| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.04 |
| Liaison | Thomas Adams |
| Submission Date | July 30, 2021 |
Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Michelle
O'Dowd Community and Sustainability Officer Office of Deputy President and Registrar |
Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:
Community and University Sustainability Partnership (CUSP) General Board:
Purpose -
Align all our major efforts with the SDGs targets and indicators, including education, research, leadership, operational and engagement activities.
Inform, advise and make recommendations to the University Sustainability Advisory Board on all matters relating to campus sustainability, including governance, policy, resourcing and implementation of sustainability.
Report to the University Sustainability Advisory Board on the status of campus sustainability performance.
Support the delivery of objectives, targets and measures of success set out in the NUI Galway Sustainability Strategy 2017-2020, and subsequent strategies thereafter, through the establishment of 7 sustainability working groups aligned to the themes of Research & Learning; Energy & Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Nature & Ecosystems; Health & Wellbeing; Built Environment; Governance & Leadership; and Communications & Engagement.
Work with the Research & Learning working group to embed the SDGs into our education and research and inform, encourage, support and monitor developments in teaching and research for sustainability.
Work with Built Environment, Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Nature and Ecosystems working groups to embed the SDGs into our operations and to sustainably manage our campus.
Work with the Governance and Leadership working group to embed the SDGs into our leadership activities and to scale sustainability successes beyond the campus by building sustainability partnerships with neighbouring communities, national bodies and partners across Europe and the globe.
Work with the Communication and Engagement working group to embed the SDGs into our engagement activities. Aim to involve members from all key stakeholder groups in our sustainability activities including students, staff local communities and other external stakeholders
Disseminate information and feedback on sustainability accomplishments, tools, and challenges.
Support the development of sustainability for the University’s competitive advantage:-in recruitment, fundraising, financial and resource management, and funded research.
Act as ambassadors for sustainability both in and outside the University.
CUSP Executive Board:
Purpose -
Represent the CUSP General Board on the University Sustainability Advisory Board.
Provide a forum from which the Deputy President & Registrar /or representative can solicit advice and recommendations from senior campus leadership on the creation and implementation of sustainability principles and policies to guide the campus.
Distribute administrative responsibility, decision-making, and planning among CUSP General Board Members.
Review and assess budget and funding strategies to support sustainability and implementation of the strategic plan.
To review proposals for major campus sustainability initiatives and bring forward recommendations to the CUSP General Board
Members of each committee, including affiliations and role:
Membership
The CUSP General Board member constituency is intended to broadly represent all campus constituencies; and provide expertise in operations, teaching & learning, research, student life, health and wellbeing, nature and ecosystems, marketing, communication, engagement and community.
For a new member to join the CUSP General Board, a proposal is presented to the Chair and the proposal is raised as an agenda item at the next CUSP meeting for
approval among members.
The CUSP General Board consists of the following members:
o Chairperson(s)
o Secretary (Sustainability Officer)
o Representative from the Community Knowledge Initiative
o Up to 2 Representatives from Local Community Groups
o Student Union President and nominated Vice-President
o 3 Representatives from Student Societies (to be nominated by Students Union Societies Chairperson)
o Director of Financial Accounting
o Director of Student Services
o Senior Marketing Officer
o Innovation and Engagement Officer
o Representative from Information Services
o Manager of Commercial Services
o Environmental Health & Safety Officer
o Head of Facilities Management & Services
o Head of Business Support Services
o Head of Buildings Services, Utilities and Energy
o Assistant Director, Estates Operation
o Representative(s) from each of the Schools
o Representative from each Research Institute (The Ryan Institute, Whitaker
Institute for Innovation and Societal Change, Moore Institute for Research
in the Humanities and Social Studies, Lifecourse Institute, Data Science
Institute, National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science)
From the CUSP General Board, a leader for each of the working groups will be
selected:
Research & Learning
Nature & Ecosystems
Energy & Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Health & Well-being
The Built Environment
Governance & Leadership
Communication & Engagement (cross-cutting across all working
groups)
Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent employee?:
A brief description of each sustainability office:
University Sustainability Advisory Board:
Purpose -
Provide strategic oversight of the University’s commitment to sustainability as detailed in NUI Galway Strategic Plan 2020-2025 and the SDG Accord
As a signatory to the SDG Accord, demonstrate leadership in sustainability by aligning all major efforts with the SDGs, including education, research, operations, administration and engagement activities.
