, as well as teaching and research institutions.’ skills for informed decision-making institutions²⁸². relating to sustainability issues²⁷⁵. Sharp (2002, p.129) It is achieving faculty change for The question remains open as to ‘The breadth and longevity of organisational sustainability²⁷⁶. Action research why further and higher education change that is needed for this to occur provides a methodology for institutions have not engaged with can only be achieved if the true nature of organisational change that is highly learning for institutional change for the university organisation is revealed and congruent with the principles of sustainability. Bureaucratic barriers transformed. Mental models must be revealed questioned and expanded… The fundamental learning for sustainability²⁷⁷ (see Boxes to change have often been identified cultures of separation that exist between 5.49 and 5.50). such as inadequate resources, limited faculty, administration staff and students time and a rigid departmentalised must be transcended and perceived mission In Australia, there has been a failure organisational structure with conflicts between teaching, research and campus operations must be overcome’. to embrace a whole-of-institution hierarchical management²⁸³. It has also approach to institutional change for been argued that these institutions do Sharp (2002, p.143) sustainability in higher education²⁸⁰. not understand the depth of change Fragmented approaches to curriculum required to address sustainability and that their capacity must be built in order to do so²⁸⁴. 28 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education v) The Changing Nature of Work

The Australian further and higher Training (VET) is essentially education ■ Box 5.51 education literature has noted the and training for work. TheImpacts of Technological rapidly changing nature of work due Change and Globalisation on Work to the forces of globalisation²⁸⁵ and the The world of work has also been rise of Information Communication affected by increasing casualisation, The globalised economy pressures industry Technology (ICT)²⁸⁶. These dynamics stressful conditions and reduced and business to become more economically competitive and drives the increased adoption have implications for the needs of job security (see Box 5.51). These of technology and business innovation. These business and industry and the skills changing working conditions have led changes are reflected in the range of goods required by its workers. Current to the broad acknowledgement that and services produced within the Australian further and higher education practice workplace issues greatly affect quality economy and have resulted in significant changes in Australian employment. and future developments cannot be of life³⁰³. Despite this, there are no understood in isolation from these explicit references to the relationship The changing composition of employment in changes²⁸⁷. between sustainable futures, work Australia is characterised by: and further education in Australian The Business Council of Australia policy. This is in marked contrast with ● The rise of the knowledge economy²⁹²; (BCA)²⁸⁸, Australian Chamber of developments on the international ● Goods producing industries declining from Commerce and Industry (ACCI)²⁸⁹ stage where Technical and Vocational 44% of total employment in 1970 to 27% and Australian Council of Trade Education and Training (TVET) in 2000²⁹³; and Unions (ACTU)²⁹⁰ are peak industry is considered to be an integral ● Service based industries rising sharply from bodies leading much of the debate component of lifelong learning and 26% in 1970 to 45% by 2000²⁹⁴. surrounding the changing nature of change for sustainability³⁰⁴. Accompanying these changes there has been work. The debate also engages the growth in non-standard employment: Australian National Training Authority Internationally, it has been recognised ● New jobs are increasingly part-time and (ANTA)²⁹¹, in association with that further education has a crucial casualised²⁹⁵; government, business and industry role to play in realising the objectives ● Just over one in four Australian workers and training providers. In order for of a culture of peace, environmental were classified by the ABS as part-time learning for sustainability to be relevant improvement, social cohesion and workers in 2000²⁹⁶; and and integrated throughout further and international citizenship³⁰⁵. This ● Increased worker mobility with the youth higher education, it is important to suggests that Australian VET policy of developed nations today predicted to understand and engage in the issues needs to extend its focus from the change careers up to five times and work facing the sector from technological provision of training for industry, to for 12 to 15 different organisations in their lifetimes²⁹⁷. change and globalisation. address professional development as an ongoing process of lifelong learning The results of these changes can be seen in The Future of Work that builds capacity for change towards heightened job insecurity²⁹⁸; limited control Globalisation and technological sustainability³⁰⁶. of part-time and casual workers over their work situation and their relative exclusion change influence the skills required from workplace decision-making processes²⁹⁹; by workers to secure and maintain In Australia, the debate surrounding rise in underemployment³⁰⁰; and increase in employment (see Box 5.51). Further the future role of VET has often been workplace stress³⁰¹. education, in particular, devotes much restricted to the current skills dominated effort to predicting and providing framework (see Boxes 5.52 and 5.53). for such changes in industry skill This is a positive indication that industry requirements³⁰². This is not surprising and government recognise the need given that Vocational Education and for developing new knowledge and A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 29 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

skills in the workforce if the changing The Role of Workers and Learners dynamics of business and industry are The dominant VET discourse on the ■ Box 5.52 to be addressed. However, it has been future and nature of work has tended Australian Qualifications recognised that this framework does not to exclude a critical stakeholder group, Framework go far enough in specifically highlighting the workers themselves. ANTA’s ‘There are unanswered questions about those skills required to develop capacity national strategy ‘Shaping our Future’³¹⁶ the future role of the AQF (Australian for change towards sustainability in identifies a broad range of stakeholder Qualifications Framework), competency based the workplace and across business and groups including government agencies, training and training packages as currently industry as a whole³⁰⁷. peak industry bodies, Industry Skills applied. Consideration needs to be given as Councils, and training providers, to whether these are still the tools to support effective skill formation in the next decade.’ Recent research and policy but lacks any reference to student developments within industry and organisations and worker representative Business Council of Australia (undated,p.10) government look to the future and bodies such as trade unions or call for a new direction in further professional associations³¹⁷. Indeed, education³⁰⁸. For example, the recent a number of critical questions have ■ Box 5.53 findings of a High Level Review of recently been posed in this regard³¹⁸ Skills Development Training Packages strongly support (see Box 5.55). the Training Package model as a ‘The Phase 1 research paints a picture of VET tool to broaden the sustainability The impact of the ‘new world order’ in the future serving a world very different outcomes, albeit with some notable on work, workplaces and workers calls from the one which initially produced Training Packages. It suggests that the improvements. Some have argued for a society-wide dialogue. Change for challenge of aligning skill outcomes to the that a common exploration of sustainability requires all stakeholders, changing world of work, new industry and the future of work, industry skills including workers and learners, to be labour market dynamics, and different social requirements, and the role of VET in involved in the debate surrounding the circumstances is now even greater than when Australia first embarked on the path of the the context of change for sustainability changing nature of work. Issues such national training reform. is urgently required³⁰⁹. In line with as work-family balance, job insecurity, the principles of sustainability, this unemployment and underemployment New skills will be needed, underpinned by dialogue should involve stakeholder are important policy considerations, new knowledge and learning, and promoted by new pedagogies. Employees will be subject groups at all levels in order to build a as well as important quality of to changing employment patterns and shared understanding of needs and to life considerations. Participatory organisational changes. And this will need to collaboratively establish a vision for envisioning processes and collaborative be supported by new ways in which training the future of VET that would address dialogue provide the means to providers engage with their clients. those needs. address these issues in a way that is Any model for skills development needs to closely aligned with the principles of sit comfortably in such a future, and make an A noteworthy example of this type learning for sustainability. Workers effective contribution to achieving it.’ of initiative is the Business Council and learners need to be provided with ANTA (2004d, p.3) of Australia’s (BCA) ‘Aspire Australia opportunities through pre-vocational 2025’ scenario project³¹³ (see Box training and retraining to critically 5.54). This initiative was developed question and reflect on these changes in response to the concern within and to contribute to the collaborative BCA that there are few forums for construction of a vision for the future longterm, holistic, strategic planning of work, including the development in Australia³¹⁴. The project drew on the of knowledge, skills and attitudes to expertise and ideas of a select group promote sustainable workplaces and from a diverse range of backgrounds communities. including government, business, welfare, environment and youth. It put forward three possible future scenarios to encourage debate about Australia’s long-term future³¹⁵. 30 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

■ Box 5.54 ■ Box 5.55 Aspire Australia 2025³¹⁰ Does VET Cater to all Stakeholders, or are Some The Business Council of Australia (BCA) Unfairly Privileged? embarked on a 12 month scenario planning project in 2003. The project aimed to ‘Should education for work prepare contribute to the public policy debate on what workers/learners to contribute to debates future Australian business and society may look about the directions that work should take in like in 2025. the future?...

