University of Tasmania
IN-47: Innovation A

The Sustainability Integration Program for Students (SIPS; previously known as AOSIP) is an award-winning program linking operational sustainability outcomes with student education and experience. Since its establishment in 2011, SIPS provides authentic learning experiences for students from across the institution through the collaborative design of focused learning programs that address on-campus operational priorities. Through participation in undergraduate and postgraduate classroom activities and research projects (either teacher-directed or student-directed), Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placements, as well as paid internships and fellowships, students from across the institution deliver measurable improvements to campus operations and infrastructure. The program is designed to provide engaging and stimulating experiences for students by inviting and guiding their input into finding solutions to real-life challenges faced by the University community. Through participation in SIPS, students from across the University of Tasmania are given opportunities to further develop and use their disciplinary skills in ways that highlight the positive impacts their learning can have on their community and their University.
The core focus areas of SIPS are to deliver operational sustainability outcomes and provide students with academic credit and/or work integrated learning opportunities. The intent is to enable a broader range of students to get involved through co-curricular opportunities enriching their university experience overall as well as more clearly integrate SIPS into current and proposed broader University initiatives.
SIPS helps deliver on our locally and globally focused teaching, research and community engagement agendas, supporting the University and Tasmania’s transformation and the expansion of our living laboratory approach. This allows an exploration of ways to work towards sustainability by creating a healthier, more literate, environmentally and culturally sustainable, and more equitable society, with education as a central tool. In this way, the University will become a showcase of sustainable development both locally and globally.
This program goes above and beyond credit AC 8: Campus as a Living Laboratory as it doesn’t only include projects with a formal learning component (curricular), but it is a well-structured and established program that covers a number of student experiences, including lecturer directed in-class activities, student directed in-class assignments, research projects (undergraduate, honours, masters and PhDs), various Work Integrated Learning programs and paid internships and fellowships. It is not uncommon that students go through several of these experiences, from a class activity to a research project to continue through to a paid internship, for example. Student work with SIPS can also contribute towards recognition in the Vice-Chancellor's Leadership Program, which recognises students’ leadership development and achievements.
SIPS has been successfully operating since 2011 and has grown in scope and staff and student involvement, with 2,000+ students participating since program inception. The program is funded through University budgets used to leverage external contributions, such as the Tasmanian University Union (TUU), local municipalities, state and federal government grant programs, service providers and NGOs.
SIPS won a $25,000 Australian Government Office of Learning and Teaching award for "Programs that Enhance Learning" in 2015. SIPS was also recognised for its innovative approach, lasting success and positive student experience and sustainability outcomes by winning a Green Gowns Award Australasia in 2016 in the Learning, Teaching and Skills category. These successes have allowed further development of the approach to include a wider variety of students, project types and outcome areas in the years following.
In early 2020, the University has committed a further $100,000 per year from 2021-2025 in expanding the SIPS program through additional funding for staff support and paid student positions as part of student experience in sustainability.