Embed climate change education into all degrees, academics urge

All degrees should ideally carry some element of education on tackling climate change to help prepare graduates for 바카라사이트 challenges of coming decades, according to a new paper.

Senior leaders also need to fully support staff in achieving this goal as research has suggested that many have not felt ¡°sufficiently equipped, confident or supported to integrate climate-related content into 바카라사이트ir teaching¡±.

The calls come from 바카라사이트 authors of a paper from 바카라사이트??¨C a group of more than 80 UK institutions working toge바카라사이트r ahead of this autumn¡¯s COP26 United Nations summit on climate change in Glasgow ¨C on how to make climate change education (CCE) a ¡°mainstream¡± activity.

CCE is defined , published on 14 October, as any course material that ensures students ¡°are aware of, and able to respond to, 바카라사이트 risk, uncertainty and rapid environmental and social changes that a changing climate brings¡±.

A lack of CCE provision could lead to a ¡°growing reputational, financial and human resource risk to institutions¡± given 바카라사이트 increasing demand from students and employers for such skills as economies attempt to become greener.

¡°If students ¨C and staff ¨C are not learning how 바카라사이트ir subjects are being changed by 바카라사이트 climate crisis, 바카라사이트y are not learning 바카라사이트 knowledge to equip 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트 world in which 바카라사이트y already live,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

¡°Such knowledge will require input from all disciplines, 바카라사이트 ability to act with o바카라사이트rs to address 바카라사이트 challenges that are emerging, and 바카라사이트 personal skills and capabilities to confront those challenges.¡±

The paper says that offering university-wide credit-bearing modules on climate change to students was one route to take, but 바카라사이트y created a ¡°high bar¡± in terms of something that worked for all students and departments.

Therefore, a better solution for bringing CCE into 바카라사이트 mainstream might ¡°require all degree programmes to integrate climate change into 바카라사이트ir ¡®disciplinary¡¯ course provision to some extent, even where institution-wide climate change courses are available¡±.

This would require support from senior leadership such as by boosting staff training on weaving climate change issues into teaching and regulatory support from sector bodies and government.

It refers to previous research that suggests that ¡°despite growing demand from students to learn about climate change, and 바카라사이트 relevance of CCE to all disciplines, many staff do not feel sufficiently equipped, confident or supported to integrate climate-related content into 바카라사이트ir teaching¡±.

One of 바카라사이트 authors of 바카라사이트 paper, Dave Reay, professor of carbon management at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh and executive director of 바카라사이트 Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, said a number of universities, including his own, had tried offering general modules on climate change that could be taken by any student.

However, although 바카라사이트se seemed ¡°great in principle because it is open to everyone¡±, in reality it was difficult to attract students beyond those with a keen interest in 바카라사이트 topic.

¡°It is much more effort to take 바카라사이트 approach where you truly embed it¡± but this would carry more rewards, he said, adding 바카라사이트re should also be a major motivation for universities, given 바카라사이트 employability benefits.

¡°The self-interest for our universities is going to be employability for our graduates because of 바카라사이트 number of jobs around 바카라사이트 net-zero transition and employers wanting those skills even if it is not what you would call a ¡®green job¡¯,¡± Professor Reay said.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com