How to be a

1
How to be a catalytic converter a
conversationaround the University of Plymouth
experienceCentre for Sustainable Futuresat
the University of PlymouthESD
CETLwww.csf.plymouth.ac.uk
Stephen Sterling and Alan Dyer
2
Five question for us - and yourselves

• A) Introduction what are you trying to
  achieve?
• B) What are your barriers, advantages, and
  opportunities?
• C) What approaches work?
• D) How do you evaluate progress?
• E) What are you learning? (lessons and success
  factors)

3

• Introduction what are you trying to achieve?

4
Goal of CSF

• The Goal of this CETL is to transform the
  University of Plymouth from an institution
  characterised by significant areas of excellence
  in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to
  an institution modelling university-wide
  excellence and, hence, able to make a major
  contribution to ESD regionally, nationally and
  internationally

5
One-liner Response

• To develop the transformative potential of
  higher education at the University of Plymouth
  and beyond for building towards a sustainable
  future

6
Towards holistic change - the 4C model
7
Towards sustainable institutions

• FROM

• TOWARDS

• Human scale
• High connectivity
• Open community
• Learning organisation
• Sustainability is key guiding principle of
  policy/practice
• Microcosm of sustainable society?

• Incoherence and fragmentation
• Large scale
• Poor connectivity
• Closed community
• Teaching organisation
• Patchy on sustainability
• Microcosm of unsustainable society

8

• What are your barriers, advantages, and
  opportunities?

9
Barriers

• Size of institution
• Crowded curriculum
• Perceived irrelevance
• Limited staff awareness and/or expertise
• Limited institutional commitment
• Too demanding/time issues
• Limited support/resources
• Limited commitment from external stakeholders

• Types of barriers
• Paradigmatic/psychological
• Policy/purpose related
• Structural (governance, compartmentalisation etc)
• Resource/information deficiency

10
Advantages of CSF

• Well funded. Some prestige as CETL
• Well connected, knowledgeable staff
• Initial chancellery support Corporate plan
• Unusual status in university, belonging to no
  faculty, and no previous baggage
• Free rein and encouragement from HEFCE to be
  innovative
• Quite fertile ground levels of interest,
  awareness and existing activity
• Funded connection with HE Academy ESD Project
• Reputation in wider field and expectations on UP
• Context increasing sustainability profile in HE
  and wider society

11
Disadvantages/issues

• All CSF staff were imports to Plymouth campus
• All CSF staff have education background
• Student body hard to engage
• Evidence of some resistance
• Large university
• Chancellery support uncertain
• Communication problematic

12

• What approaches work?

13

Two dimensions of change

• Systematic frameworks
• - policies, strategies, rules, procedures,
  assessment, evaluation, structures etc

• Systemic
• glue
• - collegiality, social learning and exchange,
  informal networks, collective intelligence,
  ethos, self-organisation etc

enabler role
converter role
14
Approach - keywords

• Learning
• 
  Dialoguing
• Inviting
• Mentoring
• Facilitating
• Valuing
• Challenging
• Supporting
• Opportunism
• Platforming
• Connecting

Initiating
15

• How do you evaluate progress?

16

• What are you learning? (lessons and success
  factors)

17
Lessons

• Dont overreach your capacity
• Marketing is important
• Attract allies and support them
• Create spaces for discussion, exchange and trust
  building
• Make connections that wouldnt otherwise exist
• Dont assume too much
• Slow is the new fast
• Balance systematic and systemic aspects
• Invitation not exhortation
• Find out about, and value what exists
• Learn how the organisation works
• Be exemplary as far as reasonable
• Ensure feedback
• Passion and commitment is key but hard to
  sustain

18
Centre for Sustainable FuturesKirkby
LodgeUniversity of PlymouthDrake CircusDevon
PL4 8AA01752 238890csf_at_plymouth.ac.ukESD
CETLwww.csf.plymouth.ac.uk
Building the future!