| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 59.36 |
| Liaison | Ben Dharmendra |
| Submission Date | July 30, 2021 |
University of Sydney
PRE-2: Points of Distinction
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Zoe
Morrison Strategy Advisor Strategy Office |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
University of Sydney Sustainability Strategy
A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
In 2020, the University released its first sustainability strategy - University of Sydney Sustainability Strategy 2020 - the first institutional-wide strategy since 2017. Its launch marked a substantial commitment to become a more sustainable University through our education, research and operations.
The strategy's vision is to "build and inspire communities to create a culture of sustainability both locally and globally. In our responsibility to care for Country on which our campuses lie, we will enact change. Putting our research and education into practice, we will enrich and transform lives now and for future generations."
Underpinned by a foundation of ‘Caring for Country’, the strategy focuses intent and actions through three strategic pillars that balance long-term vision with enabling early action.
1. Enriching lives through research and education
The University will be a place that drives social and environmental change and where sustainability is integrated into our campus life by implementing world-leading research and education in our everyday practice.
2. Enabling resilient places and a responsible footprint
Our community of more than 70,000 staff and students is the size of a small city, and our campuses spread from the metropolitan to the remote. We acknowledge our significant impact on the Country where our campuses reside and accept the moral and social obligation to leave a responsible footprint where we tread.
3. Empowering good governance and coordination
Lessons from our peers show that institutional support for sustainability is crucial. Such support is inherent in the creation and launch of this strategy; an enduring commitment to incorporating sustainability through our research, education and operations to enact change will be critical to its success.
Each pillar contains a number of sub-strategies, which we will pursue through a series of targets and commitments.
The strategy's vision is to "build and inspire communities to create a culture of sustainability both locally and globally. In our responsibility to care for Country on which our campuses lie, we will enact change. Putting our research and education into practice, we will enrich and transform lives now and for future generations."
Underpinned by a foundation of ‘Caring for Country’, the strategy focuses intent and actions through three strategic pillars that balance long-term vision with enabling early action.
1. Enriching lives through research and education
The University will be a place that drives social and environmental change and where sustainability is integrated into our campus life by implementing world-leading research and education in our everyday practice.
2. Enabling resilient places and a responsible footprint
Our community of more than 70,000 staff and students is the size of a small city, and our campuses spread from the metropolitan to the remote. We acknowledge our significant impact on the Country where our campuses reside and accept the moral and social obligation to leave a responsible footprint where we tread.
3. Empowering good governance and coordination
Lessons from our peers show that institutional support for sustainability is crucial. Such support is inherent in the creation and launch of this strategy; an enduring commitment to incorporating sustainability through our research, education and operations to enact change will be critical to its success.
Each pillar contains a number of sub-strategies, which we will pursue through a series of targets and commitments.
Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Curriculum
Research
Campus Engagement
Public Engagement
Air & Climate
Buildings
Energy
Food & Dining
Grounds
Purchasing
Transportation
Waste
Water
Coordination & Planning
Diversity & Affordability
Investment & Finance
Wellbeing & Work
Research
Campus Engagement
Public Engagement
Air & Climate
Buildings
Energy
Food & Dining
Grounds
Purchasing
Transportation
Waste
Water
Coordination & Planning
Diversity & Affordability
Investment & Finance
Wellbeing & Work
Optional Fields
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
PA2
A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Second Point of Distinction
Master of Sustainability
A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
The Master of Sustainability is the University's key sustainability-based postgraduate program. The 18 month duration, interdisciplinary program is designed to provide students with the theoretical and practical skills to further graduates careers in diverse areas such as environmental sciences, finance, from law to urban planning, and from sustainable building design to public health.
The program is flexible, allowing students to find and explore their passions. First, a foundation in sustainability is built, with core units including health and population, energy and resources, food and water security, policy and governance, social change, and sustainability analysis tools. Then, students choose electives across a range of areas or focus on one specialty by choosing related electives. Lastly, students undertake a capstone project, usually in groups, to generate responses to issues they have found during their core and elective units.
Video of student achievements: https://vimeo.com/378925169/827efcc7c1 and https://www.linkedin.com/posts/university-of-sydney-science_every-single-thing-we-do-somehow-links-back-activity-6685790305008148480-DANC/
The program is flexible, allowing students to find and explore their passions. First, a foundation in sustainability is built, with core units including health and population, energy and resources, food and water security, policy and governance, social change, and sustainability analysis tools. Then, students choose electives across a range of areas or focus on one specialty by choosing related electives. Lastly, students undertake a capstone project, usually in groups, to generate responses to issues they have found during their core and elective units.
Video of student achievements: https://vimeo.com/378925169/827efcc7c1 and https://www.linkedin.com/posts/university-of-sydney-science_every-single-thing-we-do-somehow-links-back-activity-6685790305008148480-DANC/
Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Curriculum
Research
Campus Engagement
Energy
Research
Campus Engagement
Energy
Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
AC5, AC8
A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
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Third Point of Distinction
Research with Impact: Gelion collaboration to test energy storage batteries
A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
University Infrastructure, the University of Sydney's campus infrastructure services area, collaborated with a research spin-off Gelion, as a part of a living lab initiative. Together the two parties designed, installed and operate solar-powered, illuminated benches powered by Gelion's renewable energy storage battery.
The project, led by Professor Thomas Maschmeyer, allows for the first product from Gelion (the Ensure zinc-bromide battery) to be tested in a "real-world" environment. The benches were designed to help solve a further problem for the University Infrastructure team - how to improve student safety in 'dark spots of the Camperdown/Darlington campus. These spots are also in parts of the campus without existing services to install lighting - it would require significant financial resources to light the areas. Solar-powered benches with USB and laptop charging capacity solved this problem. It's the first time that University Infrastructure has collaborated with a research project at this level. Professor Thomas Maschmeyer's renewable energy research and the Gelion collaboration program won the AFR Higher Education Award 2020 under the Sustainability category. (https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2020/11/19/battery-storage-living-lab-recognised-in-afr-awards.html)
The project, led by Professor Thomas Maschmeyer, allows for the first product from Gelion (the Ensure zinc-bromide battery) to be tested in a "real-world" environment. The benches were designed to help solve a further problem for the University Infrastructure team - how to improve student safety in 'dark spots of the Camperdown/Darlington campus. These spots are also in parts of the campus without existing services to install lighting - it would require significant financial resources to light the areas. Solar-powered benches with USB and laptop charging capacity solved this problem. It's the first time that University Infrastructure has collaborated with a research project at this level. Professor Thomas Maschmeyer's renewable energy research and the Gelion collaboration program won the AFR Higher Education Award 2020 under the Sustainability category. (https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2020/11/19/battery-storage-living-lab-recognised-in-afr-awards.html)
Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Research
Campus Engagement
Public Engagement
Energy
Coordination & Planning
Campus Engagement
Public Engagement
Energy
Coordination & Planning
Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
EN11
A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.