Three scenarios were developed: Governments around the world have built ● Riding the wave their education systems on particular assumptions, such as the correctness of ● Stormy Seas free market economics. But is this the only way forward? Who speaks for the workers/ ● Changing the Crew learners? What education do workers/learners need in order to be part of these debates? Six key themes emerged to which the Is this within the domain of vocational scenarios were applied: education and training?’ ● Sustainable Development Anderson et al (2004, p.249) ● Governance (Political System) ● Global Competitiveness ● Growth and Social Change ● Australia’s Place in the Global and Regional Order ● Values and Norms

The BCA, as one of Australia’s leading industry associations, is an influential player in VET policy development and design. Both ANTA and the government draw on the findings of initiatives such as this to inform VET policy³¹¹. This scenario project could have been improved by addressing the role of education and training in creating a sustainable future³¹². Nonetheless, this initiative is an important example of an holistic futures-thinking approach to policy development. Projects such as these provide valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities of sustainability and offer an opportunity to engage business and industry in the dialogue relating to vocational learning for sustainability. A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 31 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education vi) Generic Skills

The development of generic or ANTA has been assessing the feasibility ‘employability’ skills in the workforce of implementing the ‘Employability ■ Box 5.56 is relevant to all education sectors (see Skills Framework’³²⁵ through the ANTA Generic Skills Box 5.56). These skills are relevant Employability Skills Cross Sectoral ‘The issue of generic skills needs to be ‘front to the full range of occupations and Coordination Group³²⁶. This industry and centre’ in the redevelopment of Training encompass the broader notion of view is a response to the need for Packages.’ ‘essential life skills’³¹⁹. The National a flexible and adaptable workforce Centre for Vocational Education that can respond rapidly to change ANTA (2004d, p. 4) Research (NCVER) describes generic in the world of work. Increasing skills as those skills essential not only numbers of employers have realised for employment but also personal that technical or knowledge based ■ Box 5.57 development, fulfilment, community skills are less critical to the changing Common Elements of Generic life and responsible citizenship³²⁰. work environment than the ‘soft skills’ Skills Frameworks of their employees and their values, The notion of generic professional skills attitudes and motivations³²⁷. ● ‘Basic/fundamental skills: such as literacy, is a primary concern of VET policy using numbers, using technology and a wellresearched area within the Generic Skills and ● People-related skills: such as VET³²¹. Not surprisingly, the question Learning for Sustainability communication, interpersonal, team work, customer service skills of what generic skills are required in Despite the considerable focus on an ‘employable’ workforce is one of the skills and competencies for work ● Conceptual/thinking skills: such as most significant debates in VET reform within the educational debate, little collecting and organising information, problem-solving, planning and organising, and an important consideration in how emphasis has been placed on the learning-to-learn skills, thinking learning for sustainability approaches skills required for change towards innovatively and creatively, systems can be addressed³²². sustainability. The current interest in thinking generic employability skills provides ● Personal skills and attributes: such as Generic Skills and VET an opportunity for the recognition and being responsible, resourceful, flexible, Generic skills have been widely defined integration of sustainability skills across able to manage one’s own time, having selfesteem and debated internationally (see education sectors, especially VET (see Box 5.57 and 5.58). Underpinning Box 5.59). ● Business skills: such as innovation skills, the debate in Australia is the legacy enterprise skills of the key competency framework Stephen Sterling has noted that the ● Community skills: such as civic or established by the Mayer Committee generic skills debate is prompting citizenship knowledge and skills’ in 1992, also known as the Mayer Key reform in the education system³²⁸. Gibb and Curtin (2004, p.8) Competencies³²³. The importance of However, he challenges the value of generic skills development has been such reform. He argues that change widely accepted within the Australian towards sustainability requires a education sector. Australian industry process of innovation in the education and employers not only support their system such that learners are equipped inclusion but also are actively working with the skills to create change for to influence government policy to sustainability, and not just respond extend their range³²⁴. to the changing needs of the global economy (see Box 5.60). The risks involved in any one stakeholder group 32 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

dominating the education agenda has skills councils, professional bodies and ■ Box 5.58 also been noted (see Box 5.61). trade unions. Characteristics of Generic Skills Similar tensions are displayed in The SDEP recently joined with the ● Generic skills not only apply to work the generic skills debate within the UK Learning and Skills Development and workplaces but also to adult life more generally. Australian VET sector regarding Agency (LSDA) and the Forum for the which type of generic skills are to be Future in a series of forums - ‘Learning ● They can be assessed at different performance levels and can be applied emphasised. Crina Virgona and Peter to Last - Skills, Sustainability and across all levels of education and training. Waterhouse³²⁹ have described the Strategy’³³⁴. These forums encouraged ● Industry and education policy organisations dichotomous nature of the discourse dialogue across stakeholder groups have been principally engaged in the on generic skills. They point to a and identified potential strategies generic skills debate. growing divergence between the views and ways forward³³⁵. The LSDA is of VET policy makers who emphasise continuing to progress Learning to Last the skills needed for industry to projects in collaboration with other ■ Box 5.59 remain competitive; and those of VET stakeholders³³⁶. The UK SDEP has So What Does the Concept practitioners with a more holistic also supported the development of a of Sustainability Have to Offer perspective on generic skills. The latter foundation certificate in sustainability Vocational Education? group include broad-based attributes (see Box 5.63). Some have argued and knowledge for life, work and that there is potential to introduce a ‘For one thing it offers a broad vision of what vocational education might become that includes social and civic participation under similar qualification within VET in ethical as well as economic imperatives. It invites the umbrella of generic skills³³⁰. This Australia³³⁷. vocational educators to situate their work within unease between policy makers and a larger project of social, political, and economic change aimed at dealing with equity, social practitioners is even more pointed Recently, the National Centre for justice, and environmental issues. Its approach to considering that industry remains the Sustainability at Swinburne University curriculum and pedagogy directs us to recognize dominant force in VET policy³³¹. has taken this recommendation on the complexity of issues related to work; to explore the connections between individual board and is developing generic growth, social development, and global Generic Skills Projects guideline standards for all VET problems/issues; and to understand the scope and Addressing Sustainability Training Packages³³⁸. This project scale of concerns related to work, unemployment, education, and economic justice necessitate Some international bodies are leverages the synergies between generic action at local, national, and international levels addressing capacity-building for skills development and learning for of decision and policy making.’ sustainability through the development sustainability and is building cross- Dippo (1998, p. 329) of generic skills frameworks (see industry acceptance for the importance Box 5.62). These innovative projects of sustainability competencies (see Box provide valuable insight for similar 5.64). projects that could potentially be ■ Box 5.60 conducted in Australia. This project could demonstrate that Reforming the Education System there are significant synergies between The UK Sustainable Development generic skills agenda and learning ‘From a sustainability point of view, the Education Panel (SDEP) has identified for sustainability within further problem with the current change culture driven and higher education curriculum. by Western governments is that it is first order skills development in sustainability Generic skills frameworks offer great change, and for the wrong reasons. Their as a critical issue for the education approach to ‘education in change’ is to adapt potential for promoting sustainability educational policy to what they predict the system, which includes business and within education and training. This globalised information economy will require. industry vocational training. In 2000, is currently being explored through a Their approach to ‘educationfor change’ is to the SDEP published a consultation educate people to adapt to change (first order NCVER funded project - Finding the learning) rather than develop their capacity paper in conjunction with the UK Common Ground: Is there a place for to shape it. Critical debate that lies outside or Department for Education and Skills, Education for Sustainability in VET questions this approach is dismissed or ignored.’ which promoted the concept of life policy and practice?³⁴⁰ - and was a point of discussion at University Industry Sterling (2001, p. 43) skills for a sustainable future. The panel also commissioned learning guides Summits organised by the National on sustainability for a range of VET Environmental Education Council in stakeholders including sector-specific 2001 (see Box 5.26 on page 16). A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 33 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

Teaching Generic Skills The development of a new pedagogy ■ Box 5.61 ■ Box 5.63 for VET that addresses the changing Influencing the Education Agenda Foundation Certificate in skills requirements for sustainability Sustainable Development³³⁹ is an increasingly common topic in ‘The main thrust of reform is about skills and competencies - but informed by what values?’ VET literature. Some have claimed The Sustainable Development Education Panel supported the development of this entry level that this new pedagogy is the most Sterling (2001, p. 45) qualification in sustainable development by significant challenge in generic skills the UK vocational awarding body. The course ‘Often business people aim to influence the development³⁴⁴. Anderson, Brown is accredited through the Qualifications and structure and content of the formal education Curriculum Authority and sits within the and Rushbrook³⁴⁵ have noted that system as well. Employers regularly call for National Qualifications Framework. there are a wide range of teaching better connections to be made between the and learning strategies adopted in skills they seek in employees and the skills The 30 hour course consists of two units each VET which reflect the diversity of developed in people through their education. with two elements: This can be useful in ensuring that education contemporary adult teaching styles. and training programmes meet evolving Unit 01: Understand the role of the Don Dippo has argued that further business needs. However, it is also important individual in sustainable development innovation is required in current to ensure that business leaders’ views on approaches in order to embrace knowledge needs do not dominate education.’ Element 1.1 - Understand the impact of a person’s actions on sustainability learning for sustainability³⁴⁶. Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (2004, p. 85) Element 1.2 - Understand the social and New and innovative ways of economic implications of actions that affect teaching and learning are required, the environment which integrate the more traditional ■ Box 5.62 Unit 02: How to become an effective technical skills with the recently The Definition and participant in sustainable development favoured ‘soft skills’. Collaborative Selection of Competencies teaching and learning, work-based Element 2.1 - Understand how individual practices can contribute to sustainable projects and action learning are The Organisation for Economic Cooperation development some of the innovative strategies and Development (OECD) was responsible for an international Definition and Selection proposed³⁴⁷. These approaches are Element 2.2 - Understand how an of Competencies (DeSeCo) project³³². organisation can become more sustainable closely aligned with learning for This is a noteworthy example of a generic sustainability and provide significant employability skills project. It sought opportunity to accommodate to build a broad framework for generic industry generic skills requirements, skills development. This project aimed to develop competencies in learners that ■ Box 5.64 while building workforce capacity applied to school and work settings as well Developing Generic Guideline to address sustainability, as well as as life situations beyond those areas³³³. Its Standards in Sustainability institutional innovation across the innovative approach looked beyond the needs VET system. of the labour market and economic drivers The National Centre for Sustainability at to address the contribution generic skills Swinburne University of Technology has development can make to the following areas: recently commenced a project to develop In Australia there is growing generic guideline standards for sustainability interest in how such pedagogy ● ‘increasing individual understanding of for use in Training Package development and may be applied in practice to the public policy issues and participation in review³⁴¹. The project is being conducted on VET system. Challenger TAFE in democratic processes and institutions; behalf of ANTA under a Memorandum of Western Australia is also attempting ● social cohesion and justice; and Understanding with EcoRecycle Victoria and to extend knowledge and practice the NSW Department of Environment and Reframing the ● strengthening human rights and autonomy Conservation. in this area. Their ‘ as counterweights to increasing global Future’³⁴⁸ project aims to develop inequality of opportunities and individual tools to help integrate sustainability marginalization.’ principles within TAFE education. This highly innovative program Curtis and Mackenzie (2001, p.35) is adopting an action learning approach to improve teaching practice in line with learning for sustainability (see Box 5.66). 34 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

■ Box 5.65 Researching How Workers Learn

The research of Crina Virgona and Peter Waterhouse³⁴² is highly relevant to learning for sustainability particularly for VET as it explores how workers learn. They found that the primary context for the development of skills is work, and that the primary mode of acquisition is experiential learning. The world of work shapes professional identity and helps to define and refine values. Their research shows that workplace culture can be instrumental in generic skills development and that professionals should maximise opportunities for experiential learning³⁴³. There is a need to build and nurture workplaces as learning organisations. This thinking is closely aligned with learning for sustainability approaches.

