Partnerships, Society & Engagement

Sustainability is key to institutional success over the long-term

Education is at the heart of global sustainability. Education institutions help address the world’s most pressing societal challenges, captured by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

Institutions that show they prioritise global sustainability in their teaching, research and operations stand to enhance their reputation by ‘doing the right thing’ for society, while also decreasing reputational risks and increasing their investment potential.

Institutions that prioritise sustainability are also more likely to pursue a wide range of partnerships that can also advance the economic, cultural and social capital of their institutional community and alumni body. Strategic partnerships are also key to generating innovation that enables institutions to deliver on their core mission.

Universities and colleges are increasingly expected to act as agents for change in their local communities. Sustainable institutions will increase community resilience by helping to tackle inequality and improve the quality of life for local people. In turn, this helps to attract students and promote regional growth.

The EAUC Scotland Office are funded by the Scottish Funding Council to deliver additional support to Universities and Colleges in Scotland, and many of the events and resources produced by them are open to all EAUC Members. Find out more about their work on the Scotland webpage.
 

For Support Staff:

• Enter the Green Gown Awards to showcase your sustainability initiatives and receive the most prestigious recognition of best practice within education. Specific categories on Benefitting Society, Enterprise, Student Engagement and Sustainability Champion for Students and Staff. 
• We have resources on Procurement, Community & Public Engagement and Business & Industry Interface
• Do you need help in engaging colleagues? Attend the Emerging Leaders Programme to gain essential influencing skills. 
• Sign the The SDG Accord. The SDG Accord is the global university and college sector’s collective response to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) 
• Find out more about Societal Impact 

For Sustainability Specialists:

• Need inspiration? Attend our conference to gain insight into the latest activities across the sector as well as specialist workshops. 
• Use the Sustainability Leadership Scorecard (SLS) tool to track and improve social responsibility and environmental performance in your institution. 
• Join a Community of Practice Group (CoP) or the Topic Support Network- Scotland only (TSNs) to access specialist learning, insights and to share knowledge 
• Join a Regional Networking Group to access cross-sector sharing of best practice.