Step-Change for Sustainability Conference Agenda

EAUC-Scotland’s “Step-Change for Sustainability” Conference is being held on 9th February 2023 at the Technology and Innovation Centre at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, and supported by headline sponsors Connected Energy.

We are delighted to share the conference agenda with you. Speakers will be added to this page as they are confirmed.

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Agenda:

09.30	Registration & welcome refreshments
10.00	Conference Welcome & Keynote	Christine Calder, Academic Development Lead at Dundee & Angus College and EAUC-Scotland Advisory Group Chair Lexi Green, Sales Manager at Connected Energy Alyson Mackay, National Organiser at Teach The Future Scotland
10.25	Plenary: What is the role of Scottish colleges and universities in a climate, ecological and social emergency? In times of environmental and societal crisis, what role should our colleges and universities be delivering? And what roles are we currently enacting? We will hear the panel's visions for the Scottish FHE sector in this space, benchmark where we are now in that vision and explore how the sector is going to transition to that vision. The plenary will set the scene for the breakouts which will pick up on key areas where the sector needs to embed impact.	Hazel Dalgård, Senior Policy & Analysis Officer in the Capital and Climate Change Team at Scottish Funding Council Simon Hewitt, Principal at Dundee & Angus College Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer, Deputy Principal for Global Sustainability at Heriot-Watt University Scott Davidson (Chair), Deputy Director Social Responsibility and Sustainability at University of Edinburgh
11.25	Refreshments
11.55	Breakout: ESD competency-building through innovative pedagogies: analysing practice An interactive workshop to analyse real-life teaching examples and learn more about innovative teaching methods with a focus of transferring your learning into practice.	Dr Ria Dunkley, Senior Lecturer (Pedagogy, Praxis & Faith) at University of Glasgow - Facilitator
	Breakout: Decolonialising, Decarbonising and Democratising FHE Institutions This session will give an overview of climate justice and intersectionality, and discuss how decolonising, decarbonising and democratising institutions need to be considered synergistically for education to deliver on climate justice. The session will explore examples of climate injustice, and how this often intersects with issues of race, gender, and indigeneity. We will also look at examples of when sustainability work has not taken an intersectional approach and the issues that this can cause, with discussions on how we can avoid this within campus operations and curricula.	Sonya Peres, Senior Project Manager at SOS-UK
	Breakout: Nature-Based Solutions and Biodiversity This session will introduce the concept of nature-based solutions and biodiversity and explore Scottish micro-scale and regional-scale initiatives that institutions can learn from and engage with to improve environmental and social outcomes.	Dr Clive Mitchell, Strategic Resource Manager at NatureScot Severine Monvoisin, Community Garden Coordinator at Edinburgh College David Toy, Programme Manager (St Andrews Forest) at University of St Andrews Emilie Wadsworth, Operations Director at Green Action Trust
	Breakout: Adaptation In this session we will discuss the challenges and opportunities around adaptation including the interrelationships between adaptation and mitigation. We will explore why adaptation is important, the progress on adaptation made by Educational Institutions in Scotland and the challenges and lessons learnt around the implementation of adaptation actions.	Emma Yule, PhD Researcher & Tutor, Edinburgh University and SSN Steering Group member
13.15	Buffet lunch
14.15	Breakout: Policy, strategy and funding to decarbonise estates This session will review the updated Scottish net zero public sector building standards, innovative approaches to decarbonising FHE estates and funding opportunities for Scotland's colleges and universities.	Jamie Goth, Associate Director at Scottish Futures Trust Rufus Logan, Assistant Director of Capital and Climate Change at Scottish Funding Council Eddie McAvinchey, Executive Director - Sustainable Investment at Scottish National Investment Bank Janice Pauwels, Scottish Government
	Breakout: Understanding Behaviour Change and Engaging on Sustainability This session will explore what motivates people and showcase innovative ways of taking the distant issue of climate change down to a personal and relatable level. This session will allow participants to reflect and take stock of their stakeholder engagement activities to date, and look how to improve them going forward.	Cameron Mackay, GALLANT Communications Coordinator at University of Glasgow Joana Avi-Lori, Story Weaver and Event Coordinator at Scottish Communities Climate Action Network
	Breakout: Supply Chains and Sustainability This session will explore the key roles, functions and relationships of key stakeholders within institutions and partners (APUC) and explore through group discussion how internal bridges can be made to improve sustainability outcomes within procurement activities.	Amy Ledger, Sustainability Specialist at Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges - Facilitator
	Breakout: Advocating for a whole-institution ESD strategy This session will present three excellent examples of how we can influence our institutional strategy to support ESD, followed by opportunities to network and learn from and with other as well as support to take action.	Mike Pretious, Senior Lecturer in Management at Queen Margaret University - Facilitator Sonya Peres, Senior Project Manager at SOS-UK Jane Roscoe, Director of Curriculum at Dundee & Angus College Professor Zoe Robinson, Director of Education for Sustainability at Keele University and EAUC Board Member
15.30	Refreshments
16.00	Plenary: The Collaboration Challenge To achieve climate, sustainability and social ambitions for a green and just Scotland our institutions must work meaningfully with a wide variety of stakeholders to understand needs, empower others, and strengthen our responses. But are we good at this? We will hear the panel’s experiences of co-creation, co-development and co-delivery of FHE sector activity. The panel will explore what good, impactful collaboration looks like; what are the roles of hierarchical and informal leadership in this sphere; and, identify areas of best practice and positive reflections from failed collaboration.	Dr David Duncan, Deputy Vice Chancellor - Operations and Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary at University of Glasgow and Treasurer to the EAUC Board Eve Lewis, Director at sparqs Dr Roddy Yarr (Chair), Executive Lead for Sustainability at University of Strathclyde and EAUC-Scotland Advisory Group Member Astrid Smallenbroek, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant at University of the West of Scotland
17.00	Close