■ Box 5.66 Reframing the Future Sustainability is agreed to be an important issue for Western Australia and for Challenger TAFE. This project adopts the notion of strategic management as a vehicle to embed sustainability principles into the Training Packages delivered at Challenger TAFE.

‘The anticipated outcome of the project is a step forward for the WA Horticulture & Environmental Science Skills Centre of Challenger TAFE, towards its Strategic Planning Framework for 2004-2009 goal of ‘supporting the implementation of the State Sustainability Strategy’. This Reframing the Future project provides us with the opportunity to work towards some practical solutions to a very complex issue that has been largely overlooked or minimized in VET training.’

Reframing the Future (2004) A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 35 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education vii) Competency Based Training

In Australia competency-based training education³⁵³ (see Box 5.68). In has been gaining ground in universities addition, a competency-based system ■ Box 5.67 and colleges over the past 10 years. In that is outcomes-driven rather than Training Packages in VET universities it has informed teacher content-focused allows greater ‘Training Packages reflect some of the most education programs (including EE)³⁴⁹. flexibility in curriculum and teaching fundamental principles and policies on which It has also been the most defining approaches. This creates opportunities the national VET system has been built.’ feature of VET reform in the 1990s. for innovation in the teaching and This reform has been characterised by learning of sustainability principles ANTA (2004d, p. 3) a move away from a content-focused within the vocational setting³⁵⁴ and Their role has been described as follows: VET curriculum with an emphasis underlines the need for professional on learning outcomes to competency- development that equips trainers with ● ‘To help the VET system achieve a better based training through national the skills to deliver innovative teaching. match between skills demand and supply; Training Packages. Training Packages It also allows the process of learning for ● To encourage flexible and relevant are developed under the National sustainability in VET to be contextual workforce development and learning; Training Framework and provide the and reflect the dynamics of different ● To provide for the national recognition of ‘architecture’ of the VET system. They audiences and issues. the vocational outcomes of learning; and specify the competencies that must be ● To guide and support individuals in their acquired or demonstrated, the industry The Training Package model choice of training and career.’ standards for assessment and the encourages learners to draw on their resultant qualifications (see Box 5.67). broader ‘life skills’ and to engage in ANTA (2004d, p. 15) lifelong learning to ensure workforce A recent national high level review skills are continually updated³⁵⁵. The of Training Packages undertaken by transferability of units of competency ■ Box 5.68 ANTA has reaffirmed their status across Training Packages also enables Adapting to Sustainability within the VET system³⁵⁰. For greater cross-industry adoption at least the next decade, Training of the ‘generic’ skills required for ‘As industry continues to respond to community concerns and government legislation and Packages will be the primary model employability and change towards incentives to adopt ESD principles, there is a for delivery of vocational education sustainability³⁵⁶. The high level review corresponding need for vocational education to and training³⁵¹. On average 56% of of Training Packages undertaken by accommodate these trends.’ VET hours delivered nationally is ANTA has reaffirmed the importance Russell (2003, p. 9) Training Package based with this figure of incorporating generic skills into the steadily rising³⁵². Training Packages employability skill set. Skills in ‘critical’ therefore are an essential consideration reflection, problem-solving, decision- for those concerned with learning for making, conflict resolution, strategic sustainability in VET. planning and self-management have been stressed as important in this Current Approaches to review³⁵⁷. These are highly congruent Sustainability in Training Packages with the skills required for change Training Packages provide a towards sustainability³⁵⁸. useful nation-wide framework for the adoption of cross-curricular The efficacy of training packages education concepts such as learning however, is the subject of considerable for sustainability approaches to debate in VET. It has been argued, 36 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

for instance, that competency-based Since the recent introduction of ■ Box 5.69 training and industry-dominated Training Packages, the quality and Cross-Industry Training Packages training packages tend to reproduce the coverage of the Training Packages has productive practices that contribute to improved over time and will continue ‘If Training Packages remain as the vehicle environmental problems, and fragment to evolve following the findings for delivery in VET, together with AQTF requirements for the use and development the knowledge and skills required for established by the High Level Review. of units of competency, then it would appear sustainability into compartmentalised, necessary to develop a cross-industry Training decontextualised and measurable Where units of competency Package for the ‘environment industry’. The units. A more integrated, holistic and do recognise environmental challenge would be to obtain cross-industry agreement and mutually agreed sponsorship of inclusive approach to curriculum considerations³⁶⁶, they usually relate such a package.’ design, learning and assessment in to compliance with regulation. For VET has been advocated as a means to example, a review of the Business Peterson (2004, p. 6) develop a more critical environmental Services Training Package identified literacy and authentic ecological 730 units of competency dealing competence among the workforce³⁵⁹. with ‘compliance management’. ■ Box 5.70 Over half of these units deal with the Environmental Content in The development process for Training compliance areas of OH&S, while a Vocational Education and Training Packages is managed through Industry significantly smaller proportion deal Training Advisory Boards (ITABs) with environmental protection³⁶⁷. The A study undertaken by TAFE NSW³⁶⁵ and the recently established Industry broader notion of sustainability and its identified the following issues: Skills Councils (ISCs). Stakeholders issues are rarely addressed. have always been welcome to make 1. Some of the Training Packages examined include elective environmental units submissions or otherwise contribute to this process. Generally the process Some training organisations have of competence that can be ignored in responded to the need to address delivery; tends to be dominated by input from traditional industry sectors which has sustainability issues by developing 2. Compliance to legislative requirements the effect of overlooking the needs of their own courses. These courses is a strong focus of environmental new and emerging ‘green’ industries. often consist of units of competency units of competence; more accurately In addition to this, other stakeholders packaged together from existing - ‘Environmental units of competence are often limited to legislative requirements concerned with sustainability issues Training Packages. Several industry and ignore best practice options to exceed often pass up the opportunity³⁶⁰. One Training Packages include segments compliance’; of the major areas for action agreed by that relate to environmental the National Training Quality Council vocations³⁶⁸. These include Asset 3. Reflecting this compliance focus, Training in response to the High Level Review Maintenance (Waste Management), Packages for traditionally ‘dirty’ industries of Training Packages is to ensure such as oil refining or mining pay the ‘rigorous and inclusive development Water, Industry, Conservation and greatest attention to environmental issues; and review processes apply’³⁶¹. Land Management, Rural Production, Amenity Horticulture and Local 4. Some Training Packages included environmental content which is irrelevant The system is quite rigidly structured Government. There are also relevant for the target audience; with the result that emerging units of competency in the Business specialisms, such as environmental Services, Chemical, Hydrocarbons 5. Government agencies with an management are often not captured and Oil Refining, Plastics, Rubber and environmental focus and expertise tend within Training Packages³⁶². This to be unaware or not involved in national Cable-making, Manufactured Mineral Training Package development and review has been revealed in research by Products and Laboratory Operations Kim Peterson who identified the processes; Training Packages³⁶⁹. lack of Training Packages dedicated 6. The adoption of EE policies and curricula to environmental management in the schools sector has not been picked skills³⁶³ (see Box 5.69). A similar A study conducted by TAFE NSW in up in VET through national Training issue, is the gap identified in existing 2002 aimed to identify gaps in national Package development and review; and Training Packages associated with Training Packages and to develop resources to assist with the integration 7. A professional development strategy in the environmental impact of work sustainability is required for TAFE teachers practices and issues relating to the of environmental content into TAFE and curriculum developers. sector³⁶⁴. NSW offerings³⁷⁰. This project involved a review of ten National A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 37 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

