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USC leads by example in teaching sustainable development
The University of the Sunshine Coast’s emphasis on environmentally-friendly architecture is likely to inspire its graduates to work towards sustainable development in the region.
So says Dr Andy Johnston, an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) representative who visited USC last month as part of a world-wide study into how well higher education was promoting sustainable development.
Dr Johnston said even though the University's teaching and research programs on sustainable development were not as established as those at some other institutions, the campus itself was providing a very clear lesson for students.
“There are a lot of university campuses which are horribly inefficient and use lots of energy and are quite ugly,” he said.
“But everything you see about this University reinforces the sustainable development message and what that means is that it becomes accepted by students as a normal thing.
“The first thing that hits you when you arrive here is that this is just a beautiful campus and everything is so new. Aesthetically it’s very, very pleasing here.
“There’s also a great positivity about the staff and that has a lot to do with the fact that this is a young university that is growing, and everyone picks up on that energy.”
Dr Johnston, who is Head of Education and Learning at the United Kingdom’s leading sustainable development charity, Forum for the Future, said the USC site had been improved economically, socially and environmentally since it was a sugar cane farm previously.
He said the fact that USC highlighted sustainability and regional engagement in its mission statement was highly commendable.
Dr Johnston said his study of 15 universities from 13 OECD countries would consider how effectively the universities were producing students who would bring about sustainable development in their communities.
The University of the Sunshine Coast is Australia’s only representative on the study.
Dr Johnston plans to write a report in May to highlight good practice and comment about visions, barriers and opportunities for education in promoting sustainable development across the OECD countries.
“My report will indicate to the higher education sector and governments that there are quite a few universities out there that are taking sustainable development seriously and are building broad strategies around that,” he said.
“They are already doing a lot and would like to do more. With a bit more support, they could do more.”
USC became involved in the study following a discussion between USC Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Thomas AM and Dr Johnston at an OECD conference in Copenhagen in 2006.
Dr Johnston commended Professor Thomas for his strong strategic leadership in USC’s sustainable development.