Support the development and implementation of the NUI Galway Sustainability Strategy 2017-2020 and beyond.
Demonstrate leadership for sustainability by collaborating with key staff across all disciplines to advise on necessary support and resources to improve sustainability performance.
Undertake high-level strategic analysis to inform decision-making in the allocation of resources for the implementation of sustainable operations across NUI Galway.
Recommend for approval and drive forward sustainability-related policies, procedures and action plans. Support work that is already underway in the development of strategies to engage the campus community and other key stakeholders.
Play a key role in development of strong governance structures and support the integration of sustainability into daily business at all levels of the University.
Oversee the production of interim sustainability reports and report annually to UMT, Academic Council, the Support Services Committee and Colleges.
Act as Ambassadors for Sustainability.
Work closely with external strategic partners to raise the profile of NUI Galway amongst key national and international audiences.
Engage on behalf of NUI Galway in the developing network of universities promoting sustainability.
Membership
The University Sustainability Advisory Board consists of the following members:-
1. The Deputy President & Registrar or appointed Deputy (Chair)
2. Sustainability Officer
3. Chief Operating Officer
4. Vice-President for Research and Innovation (or nominee)
5. Vice-President for Development
6. Dean of Students
7. President of NUI Galway Students’ Union
8. CUSP Executive Board (Chair and 2 others)
9. External representative(s) with expertise in sustainability
Full-time equivalent of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Does the institution have a mechanism for broad sustainability coordination for the entire institution?:
A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:
The Community and University Sustainability Partnership (CUSP) was established in 2015 under the direction of the Deputy President and Registrar to showcase how a university can become a role model for the transition to a sustainable future. The CUSP team is a multi-disciplinary, voluntary team of over 30 students and staff from across the campus and community partners all working together with the common aim of establishing the university as a leading institutional model for sustainability. CUSP operates through a multidisciplinary board - the CUSP General Board. In September 2019, the University appointed a Community and University Sustainability Officer (CUSO).
The University Sustainability Advisory Board provides strategic oversight of NUI Galway’s commitment to sustainability as detailed in the Strategic Plan, Sustainability Strategy and Sustainable Development Goal Accord. The CUSP Executive Board is a sub-committee of the CUSP General Board and represents the CUSP General Board on the University Sustainability Advisory Board.
In April 2020, NUI Galway published its Sustainability Terms of Reference which sets out the work plan and reporting structure of the CUSO, CUSP General Board, CUSP Executive Board and University Sustainability Advisory Board. More recently, the secondNational University of Ireland Galway Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025was launched.
Job title of the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
The CUSO reports to the Deputy President and Registrar and working with the CUSP General Board plays a lead role in the implementation of the NUI Galway Sustainability Strategy. More background information in the Terms of Reference: http://www.nuigalway.ie/media/sustainability/CUSP-Terms-of-Reference-Updated-2021.pdf.
Job title of the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job title of the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability coordination is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
"Sustainability Terms of Reference" sets out the work plan and reporting structure of the CUSO, CUSP General Board, CUSP Executive Board and University Sustainability Advisory Board. Available here: http://www.nuigalway.ie/sustainability/aboutus/
The NUIG sustainability website is accessible here: www.nuigalway.ie/sustainability
"Sustainability Terms of Reference" sets out the work plan and reporting structure of the CUSO, CUSP General Board, CUSP Executive Board and University Sustainability Advisory Board. Available here: http://www.nuigalway.ie/sustainability/aboutus/
The NUIG sustainability website is accessible here: www.nuigalway.ie/sustainability
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