The Sustainable University

The lead editor of this visionary book is Professor of Sustainability Education at Plymouth University, which has been pioneering the idea of a sustainable university since 2005. The book itself originated in a conference at the university and consists of three parts: the context, aspects of the theme, and institutional change. As Sara Parkin observes in her foreword, the bottom line is that it is not nature that needs to change, it is us. Universities have the opportunity to offer the intellectual leadership to shift civilisation off its self-destructive course, so the crucial question is whether they will carry this through. Although there are some green shoots cited in this volume, the overwhelming ethos of universities is neoliberal and market-driven, as John Blewitt points out. Education has become corporatised, using the language of products, customers, mission statements, quality management and value for money. This has pushed out the original liberal educational philosophy, which itself is unrelated to the need for sustainability.

The sector as a whole can respond in one of three ways to sustainability: accommodative, by bolting on new modules and greening some estate management; reformative, by questioning existing assumptions and practices; or transformative, a deeper response corresponding to the urgency of the global ecological situation. The editors also make the important distinction between designed learning involving courses and institutional learning as capacity building. The overall purpose of the book is to outline progress towards a sustainable university, review key aspects of what it means to develop such an institution, reflect critically on barriers, achievements, strategies and potential, and finally to consider prospects and map out possible new directions. Among the aspects considered are the significance of regional centres of expertise, the importance of leadership, groundwork in pedagogy and curriculum, sustainability research, student experience in Edinburgh, and the importance of well-being. Universities that have already made some headway, besides Plymouth, include Kingston, Bradford, St Andrews and Brighton. There are useful suggestions on sustainability research issues as well as the research process, which has to be interdisciplinary and participatory. There are already some declarations of intent from United Nations organisations, one of which from Committed Deans and Chancellors was tabled at Rio in 2012. There is clearly a great deal to do, but this volume provides a comprehensive handbook of the necessary process.