| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.44 |
| Liaison | William Van Ausdal |
| Submission Date | July 9, 2024 |
Flinders University
EN-2: Co-Curricular Activities
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.50 / 9.00 |
2.1 Student sustainability organization
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the sustainability-focused student organization(s):
The Flinders University Sustainability and Environment club (FUSEC) provides opportunities for students to engage and participate in sustainability and environmental conservation on campus and in the community. The club hosts a range of events and activities throughout the year including tree plantings; beach cleanup; land care retreat, Learn, Grow Eat and sustainability seminars.
https://fusa.edu.au/clubslist/57037/sustainability-and-environment-club/
Does the institution formally recognize at least one student organization that is focused on a topic other than sustainability, but is advancing ecological integrity or racial equity and social justice?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the student organizations that are advancing ecological integrity or racial equity and social justice:
The Flinders University Student Association (FUSA) supports a number of student organisations, including several that are advancing ecological integrity or racial equity and social justice. Examples are:
• The Flinders University Students with Disabilities Association
https://fusa.edu.au/clubslist/56771/students-with-disabilities-association/
• Flinders University Health and Human Rights Group
https://fusa.edu.au/clubslist/56722/health-and-human-rights-group/
• Flinders University Marine Biology Association
https://fusa.edu.au/clubslist/58803/marine-biology-association/
• The Flinders University Queer Collective
https://fusa.edu.au/clubslist/56757/queer-collective/
• Flinders Neurodivergent Study Support and Advocacy
https://fusa.edu.au/clubslist/58069/neurodivergent-study-support-and-advocacy/
• Flinders University Vegan Society
https://fusa.edu.au/clubslist/58102/vegan-society/
• Flinders University Workers' Rights Society
https://fusa.edu.au/clubslist/58471/workers-rights-society/
• Flinders University Women in Science and Engineering
https://fusa.edu.au/clubslist/58826/women-in-science-and-engineering-at-flinders/
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
2.2 Sustainability-focused co-curricular activities
Description of and/or website URL for at least one major sustainability-focused event or series of events:
FAST Car Tour.
Flinders University has built a solar-driven electric vehicle since 2016. In 2024, the team travelled with the fourth car (Investigator IV) from Adelaide to Darwin with outreach activities to local schools and communities along the way. The car then participated in the annual solar race from Darwin to Adelaide, and is now part of a local program across secondary schools. The FAST car team consists of undergraduate students, with supervision and support from staff and industry experts.
https://www.flinders.edu.au/study/engineering/fast
Future Energy Week
Flinders University has played a key role as lead partner in the development and delivery of Future Energy Week since 2021. Future Energy Week aims to showcase the best and brightest in energy and connects organisations, businesses, university staff and students and individuals in the community with current and emerging innovators that are all contributing to the clean and sustainable energy transition. To promote more student engagement and participation for this event, the university sponsored 150 free tickets for our students.
Various key themes explored during this week included First Nations Voice, The Energy Trilemma, Food Energy and Water, The Future of Mobility, Circular Economy, CleanTech Investments and others.
Does the institution have a sustainability-focused peer-to-peer education program in which student educators are selected and trained to help catalyze change among their peers?:
Description of and/or website URL for at least one sustainability-focused peer-to-peer education programs for students:
Does the institution provide sustainability-focused employment opportunities for students on at least an annual basis?:
Description of and/or website URL for at least one sustainability-focused employment opportunity for students:
Marion / Mitcham Council graduate program
Flinders University has a graduate program with the City of Marion Council and the City of Mitcham Council where students participate in sustainability projects. Most of the students are from environmental engineering or environmental science, and projects are usually around waste, renewable energy, and water. The City of Mitcham council has a member in the College Industry Advisory Board which shows the collaborative and ongoing nature of this relationship.
The graduate program is longstanding (https://blogs.flinders.edu.au/alumni-stories/2020/08/04/launching-careers/) and is currently being formalised with a memorandum of understanding between Mitcham Council, Marion Council and Flinders University.
Additional evidence:
- This video from Mitcham Council includes an interview with biodiversity students: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6778221511678554113/
This Mitcham Community News from July 2023 includes an item on page 6 from the Mayor on the graduate program. Quote: "Another strategy we’ve initiated is our graduate program, in conjunction with Flinders University. Rather than filling short term vacancies within the organisation with temps, we employ university graduates. The graduates spend three months working in the customer communications team on the front desk, learning about the business. At the end of their time they are eligible to apply for positions and are competitive. In the past 45 days, three positions have been won by graduates. We are attracting bright young people who wouldn’t have contemplated local government as a career path had they not been involved in the program". https://www.mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/1425054/July-2023-Mitcham-Community-News.pdf
Does the institution have at least one student-managed enterprise that is sustainability-focused?:
Description of and/or website URL for at least one student-managed enterprise that is sustainability-focused:
The weekly Flinders Community Market was established by student volunteers to provide access to free fresh produce and low cost pantry items for all students. Every Thursday, student volunteers will transform the Oasis Centre into a miniature market by setting up a checkout station and various food items that have been affordably purchased from Food Bank.
https://oasis.flinders.edu.au/flinders-community-market/
Description of additional sustainability-focused co-curricular activities for students:
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
2.3 Percentage of students that participate in sustainability activities
Percentage of students that participate in sustainability activities:
Approach used to determine the percentage of students that participate in the institution’s sustainability activities:
Narrative outlining how student participation in the institution’s sustainability activities was determined:
For this metric we looked at responses to surveys as this is at the moment the most reliable data. To estimate the number of students participating in sustainability activies, the highest number of student responses was taken from one of the three main surveys conducted within the last three years (see descriptions under EN 4.1 and EN 4.2 for details). This figure was then divided by the total number of students in that year. Thus, the percentage is 5% based on the commuter survey which recieved 1494 student responses and 25,750 total students (headcount).
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
Optional documentation
Additional documentation for this credit:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.