Training Packages. It identified a range of issues and resulted in the ■ Box 5.71 development of EE resources for Environmental Content in Vocational Education and Training teachers working within VET (see Box 5.70). The study also made very This study made the following ● Current options for impact specific recommendations to ANTA recommendations to ANTA: minimising practices. and the ITABs on how to address ● ‘Strengthen the current statements in the 2. National ITABs should require that units environmental content in Training ANTA Training Package Developer’s Handbook of competence, elements or performance Package development (see Box 5.71). referring to the inclusion of environmental criteria developed in future Training content, and ensure that Training Package Packages address: developers apply the guidelines provided in The availability of specific the handbook more rigorously. ● Investigation of the relevant sustainability focused education environmental impacts; ● Require contractors engaged in the review courses is a recent development of Training Packages to incorporate ● Consideration and implementation of within VET. Examples include the sector-specific environmental issues into alternatives to harmful practices; Graduate Certificate in Ecologically relevant units of competence. ● Planning for minimal impact and Sustainable Development offered by ● Require that environmental content in continuous improvement; TAFE NSW³⁷¹ and the Graduate Training Packages should not be limited to ● compliance with legislation, but should be That these concepts are adapted Certificate in Sustainability according to the AQF level of the unit; and offered by the TAFE Divisions adequate to ensure that learners in all industry sectors achieve the skills and knowledge of Swinburne University of ● The range of variables associated with related to minimising the environmental these units of competence should list Technology. VET courses of impacts of their workplace practices. possible impacts, alternative practices this type also draw from existing ● Ensure that Training Package developers and possible auditing, planning and Training Packages. Some have and contractors have current expertise in implementation approaches. involved the development of the environmental impacts of the industry 3. National ITABs should adopt the additional modules in order to sector for which they are developing a package, and the options for minimising following approach when packaging units meet emerging policy directives those impacts. of competence into qualifications. in EE and sustainability, such as the ‘National Action Plan for ● Support the recommendation of this report ● The core units at AQF Levels II and III that National ITABs remedy any identified should ensure all learners have Environmental Education and NSW environmental content gaps in Training a fundamental awareness of the Environmental Education Plan Packages. environmental impact of their work 2002-2005’³⁷². practices and a sense of responsibility ● Include Characteristics of Environmental for minimising impact. Learning Outcomes in Training Package Learner Choices and Developer’s Handbook for use as a tool by ● The inclusion of core units at AQF Training Packages Training Package developers. Levels IV, V and VI dealing with Environmental Management Systems The notion of a lifelong learning ● Include the following in any update of the and sustainability concepts relevant to policy is permeating all forms Handbook and on ANTA’s website: the sector. of education. VET learners are - A contemporary reference list of ● The integration of environmental already displaying a willingness to appropriate environmental agencies and content into competency elements engage in the practice of lifelong organisations. and performance criteria in all relevant units, reinforcing awareness of the need learning. Faced with growing to minimise negative environmental uncertainty, flexibility and mobility - A contemporary list of generic environmental competency units that have impacts. in employment, lifelong learning been developed for various industry sectors.’ 4. National ITABs should ensure that future is already a reality for many consultation processes for the development VET learners³⁷⁴. Both Damon It also suggested the following measures to and review of National Training Packages National ITABs: Anderson³⁷⁵ and Kaye Schofield³⁷⁶ include stakeholders with relevant expertise and whose role is to address environmental have observed that workers are 1. ‘National ITABs should ensure that issues for industry sectors.’ adapting to change through new National Training Package developers have careers facilitated by VET courses expertise in: Russell (2003, p.17-19) and qualifications. ● The environmental impacts of their industry sector; and 38 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

The significance of this phenomenon Despite the recent re-endorsement ■ Box 5.72 to learning for sustainability is of the Training Package model in Individual Learning Pathways currently unexplored. Whilst the Australia, some have questioned evidence suggesting that VET learners whether Training Packages can deliver ‘But individual learners are not following are adopting lifelong learning practices the depth of change required for linear pathways anymore. They ‘swirl’ is positive, this must be balanced with sustainability and the ongoing changes - dropping in and out of different learning the potential risks. ANTA notes that in the world of work. David Curtis and sites and institutions and transferring freely ³⁸¹ between them, study and work. Linear half of all VET students successfully Phillip McKenzie have argued that pathways embodied in traditional models of complete only part of a qualification the capacity of the current VET system learner progression from education to work, rather than a full qualification³⁷⁷ (see to equip workers for the complexity as conceived by policy makers, no longer Box 5.72). The implication for learning of change involved is limited. It has apply. Learners are increasingly constructing for sustainability is that it should be also been proposed by Wheelahan³⁸² their own routes - formal and informal integral to all VET offerings, not only that Training Packages are not capable - according to their own needs, aspirations in specific qualifications, and should of preparing workers for continuous and circumstances and assuming greater responsibility for their own employability.’ be equally accessible to all learners. change as learners do not acquire The need to develop generic skills the essential ‘learning to learn’ skills Schofield (2003, p. 150) and attitudes for sustainability among necessary for responding and adapting the whole workforce, rather than to continual change. These arguments rely solely or primarily on individual suggest the need for innovation in employees with specialised technical the VET system in order for it to ■ Box 5.73 expertise, provides another compelling accommodate the fluctuating dynamics Conservation and Land argument for adopting an integrated or of the globalised economy as well as Management Support Guide across-the-curriculum approach to the change for sustainability. development of work-related skills for The support guide provides teachers with sustainability³⁷⁸. Damon Anderson³⁸³ has gone further information and advice on how to deliver to suggest that VET is directly involved this new Training Package in a way that Potential to Address Learning for that builds student capacity to address in perpetuating current unsustainable sustainability issues. Sustainability through Training levels of economic growth. He argues Packages that the current VET system prioritises The recommendations made include: The potential of Training Packages industry needs over others and that to address sustainability issues is VET reinforces the concept of paid ● discuss sustainability issues in class; being realised by some. The National employment as the principal source ● encourage students to understand the Centre for Sustainability at Swinburne and measure of social worth. These are concepts and take them into industry/ contributing factors to sustainability University has developed a guide to employment with them; issues and suggest the need for reform support the implementation of the ● highlight current best practice; and in the VET system, supported by a Conservation and Land Management broad process of social change. ● implement best practices in your office/ (CLM) Training Package. This guide teaching environment. provides advice to teachers on how to These arguments indicate that the align their teaching with the principles National Centre for Sustainability, Swinburne current Training Package model University of Technology (2003, p.11) of sustainability³⁷⁹ (see Box 5.73). may prove inadequate to engage This project was funded through the stakeholders in the learning required This support guide was developed with ‘Reframing the Future’ program and for change towards sustainability. teachers and the Providers Network in was an action-based learning project This would suggest that policymakers Victoria for the CLM Training Package. This working with all staff from the CLM should not rely solely on Training encouraged adoption and built teachers’ skills Package reform to secure sustainability in sustainability. Training Package as well as from the outcomes. Other integration and Victorian Providers Network for the intervention strategies beyond Training training package. A comprehensive Packages could be developed and ‘Education for Sustainability Professional explored³⁸⁴. Development Kit’³⁸⁰ for TAFE teachers has also been developed at Swinburne University through the National Centre for Sustainability. A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 39 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

5.3 Summary of Needs and Recommendations

Further and higher education has the issues they face with regards the need to engage industry and other a vital contribution to make to to sustainability and learning for external stakeholders in defining course Environmental Education thought sustainability approaches are closely outcomes or competencies so that these and practice. This document provides aligned. Many of these education address relevant social needs. Greater a review of Environmental Education institutions are currently approaching opportunities for sharing best practice and its contribution to sustainability sustainability through campus greening between local government, business in this sector across Australia. It (offering recycling facilities and energy and industry and this sector now also forms part of a series prepared by and water efficiency programs) and exist. Commentators argue that this the Australian Research Institute in a few through the integration of dialogue needs to be strengthened Education for Sustainability (ARIES) environmental knowledge into existing through more formal partnerships as for the Australian Government courses/training packages. While it has great potential to drive change Department of the Environment and these efforts are a first step and should towards sustainability and to ensure that Heritage. The report consolidates be applauded, sustainability experts education and training is more relevant previous studies as well as reviews are pushing institutions to address - particularly to the needs of employers programs and emerging trends in the broader notions of learning for and the changing nature of work. further (often referred to as Vocational sustainability. and Training Education, VET) A point of divergence between and higher education. It provides Internationally, this sector is working further and higher education is who a snapshot of the current context towards sustainability not only across determines what and how students and experiences within universities, campus management and operations, learn. Further education is increasingly colleges and state registered training but also in policy, curriculum, focused on competency-based training organisations (such as TAFEs) so as to pedagogical approaches and research through national training packages. inform future work in this area. activities. A holistic process of These training packages specify the institutional learning for change is competencies that must be learned, the Sustainability is increasingly becoming considered best practice. There is much industry requirements for assessment a mainstream issue for further and to learn from overseas experience in and the resultant qualifications. They higher education institutions and has this sector. are created by course developers and been identified as one of the biggest not by those who teach these courses. challenges to face this sector in the The sector is experiencing a drive In universities, divisional committees 21st century. Sustainability in this towards a generic skills agenda which approve the general aims, subject and sector cuts across the core functions of could act as a vehicle for engaging with generic outcomes of course, but it is teaching, research and management sustainability across the disciplines and the teaching staff who pull the course operations. The implementation of training packages. This agenda offers together and who exercise a great deal learning for sustainability approaches great potential for addressing ‘critical’ of control over what and how students to Environmental Education has thinking skills, values clarification learn. This has implications for how we implications for institutional culture skills and stakeholder engagement build capacity for sustainability across as it calls for changes in the decisions, skills, which are often associated with the sector. Strategies for curriculum procedures and actions of the further learning for sustainability and are not change in further education must differ and higher education sector. systematically addressed by current from those currently being piloted in courses or programs. higher education. Although training institutes, colleges and universities have different Recently, TAFEs, colleges (and some A growing number of education traditions and modes of operation, universities) are increasingly recognising institutions have signed national 40 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

and international sustainability ● Establish partnerships between The national strategy and action declarations. These declarations often institutions and with business, plan needs to be aligned with present a vision for sustainability in government and non-government existing strategies such as ‘The higher and further education and organisations to strengthen and share Australian Quality Training encourage specific practices. Many experiences in sustainability and Framework’ as well as with key struggle to fulfil these commitments learning for sustainability. developments such as the ARC through institutional policies and Research Priorities. They should implementation plans. Questions arise Recommendations engage with key sector influences regarding academic and general staff’s such as Australian universities understandings of sustainability and The research undertaken by ARIES quality assurance processes learning for sustainability principles, has revealed a number of key needs in or VET’s employability skills as well as the capacity for innovation areas related to greening the campus, framework. within institutions, which are often the curriculum, commitments to accused of being slow to respond to sustainability, institutional learning 2. Provide incentives (such as social trends. While declarations are for change, generic skills and grants) to further and higher of some value in providing direction, competency based training. The education institutions to develop they need to be accompanied by a following recommendations have and implement institutional process of institutional strengthening been derived from these key needs. policies and action plans on and professional development in order The recommendations identify sustainability and learning for for their principles to be translated into practical steps at a policy, practice and sustainability approaches. These practice. research level that could strengthen should be aligned with the national the contribution of Environmental strategy outlined above and To enhance further and higher Education towards sustainability promote institutional learning and education’s contribution to within the further and higher action for sustainability. sustainability, environmental education education sector. initiatives need to: Practice: Policy: 3. Develop a process of rating ● Establish whole of institutional 1. Establish a National Council on institutional progress towards approaches to learning based change Sustainability in Further and sustainability and learning for for sustainability. This should include Higher Education to develop and sustainability. The international campus management, curriculum, implement a national strategy review and benchmarking tool research, outreach and operations and action plan on learning outlined in recommendations 9 through an organisational learning for sustainability approaches in and 10 could assist in this task. The approach; further and higher education. It institutions, which have achieved should also play a key lobbying a high rating could be rewarded ● Build the capacity of staff (academic, role - advocating and creating with a prize from the proposed administrative and facilities opportunities for environmental National Council on Sustainability management staff) in sustainability education and sustainability across in Further and Higher Education and learning for sustainability; and the sector. (see recommendation 1).

