A climate action roadmap for the further education sector
A climate action roadmap for the further education sector
The Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education was formed in November 2019 as a partnership of the Association of Colleges, EAUC, GuildHE and Universities UK to develop a strategic, sector-wide response to the climate crisis.
The UK-wide FE sector required a climate action roadmap
The Climate Commission knew that UK FE colleges varied widely in their approach to sustainability, and some colleges had no relevant experience. It therefore sought a Climate Action Roadmap for the UK FE sector. The roadmap would determine a path for colleges to respond to climate change and apply to colleges of differing maturity.
Nous Group led the development of the FE Climate Action Roadmap in a professional manner and facilitated meaningful engagement with the Climate Commission Council members. The result is a robust roadmap which will help colleges to take the steps they need to achieve carbon neutrality.
Steve Frampton
Nous developed the roadmap and tested it with FE leaders and students
Nous drafted the Climate Action Roadmap based on our analysis of material held by the commission, examples of other climate strategies and our own experience advising universities and colleges on their strategy development. We tested the roadmap in a workshop with FE principals and students from colleges with a range of approaches to sustainability, determining whether it would be useful for colleges with a highly developed approach to sustainability, as well as those just beginning their sustainability journey.
Our roadmap will improve the FE sector’s sustainability
The visually engaging and interactive climate action roadmap outlined practical steps for colleges to improve their sustainability. The commission has since launched the Roadmap to the UK FE education sector and it is available on its website.
What you can learn from the UK Climate Commission
- A collaborative, cross-sector approach is necessary to combat the grand challenge of climate change.
- A robust roadmap requires a range of inputs.
- Sector-wide collaboration enables an intervention to apply to organisations of differing maturity.
