Action plan sets out vision for a sustainable sector

10 June 2008

HEFCE has published a consultation on its next three-year strategy to drive sustainable development in the higher education (HE) sector. The strategy aims to enrich and support HE's contribution to the wider sustainable development agenda.

The consultation document identifies the HE sector as a potential beacon of progress but acknowledges that the momentum for change needs to increase. In this context, HEFCE aims to consolidate the facilitative approach it developed in its 2005 sustainable development strategy. This approach is built around four distinctive roles:

• engaging with stakeholders to bring about policy synergies on sustainable development
• building the capacity to achieve sustainable development
• sharing good practice, or supporting its development where none exists
• rewarding more sustainable behaviour.

Professor David Eastwood, Chief Executive of HEFCE, said:

'The consultation and updated action plan show we continue to make sustainable development a key priority. We are committed to working in partnership with Government and the sector to ensure higher education meets government targets to reduce carbon emissions and that the higher education sector remains at the vanguard of innovative policy, technologies and ambitions for a sustainable future.'

HEFCE is running a series of sustainable development seminars as part of the consultation process.

View the sustainable development consultation

Page last updated 13 February 2012