The Council would involve the For example, a process similar to Australian Vice-Chancellors’ that undertaken by the Corporate Committee, the Australian Responsibility Index for businesses Government Department of could be adopted. TheCorporate Education, Science and Training, Responsibility Index³⁸⁵, which has the Industry Skills Councils, incorporated the Global Reporting the Australasian Campus Union Initiative³⁸⁶, benchmarks Manager’s Association, the National participating businesses on their Tertiary Education Union, and the social responsibility within the National Union of Students. spheres of community, workplace, marketplace and environment. A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 41 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

4. Encourage Australian education Research: 12. The participatory needs assessment, institutions to establish strong 8. Undertake an international as identified in recommendation partnerships with GHESP to review and assessment of 11, would inform the construction identify share and disseminate progress in institutional learning of a framework of key generic widely, via internet, in print, for sustainability. This research skills in sustainability, which through seminars and/or should be focused particularly on could be used by developers of development of a toolkit, effective curriculum, research, outreach training packages in VET to strategies, models and good and management. The findings address sustainability and learning practices for sustainability in should be published in a resource for sustainability approaches. The higher and further education. that supports institutions with framework could be constructed practical examples of strengths, and/or trialled through 5. To identify/reward institutional weaknesses, opportunities and participatory research involving champions for change. Establish limitations of institutional change key stakeholders. This framework an accreditation scheme for for sustainability. could potentially be incorporated further and higher education within the broader framework of institution staff to acknowledge 9. The review identified in Employability Skills developed by competencies and professional recommendation 8 could be used BCA and ACCI. development in learning for to develop a benchmarking tool sustainability. For example, in for a whole of institution approach 13. Undertake research and document higher education the scheme to sustainability. This tool could experiences of innovation in could recognise those who a) be based upon a triple bottom line successful and effective campus involve stakeholders from business, approach, encompassing campus management for sustainability. government and non-government management and operations, This resource should be practical organisations in institutional curriculum and research. in nature offering campuses and/or curriculum development; b) suggestions of how they can promote connected learning; and 10. Undertake an inter-institution integrate sustainable design c) educate for and not just about action research project with and management of their own sustainability. university teaching staff to campuses. This resource should be 6. Provide a national professional integrate learning for sustainability targeted not only towards campus development program for principles and processes into managers, but also toward students campus environmental and curriculum, whilst identifying and unions and others with a stake in sustainability managers on ‘removing’ barriers to change, and campus management. sustainability and learning determining how transformative for sustainability approaches. change can be achieved. This The campus management for could extend the work undertaken sustainability resource identified in by projects such as ACTS and recommendation number 13 could could be area specific, e.g. design form the basis of the program. and architecture; commerce and finance; and building and trade. 7. Document the experiences of action research projects 11. Undertake a participatory needs in curriculum change for assessment in sustainability for sustainability. This would specific industry sectors through document the results of the action stakeholder dialogue. In VET research project described in this could be done in partnership recommendation 10. This resource with the Skills Councils and could be used to inform the reviews of should focus particularly on the training packages. At the university processes by which researchers level, this could be undertaken are engaging in change. It would in partnership with bodies which provide support material for others accredit courses such as planning, planning change within this sector. architecture, engineering etc. 42 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

Endnotes

¹ This sector includes formal education institutions, universities and ⁴⁴ International agreements specifically relating to sustainability within the Registered Training Organisations, such as Technical and Further further and higher education sector include the Talloires Declaration Education (TAFE) and Adult and Community Education providers. (1990); Swansea Declaration (1993); Copernicus Charter (1994); and ² Carpenter and Meehan (2002) the Luneburg Declaration (2001) ³ University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (1990) ⁴⁵ Lotz-Sisitka (2004b); UNESCO (2002a) ⁴ ACTS (2004b) ⁴⁶ Sustainable Development Education Panel (2002a) ⁵ UNSW, RMIT, ANU, Melbourne University, University of Technology, ⁴⁷ Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (2004) Sydney, University of Canberra, University of Sunshine Coast and UWS ⁴⁸ Rensburg et al (2001) have all signed the Talloires Declaration. ⁴⁹ Anderson (2003b) ⁶ Many Australian universities offer qualifications in the field of the ⁵⁰ The review does not seek to dissect the EE experience into isolated environment and sustainability. Some integrate subjects and lectures parts, instead, it identifies key ‘hooks’ that help us hang the experience relating to these fields into other qualifications such as business studies. of what is happening within the further and higher education sector. ⁷ Tilbury (2004); Sterling (2004) These themes do not identify the outcomes or impact of EE in this ⁸ Yencken et al (undated) sector since this is beyond the scope of the report. Empirical evaluation ⁹ Tilbury (2004) and longitudinal research is required to identify the achievements and ¹⁰ UNSW (2004d); ANU (2004j) changes resulting from EE. ¹¹ University of Technology, Sydney (2004a); ANU (2004a); ANU (2004c) ⁵¹ Bekessy et al (undated) ¹² Monash (2004a) ⁵² University of Technology, Sydney (2001) ¹³ Clugston and Calder (1999) ⁵³ Lenzen and Murray (2003) ¹⁴ Sterling (2004); Anderson (2003a); Dovers (2001) ⁵⁴ Calvo et al (2002) ¹⁵ IUCN(2002) ⁵⁵ UNSW (2000) ¹⁶ WWF China Education Programme (2002) ⁵⁶ Unknown Author (2004) ¹⁷ Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (2004) ⁵⁷ ANU (2004d) ¹⁸ UNESCO (2002b) ⁵⁸ Stroud (2001) ¹⁹ UNESCO (2002b) ⁵⁹ ANU (2004e) ²⁰ National Centre for Sustainability (undated) ⁶⁰ Monash University (2004b) ²¹ UNESCO (2002a) ⁶¹ UNSW (2004b) ²² UNESCO (2002a) ⁶² ANU (2004h) ²³ Tilbury et al (2005) This contains a section outlining teacher education ⁶³ Melbourne University (2004) for sustainability in the formal and higher education sectors. ⁶⁴ UNSW (2004c) ²⁴ Also see Volume 2 of this Series A National Review of Environmental ⁶⁵ Tilbury (2004); Sterling (2004); Sharp (2002) Education and its Contribution to Sustainability: School Education. ⁶⁶ Thomas (2004) ²⁵ Department of the Environment and Heritage (1992) ⁶⁷ ANU (2004d) ²⁶ Department of the Environment and Heritage (2000) ⁶⁸ ANU (2004e) ²⁷ Government of Western Australia (2003a) ⁶⁹ Seven universities are Signatories to the Australian Greenhouse Challenge. ²⁸ Government of Victoria (2005) These universities are: Australian National University, Monash University, ²⁹ NSW Government (2002) Murdoch University, RMIT University, University of New South Wales, ³⁰ The ANTA will be defunct as of July 2005, where the Department of University of South Australia and University of Western Australia Education, Science and Training will have to administer ANTA’s current ⁷⁰ Calvo et al (2002) roles and responsibilities. ⁷¹ Lenzen and Murray (2003) ³¹ ANTA (2004) ⁷² Bekessy et al (undated) ³² It should be noted that the reference to sustainability in VET National ⁷³ UNSW (2004c); ANU (2004c) Strategy ‘Shaping our Future’ is not defined within the document, ⁷⁴ Sterling (2001) although this document provides an opportunity to implement education ⁷⁵ Tilbury (2004) for sustainability. ⁷⁶ Green Building Council Australia (2004) ³³ Department of Education, Science and Training (2004b) ⁷⁷ Australian Building Greenhouse Rating (2004) ³⁴ For all universities except Australian National University, which was ⁷⁸ Green Globe 21 (2004) established under an Act of Federal Parliament. ⁷⁹ Department of the Environment and Heritage (2004) ³⁵ ANTA (2004a) ⁸⁰ See: http://www.basix.nsw.gov.au/ ³⁶ Tilbury and Cooke (2001); Anderson (2003b) ⁸¹ Sai Global (2004) ³⁷ Yencken et al (2004); Bekessy et al (Undated) ⁸² Global Reporting Initiative (2004) ³⁸ Department of Education, Science and Training (2004c) ⁸³ AccountAbility (2004) ³⁹ AUQA (2004) ⁸⁴ CSIRO (2004) ⁴⁰ Goozee (2001) ⁸⁵ Energy and Technical Services (2004) ⁴¹ ANTA website accessed 22/12/04 (www.anta.gov.au/Inkadvisory.asp) ⁸⁶ Australian Greenhouse Office (2004) ⁴² University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (2004) ⁸⁷ Ecological Footprint is an accounting tool that calculates the land ⁴³ Tilbury (2004) needed to provide the resources we consume and to assimilate the wastes we discharge, indefinitely into the future. Expressed in hectares, our A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 43 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

