The Futures Initiative
It has been clearly acknowledged that our University is
at a strategic turning point with regard to education for
sustainability (‘Strategic Plan 2011-15’ - Chapter 12). We have
committed ourselves to an inter-curricula approach that
acknowledges the rapidly changing circumstances and specific
‘wicked problems’ (social, economic and environmental) facing
society in the twenty first century. Reformulating the
curriculum will help us to identify the aptitudes, understanding
and competencies that may be needed by our graduates, both now
and for this uncertain future. We also need to review this with
respect to the University’s academic portfolio more generally.
This page outlines the
strategy for the Futures Initiative, which will is designed to
facilitate and fund departments’ across the University to review
and embed sustainability within their formal, informal and
campus curricula. To reflect this approach, we have adopted the
term ‘education for sustainable futures’ (ESF).
The Futures Initiative
programme is designed to
ensure we meet our ambitions in the Strategic Plan, which aims
to ensure that all our staff and students understand the need to
sustainably manage our environment and address the challenges to
our common future. This is explicitly cross-curricula - “using
critical and creative pedagogies, the physical example of the
University estate, and day-to-day practices." (Chapter 12, p.63)
Facilitated initially by a small team we aim to quickly expand engagement to a much wider group of key programme staff dedicated to the principles of ESF, to develop specific exemplars and establish good practice as a standard for the wider University.