Ecological Footprint allows us to measure the load we each place on the ¹⁴⁰ Adapted from Berrill and Giffard (2001) environment (Wackernagel and Rees, 1996). ¹⁴¹ Fien, Heck and Ferreira (1997) ⁸⁸ Environment Protection Agency Victoria (2004) ¹⁴² Tilbury, Podger and Reid (2004) ⁸⁹ Asset.gov (2004) ¹⁴³ Bubna-Litic (2004) ⁹⁰ Construction Innovation (2004) ¹⁴⁴ Tilbury and Cooke (2001) ⁹¹ Product Ecology Consultants (2004) ¹⁴⁵ Tilbury and Cooke (2001) ⁹² LISA (2004) ¹⁴⁶ Kent (2004) ⁹³ Ecospecifier (2004) ¹⁴⁷ Tilbury, Crawley and Berry (2005) ⁹⁴ UNSW, Monash University, ANU, and University of Sydney have ¹⁴⁸ Watkin et al (1995) created and filled such positions. ¹⁴⁹ Watkin et al (1995) ⁹⁵ TEFMA (2004b) ¹⁵⁰ Alabaster and Blair (1996) ⁹⁶ TEFMA (2004a) ¹⁵¹ Alabaster and Blair (1996) ⁹⁷ TEFMA (2004a) ¹⁵² Tilbury (2004) ⁹⁸ Nixon (2002) ¹⁵³ Anderson (2003b) ⁹⁹ Nixon (2002) ¹⁵⁴ OECD (1991); Fien et al (1997) ¹⁰⁰ ANU (2004h); UNSW (2004b); Monash University (2004b); ¹⁵⁵ Tilbury (2004) Melbourne University (2004) ¹⁵⁶ ACTS (undated) ¹⁰¹ ANU (2004c) ¹⁵⁷ Podger (2004) personal communication via meeting. ¹⁰² Huckle and Sterling (1996) ¹⁵⁸ ACTS (undated) ¹⁰³ United Nations (1992); United Nations (2002) ¹⁵⁹ London South Bank University (2004) ¹⁰⁴ Calvo et al (2002) ¹⁶⁰ Tilbury (2004) ¹⁰⁵ Monash University (2004a); Students at Macquarie (2003) ¹⁶¹ See: http://www.gse.mq/edu.au ¹⁰⁶ Students at Macquarie (2003) ¹⁶² See: http://www.griffith.edu.au/academicprogramsandcourses/ ¹⁰⁷ Creighton (1998) ¹⁶³ Harvard Gazette (2003) ¹⁰⁸ Creighton (1998) ¹⁶⁴ Thomas and Nicita (2002); Anderson (2003b) ¹⁰⁹ Huckle and Sterling (1996) ¹⁶⁵ Tilbury (2004) ¹¹⁰ ACTS (2004a) ¹⁶⁶ Tilbury (2004) ¹¹¹ ACTS (2004a) ¹⁶⁷ Sterling (2004); Tilbury (2004); Huckle (2004); Pittman (2004) ¹¹² Sharp (2002) ¹⁶⁸ Tilbury (2004) ¹¹³ Calvo et al (2002); Sharp (2002) ¹⁶⁹ Wright (2002); Wright (2004) ¹¹⁴ Faculty of the Built Environment UNSW (2004) ¹⁷⁰ Wright (2004); Tilbury (2004) ¹¹⁵ Bekessy at al (undated) ¹⁷¹ University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (1990) ¹¹⁶ Hammed (2004) personal communication via telephone. Bek Hammed ¹⁷² IAU (1991) is Environment Officer with the National Union of Students. ¹⁷³ IAU (1993) ¹¹⁷ Hammed (2004) personal communication via telephone. Bek Hammed ¹⁷⁴ IAU (1993a) is Environment Officer with the National Union of Students. ¹⁷⁵ Copernicus (1994) ¹¹⁸ Monash Environment Institute (2004) ¹⁷⁶ Global Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (2001) ¹¹⁹ UNSW, ANU and Melbourne University are also participating in the ¹⁷⁷ Science Council of Japan (2002) Green Office Program. ¹⁷⁸ University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (1990) ¹²⁰ Monash Environment Institute (2004) ¹⁷⁹ University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (1990) ¹²¹ UNSW (2004b); University of Technology, Sydney (2004b); ANU ¹⁸⁰ IAU (1991) (2004f); Monash (2004b); Melbourne University (2004) ¹⁸¹ IAU (1993) ¹²² Center for Ecosystem Management (2003) ¹⁸² University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (1990) ¹²³ Tilbury (2004) Sterling (2004); ¹⁸³ IAU (1993) ¹²⁴ Gudz (2004) ¹⁸⁴ United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (1992) ¹²⁵ Fien (1993); Forum for the Future (1999) ¹⁸⁵ Wright 2004 ¹²⁶ University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (1990) ¹⁸⁶ Wright 2004 ¹²⁷ University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (1990) ¹⁸⁷ Goteborg University (2001) ¹²⁸ United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation ¹⁸⁸ Wright 20004 (1992); United Nations (2002) ¹⁸⁹ Science Council of Japan (2002) ¹²⁹ Tilbury (2004); Anderson (2003a,b) ¹⁹⁰ Corcoran and Wals (2004) ¹³⁰ UNSW (1999) ¹⁹¹ Australian Greenhouse Office (2004) ¹³¹ Tilbury (2004) ¹⁹² ACTS (2004a) ¹³² Tilbury, Crawley and Berry (2005) ¹⁹³ University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (1990) ¹³³ Tilbury, Crawley and Berry (2005) ¹⁹⁴ Sterling (2004); Tilbury (2004); Sharp (2002); Gudz (2004). ¹³⁴ Tilbury, Crawley and Berry (2005) ¹⁹⁵ ANU (2004g); University of Technology, Sydney (2004b); Gudz (2004). ¹³⁵ Tilbury (2004) ¹⁹⁶ Bekessy et al (undated) ¹³⁶ Sterling (2004) ¹⁹⁷ Wright (2004); Thomas (2004) ¹³⁷ Huckle and Sterling (1996); Sterling (2001) ¹⁹⁸ ANU (2004g) ¹³⁸ Sterling (2004); Anderson (2003a) ¹⁹⁹ University of Technology, Sydney (2004a); University of Technology, ¹³⁹ Huckle and Sterling (1996); Fien (1993); Tilbury (1993); Tilbury (2003) Sydney (2004b) 44 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

²⁰⁰ Bekessy et al (undated) ²⁵⁰ Gudz (2004); Sharp (2002); Sterling (2004) ²⁰¹ University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (2004) ²⁵¹ Senge (1990) ²⁰² Wright (2002); Wright (2004) ²⁵² Gudz (2004) ²⁰³ While some distinguish between institutions and organisations the ²⁵³ Gudz (2004) terms will be used interchangeably for the purposes of this research. ²⁵⁴ Doppelt (2003) For example, Stephen Dovers (2001) has described an institution as an ²⁵⁵ Senge (1990) underlying pattern of rules and behaviour, whereas an organisation is a ²⁵⁶ De Geus and Senge (1997) more changeable manifestation of those institutional arrangements. ²⁵⁷ Argyris & Schon (1996) ²⁰⁴ University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (1994); Orr (1994); Cortese ²⁵⁸ Senge et al (2004) (1999); Filho (1999) ²⁵⁹ Gudz (2004); Sharp (2002) ²⁰⁵ Bekessy, et al (2004) ²⁶⁰ Mezirow (2000) ²⁰⁶ Creighton (1998); Corcoran & Wals (2004) ²⁶¹ McCutcheon (1997) ²⁰⁷ Huckle and Sterling (1996); Sterling (2004); Tilbury (2004); Anderson ²⁶² Sharp (2002) (2003b) ²⁶³ Sharp (2002) ²⁰⁸ Sterling (2004); Tilbury (2004); Calvo et al (2002) ²⁶⁴ Van Weenen (2000) ²⁰⁹ Sterling (1996); Sterling (2004) ²⁶⁵ Dunphy, Griffiths and Benn (2003); Doppelt (2003) ²¹⁰ Dovers (2001) ²⁶⁶ Kemmis & McTaggart (1984) ²¹¹ Sterling (2004); Tilbury (2004) ²⁶⁷ Zuber-Skeritt (1996) ²¹² United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (1992) ²⁶⁸ Pittman (2004) ²¹³ Gudz (2004); Sharp (2002) ²⁶⁹ Pittman (2004) ²¹⁴ Tilbury (2004) ²⁷⁰ Pittman (2004) ²¹⁵ Adapted from Dovers (2001) and Senge (1990) ²⁷¹ Gudz (2004) ²¹⁶ Sterling (1996); ²⁷² Gudz (2004) ²¹⁷ Corcoran and Wals (2004) ²⁷³ Gudz (2004) ²¹⁸ Fien (1993) ²⁷⁴ Gudz (2004) ²¹⁹ Tilbury (2004) ²⁷⁵ Gudz (2004) ²²⁰ Senge (1990); De Geus and Senge (1997); Bateson (1999) ²⁷⁶ Gudz (2004) ²²¹ Huckle and Sterling (1996); Fien (1993); Tilbury (2004) ²⁷⁷ Tilbury (2004) ²²² IUCN (2002) ²⁷⁸ Gudz (2004) ²²³ Huckle and Sterling (1996); Fien (1993); Tilbury (2004) ²⁷⁹ Gudz (2004) ²²⁴ Dovers (2001); Dunphy, Griffiths and Benn (2003) ²⁸⁰ Gudz (2004); Lotz-Sisitka (2004); Thomas (2004) ²²⁵ United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation ²⁸¹ Gudz (2004); Lotz-Sisitka (2004); Thomas (2004) (1992); United Nations (2002) ²⁸² Gudz (2004); Lotz-Sisitka (2004); Thomas (2004) ²²⁶ Lotz-Sisitka (2004) ²⁸³ Thomas (2004); Thomas & Nicita (2002) ²²⁷ Tilbury (2004) ²⁸⁴ Tilbury (2004); Sterling (2004) ²²⁸ Downey (2004) ²⁸⁵ ANTA (2003a);Business Council of Australia (2004) ²²⁹ United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation ²⁸⁶ Robinson (2003); Waterhouse et al (1999) (1992); United Nations (2002) ²⁸⁷ Anderson, Brown and Rushbrook (2004) ²³⁰ Lotz-Sisitka (2004) ²⁸⁸ Business Council of Australia (undated) ²³¹ Tilbury and Cooke (2001) ²⁸⁹ ACCI, ANTA, Business Council of Australia and Department of ²³² Department of the Environment and Heritage (2001) Education, Science and Training (2002) ²³³ Department of the Environment and Heritage (2001) ²⁹⁰ ACTU (undated) ²³⁴ Tilbury and Cooke (2001) ²⁹¹ ANTA is the national government statutory authority charged with ²³⁵ ACTS (undated) providing the framework for vocational education and training. ²³⁶ University of Technology, Sydney (2004a); University of Technology, ANTA reports to a Board, which consists of 4 industry representatives. Sydney (2004b); UNSW (2004a); UNSW (2004b); Monash University This Board advises the Ministerial Council (MINCO) of Australian (2004a); Monash University (2004a); Monash University (2004b);ANU Government, state and territory Ministers responsible for vocational (2001) education and training. ²³⁷ Yencken et al (undated) ²⁹² Wooden (2002) ²³⁸ Thomas (2004) ²⁹³ Wooden (2002), quoting ABS time series and ABS, Labour Force, ²³⁹ Hicks and Holden (1995); Tilbury (2004); Anderson (2003b) Australia: Historical Summary 1966 to 1984. ²⁴⁰ Hicks and Holden (1995); Tilbury (2004) ²⁹⁴ Wooden (2002) ²⁴¹ Ali Khan (1996) ²⁹⁵ Wooden (2002) ²⁴² Yencken et al (undated) ²⁹⁶ Wooden (2002) ²⁴³ Dovers (2001) ²⁹⁷ Fien (2004) ²⁴⁴ De Geus and Senge (1997); Senge (1990); Dovers (2001); Sterling (2004) ²⁹⁸ Watson et al (2003) ²⁴⁵ De Geus and Senge (1997); Dunphy, Griffiths and Benn (2003) ²⁹⁹ Wooden (2002) ²⁴⁶ Dunphy, Griffiths and Benn (2003) ³⁰⁰ Watson et al (2003) ²⁴⁷ Gudz (2004) ³⁰¹ Watson et al (2003) ²⁴⁸ Creighton (1998) ³⁰² Anderson et al (2004) ²⁴⁹ Lotz-Sisitka (2004) ³⁰³ Lloyd and Payne (2002) A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 45 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

³⁰⁴ UNESCO International Experts Meeting (2004) ³³⁹ NCFE (2004) ³⁰⁵ Fien (2004) quoting UNESCO (1999, p.61) ³⁴⁰ A NCVER funded research project being conducted by Jenny Kent ³⁰⁶ Fien (2004); Anderson (2003a,b) (TAFE NSW) and Professor John Fien (Griffith University). ³⁰⁷ Kent (2004); Anderson (2003 a,b) ³⁴¹ National Centre for Sustainability, Swinburne University of Technology ³⁰⁸ ANTA (2004d, p.3) (2004) ³⁰⁹ Kent (2004); Ferrier (2001) ³⁴² Virgona and Waterhouse (2004) ³¹⁰ Business Council of Australia (2004) ³⁴³ Virgona and Waterhouse (2004) ³¹¹ ANTA (2004b) ³⁴⁴ Curtis (2004) ³¹² ANTA (2004a, p.7) ³⁴⁵ Anderson, Brown and Rushbrook (2004) ³¹³ Business Council of Australia (2004) ³⁴⁶ Dippo (1998) ³¹⁴ Business Council of Australia (2004) ³⁴⁷ Julian (2004) ³¹⁵ Business Council of Australia (2004) ³⁴⁸ Reframing the Future (2004) ³¹⁶ ANTA (2004a) ³⁴⁹ Fien and Tilbury (1996) ³¹⁷ ANTA (2004a) ³⁵⁰ ANTA (2004d) ³¹⁸ Anderson et al (2004) ³⁵¹ ANTA (2004d) ³¹⁹ Gibb and Curtin (2004) ³⁵² ANTA (2004d) ³²⁰ Gibb and Curtin (2004) ³⁵³ Learning and Skills Development Agency (2002) ³²¹ Curtis and McKenzie (2001, p.10) note that ‘one of the key policy ³⁵⁴ Kent (2004) mechanisms for strengthening the linkages between education and the ³⁵⁵ Rumsey, D. and Associates Pty Ltd (2003) labour market has been the attempt to embed employability skills more ³⁵⁶ Rumsey, D. and Associates Pty Ltd (2003) deeply in curricula and student assessment’. ³⁵⁷ Rumsey, D. and Associates Pty Ltd (2003) ³²² Curtis and McKenzie (2001) ³⁵⁸ Kent (2004) ³²³ Curtis (2004) notes that the Australian Education Council, Mayer ³⁵⁹ Anderson (2003b) Committee 1992 recommended seven key competencies ³⁶⁰ Ferrier (2001); Russell (2003) ³²⁴ Curtis and McKenzie (2001) ³⁶¹ ANTA (2004d) ³²⁵ This framework was developed through the Australian Chamber of ³⁶² Peterson (2004) notes that there is no training package coverage for the Commerce and Industry and the Business Council of Australia’s vocation of environmental technician. Employability Skills for the Future. ³⁶³ Peterson (2004) ³²⁶ Curtin (2004) notes that the Group consists of representatives from: ³⁶⁴ Ferrier (2001); Russell (2003); the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Enterprise and ³⁶⁵ Russell (2003) Career Education Foundation, the Ministerial Council on Education, ³⁶⁶ ANTA’s Training Package development guidelines suggest consideration Employment, Training and Youth Affairs Taskforce on Transition of environmental management. from School, the Australian Vice Chancellors’ Committee, ANTA and ³⁶⁷ Rumsey, D. and Associates Pty Ltd (2003) the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and ³⁶⁸ Peterson (2004) Training. ³⁶⁹ Peterson (2004) ³²⁷ Curtis and McKenzie (2001) have described the types of personal ³⁷⁰ Russell (2003) attributes emphasised in international competency frameworks. They ³⁷¹ Peterson (2004) include self esteem, personal ethics, capacity for self-management and ³⁷² Peterson (2004) responsiveness to feedback ³⁷³ Schofield (2003, p.150) ³²⁸ Sterling (2001) ³⁷⁴ Anderson (2004) ³²⁹ Virgona and Waterhouse (2004) ³⁷⁵ Anderson (2004) ³³⁰ Virgona and Waterhouse (2004) ³⁷⁶ Schofield (2003) ³³¹ Anderson et al (2004); ANTA states that ‘industry must have a ³⁷⁷ ANTA (2004d) pre-eminent role in defining work outcomes’ (2004c, p.1) ³⁷⁸ Anderson (2003b) ³³² OECD (2004) ³⁷⁹ Plas (2003) ³³³ Curtis and McKenzie (2001, p.35) ³⁸⁰ See: http://www.ncsustainability.com.au/PDkit ³³⁴ Learning and Skills Development Agency (2002) ³⁸¹ Curtis and McKenzie (2001) ³³⁵ Learning and Skills Development Agency (2002) ³⁸² Wheelahan (2004) ³³⁶ Learning and Skills Development Agency (2004) ³⁸³ Anderson (2003b) ³³⁷ Russell (2003) ³⁸⁴ Anderson (2003a,b) ³³⁸ National Centre for Sustainability, Swinburne University of Technology ³⁸⁵ See: http://www.corporate-responsibility.com.au (2004) ³⁸⁶ See: http://www.globalreporting.org 46 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

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Glossary

● Action Learning ● Community Education Action learning is a process designed to build capacity using Community Education programs are taken to refer to a form of reflection and assessment. The improvement all education programs which fall outside of the school, of practice is the ultimate goal. The process involves the further and higher education sectors. participants developing an action plan, implementing the plan and reflecting on what they have learnt from ● Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) this. A facilitator and/or mentor assists the participants in Corporate Social Responsibility is the decision- developing their plan and learning from their experiences. making and implementation process that guides all Increasingly, it is being used in group settings where a company activities in the protection and promotion of number of people come together to critically reflect upon international human rights, labour and environmental professional knowledge and improve practice. standards and compliance with legal requirements. CSR involves a commitment to contribute to the economic, ● Action Research environmental and social sustainability of communities Action Research can be used as a collaborative research through the on-going engagement of stakeholders, the tool, which is often represented as a four-phase cyclical active participation of communities impacted by company process of critical enquiry - plan formation, action, outcome activities and the public reporting of company policies and observation and reflection. It aims not just to improve, but performance in the economic, environmental and social to innovate practice. arenas.

Action Research provides a valuable process for exploring ● ‘Critical Theory’ ways in which sustainability is relevant to the researchers’ ‘Critical theory’ is a philosophical framework that seeks workplaces and/or lifestyles. It views change as the desired to radically critique systems of knowledge and power. outcome and involves participants as researchers of their ‘Critical theory’ seeks to develop systemic changes as own practice. In this way Action Research produces opposed to individual behaviour changes. It emphasizes more than just a research document. It results in catalytic the importance of engaging people in thinking critically change for sustainability. Its focus on critical enquiry and developing their own responses and actions to issues and continuous selfevaluation makes it a useful tool for rather than imposing on them previously constructed professional development in Environmental Education. actions. ‘Critical theory’ attacks social practices, which Critical Action Research aims to change systems and to obstructs social justice, human emancipation and embed change in practice. ecological sustainability. ‘Critical theory’ is what underpins learning for sustainability approaches to Environmental ● Agenda 21 Education. For further information see ‘Critical Thinking’. Agenda 21, is an intergovernmental agreement signed at the United Nations Conference on Environment ● ‘Critical’ Thinking and Development held in Rio in 1992. This document ‘Critical’ Thinking is an essential part of learning for consisting of 40 chapters provides an agenda for advancing sustainability approaches to Environmental Education. It sustainability. It was the first document to examine the challenges us to examine the way we interpret the world interconnectedness of social, economic and environmental and how our knowledge and opinions are shaped by issues, focusing on current issues whilst also promoting those around us. ‘Critical’ thinking leads us to a deeper and examination of future needs. Agenda 21 outlines understanding of interests behind our communities and objectives and actions that can be taken at local, national the influences of media and advertising in our lives. For and international levels and provides a comprehensive further information refer to Volume 1 in this series. blueprint for nations throughout the world who are starting to make the transition to sustainability. Chapter ● Ecological Footprint 36 of Agenda 21 accords special significance to the role Ecological footprints document a given individual’s, of education as ‘the most effective means that society population’s or organisation’s consumption and waste possesses for confronting the challenges of the future.’a. production. It is measured in terms of the area of biologically productive land and water required to 58 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

produce the goods consumed and to assimilate the wastes ● Environmental Education for a Sustainable Future: generated in a single year. The ecological footprint is a National Action Plan valuable resource for environmental educators because it A national Australian strategy launched in 2000 that outlines a provides a means to compare: direction for Environmental Education in Australia. The plan aims tob: ● various components of individual consumption; ● increase the profile of Environmental Education; ● average consumption and impact patterns amongst countries/organisations; and ● implement a national coordinating body for Environmental Education; ● individual and world average impacts. ● provide professional development opportunities for teachers ● Education about the Environment and others involved in Environmental Education; Education about the environment is the most commonly practiced approach in Environmental Education. It ● develop resources for Environmental Education; and focuses on developing key knowledge and understanding about natural systems and complex environmental issues ● integrate Environmental Education into mainstream education as well as developing an understanding of the human and training activities. interaction with these systems and issues. ● Envisioning and Futures Thinking ● Education in the Environment Envisioning a better future is a process that engages people Education in the environment is an approach, which in conceiving and capturing a vision of their ideal future. provides opportunities for learners to have direct Envisioning, also known as ‘futures thinking’, helps experience in the environment and develop positive people to discover their possible and preferred futures, attitudes and values towards stewardship of the and to uncover the beliefs and assumptions that underlie environment. The approach may foster a value-based these visions and choices. It helps learners establish a environmental concern of the importance and fragility link between their long term goals and their immediate of ecosystems and landscapes. While ecological concepts actions. Envisioning offers direction and energy and may be taught through these explorations, the focus is on provides impetus for action by harnessing peoples’ deep having positive experiences in a natural setting. aspirations which motivate what people do in the present.

● Education for the Environment ● Learning for Sustainability Education for the environment moves beyond education in Learning for sustainability has crystallized as a result and about the environment approaches to focus on equipping of international agreements and the global call to learners with the necessary skills to be able to take positive actively pursue sustainable development. It provides a action. The educationfor the environment approach promotes new orientation for current practice in Environmental critical reflection and has an overt agenda of social change. It Education. This new orientation attempts to move beyond aims to promote lifestyle changes that are more compatible education in and about the environment approaches with sustainability. It seeks to build capacity for active to focus on equipping learners with the necessary skills participation in decision-making for sustainability. In practice, to be able to take positive action to address a range of however, education for the environment is often interpreted sustainability issues. Learning for sustainability motivates, as the involvement of learners in one-off events or individual equips and involves individuals, and social groups in actions (e.g. tree planting) although occasionally they can reflecting on how we currently live and work, in making trigger greater change on a social level. informed decisions and creating ways to work towards a more sustainable world. Underpinned by the principles of critical theory (see glossary). Learning for sustainability aims to go beyond individual behaviour change and seeks to engage and empower people to implement systemic changes. For further information refer to Volume 1 of this series. A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution 59 to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

● Learning Organisation ● Sustainable Development and Sustainability A learning organisation is one which is based on the The idea of sustainability owes a great deal to the United principles of adaptive management and uses these Nations which in 1983 set up the World Commission on techniques within the workplace. It promotes exchange Environment and Development (WCED) and promoted of information between employees hence creating a quality of life for present as well as future generations. more knowledgeable workforce. This produces a very The key goals of sustainability are to live within our flexible organisation where people will accept and adapt environmental limits, to achieve social justice and to foster to new ideas and changes through a shared vision. A economic and social progress. key component of a learning organisation is that it incorporates the principles of adaptive management. Issues such as food security, poverty, sustainable tourism, urban quality, women, fair trade, green consumerism, Adaptive management is a systematic process for ecological public health and waste management as well as continually improving management policies and practices those of climatic change, deforestation, land degradation, by learning from the outcomes of operational programs. desertification, depletion of natural resources and loss of Its most effective form (‘active’ adaptive management) biodiversity are primary concerns for both environmental employs management programs that are designed to and development education. explore visions, develop critical and systemic thinking in the workplace. The issues underlying ‘sustainable development’, or ‘sustainability’, are complex and they cannot be ● Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) encapsulated within the diplomatic language and Life Cycle Analysis is a technique for quantifying and compromises. Sustainability is open to different assessing the inputs and outputs affecting environmental interpretations and takes on different meanings not performance associated with a product throughout its only between cultures but also between different interest life cycle from production, through use, to disposal. groups within societies. Sustainability embraces equality LCA can assist in identifying opportunities to improve for all, and for this reason a key aim of sustainability is environmental performance. to enable multi-stakeholder groups to define their vision of sustainability and to work towards it. For further ● Local Agenda 21 information refer to Volume 1 of this series. Chapter 28 of the ‘Agenda 21’ document calls on local authorities to work with their local communities to ● Systems Thinking develop a local action plan for sustainable development, Systems thinking is a type of thinking methodology or a ‘Local Agenda 21.’ This process recognises the role based upon a critical understanding of how complex communities have to play in shaping their own future and systems, such as environments and ecosystems, function the importance of building partnerships between local by considering the whole rather than the sum of the government, community, NGO and industry. Empowering parts. Systems thinking provides an alternative to the local communities to participate actively in the decision dominant way of thinking, which emphasizes analysis and making process is a core aim of Local Agenda 21 and seen understanding through deconstruction. In comparison, as essential for the move towards sustainability. For further systemic thinking offers a better way to understand information refer to ‘Agenda 21’. and manage complex situations because it emphasizes holistic, integrative approaches, which take into account ● National Environmental Education Council the relationships between system components and works A key element of the Australian Government’s National toward long-term solutions critical to addressing issues Action Plan for Environmental Education is the of sustainability. Systemic thinking offers an innovative establishment of the National Environmental Education approach to looking at the world and the issues of Council. The Council is a non-statutory body comprised sustainability in a broader, interdisciplinary and more of people from a variety of sectors who provide expert relational way. Closely related to holistic and ecological advice to the Government on Environmental Education thinking, systemic approaches help us shift our focus and issues. A key goal of the Council is to raise the profile attention from ‘things’ to processes, from static states to of Environmental Education and, in particular, how dynamics, and from ‘parts’ to ‘wholes’. Australians can move beyond environmental awareness to informed actionc. 60 A National Review of Environmental Education and its Contribution to Sustainability in Australia: Further and Higher Education

● Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Triple Bottom Line is an expanded baseline for measuring The Decade also offers opportunities for researchers, performance, adding social and environmental dimensions practitioners and education policy-makers, who are often to the traditional monetary yardstick. Reporting on isolated from each other, to join in partnerships and to the TBL is based on the premise that by monitoring contribute to a collective and international imperative. and reporting social, economic and environmental performance, organisations can better prepare for future ● Values Clarification challenges and opportunities, including those traditionally An educational approach employing a variety of strategies, considered intangible, such as reputation. which enables learners to clarify and critically examine their own values, particularly those, which are unconscious ● UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development or inarticulate. This process helps learners uncover how (UN Decade of ESD) culture, ideology, gender, socio-economic background In December 2002, resolution 57/254 was adopted and religion shapes ones deepest held personal beliefs by the United Nations General Assembly establishing and values and assists learners in determining how ones the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable own values coincide or conflict with others. Genuine Development (2005-2014). The Decade is a culmination engagement with sustainability requires us to understand of the momentum towards sustainability generated by the how these factors shape our values and thus our view of Earth Summit, ‘Agenda 21’ and the WSSD and presents the world. an opportunity to focus world attention on learning for sustainability across the globe.

The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable a UNESCO (1997) Educating for a Sustainable Future A Development aims to: transdisciplinary vision for concerted action, para.38

● promote education as a prerequisite for the movement b Adapted from http://www.deh.gov.au/education/nap/ to sustainable human societies; c Adapted from http://www.deh.gov.au/education/nap/ ● integrate sustainable development into education council/ systems at all levels; and

● strengthen international cooperation towards the development and sharing of innovative education for sustainable development theory, practice and policy.