Howard Dawber’s Post

Ever pondered the climate impact of #Erasmus+ youth mobilities? Note: I’m not talking about student exchanges within higher education. The void of such information left us with no choice but to calculate it ourselves (together with AY Institute colleagues). 🔬 METHODOLOGY Public data reveals that in 2021, Erasmus+ boasted 3,429 projects—a figure likely on the rise, though newer data wasn’t available. This tally encapsulates both youth exchanges and youth worker mobilities. While they differ in essence, for simplicity, I've treated them as sharing core similarities. According to Erasmus+ data, the typical mobility involves around 30-35 participants from 5 participating countries. With Italy being the premier host, we've surmised that the average event unfolds in the south, attracting roughly 6 local and 24 international attendees (the latter averaging a 1500 km journey to participate). These activities span 7 days, featuring 8 hours of engagement each day. Crunching the numbers yields the following: ⚡ Average energy-related CO2e per mobility: 0.87 tonne 🛌 CO2e for accommodation and catering per mobility: 4.2 tonnes ✈️ Travel (round-trip flights) CO2e per mobility: 11.52 tonnes   The total average CO2e per mobility stands at 16.59 tonnes. 📊 RESULTS Extrapolating these figures across the entire Erasmus+ youth program (based on the 3,429 projects in 2021) results in a staggering 56,900 tonnes of CO2e annually. To put this into perspective, it equates to the CO2e an average European would produce over 7,323 years. Seven thousand three hundred twenty-three. DISCLAIMER: the model is oversimplification & the figures are not peer-reviewed, so take them with a pinch of salt. 💡 CONCLUSION While acknowledging the profound benefits that Erasmus+ offers (not going to delve into these here), the environmental impact cannot be overlooked. So, what's the way forward? Alas, I don’t have a silver bullet. But thinking this through, wouldn’t it be logical to first make it mandatory for organizations to measure and report the environmental impact of their activities? After all, we cannot mitigate what we fail to measure. Right? #erasmusplus #climateaction #sustainability #climateimpact

2025 QS Rankings are Here! The biggest ever, featuring 1500+ universities globally! This year's rankings consider both employability and sustainability for the first time. #highereducation #QSrankings #sustainability #employability #immigrationexperts #iestudyabroad

Really interesting piece from Ayesha Baloch on how collaboration across sectors can enhance equality of opportunity in higher education. Ayesha is right that we need new regulatory frameworks that encourage and facilitate partnerships. Higher education does have a civic and moral duty to finding new ways to serve society and ensure inclusive access - and further collaboration with the third sector can encourage this. The article also got me thinking about our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within executive search at Berwick Partners (an Odgers Berndtson company). As somebody from a working class background who has been able to study at top institutions, I know that the sector needs leaders who understand and are committed to social mobility. By strategically identifying and placing leaders who are deeply committed to and skilled in fostering inclusivity and equality, our role in executive search can significantly contribute to social mobility in the sector. The appointment of leaders who might never have considered a role in the first place, unless contacted by a headhunter, demonstrates how we can assist in driving initiatives that bridge gaps in access and participation, particularly for underrepresented groups.

We're proud to partner with Cardiff Metropolitan University in our shared commitment to breaking down barriers and promoting equality of opportunity. Our 14 Purpose Goals set the stage for measuring social impact, and Goal 8, focusing on good health and wellbeing, holds immense significance in today's world. Young people prioritise this goal when considering prospective employers. 💪 #Equality #SocialImpact 💡 Our partnership with Cardiff Met brings incredible initiatives to life, such as Open Campus. Cardiff Met are making sport, physical activity, and health support accessible to everyone. With nearly 10,000 schoolchildren and community members already benefiting, it's clear that their efforts are creating a lasting impact. Find out how our collaboration is changing lives through education and physical health opportunities. 🏋️♀️ #OpenCampus #EducationMatters 🏆 Over 400 people, including students, patients, and children, joined Cardiff Met in various sport and health activities. But they're not stopping there! The programme is being expanded to reach even more people, including youth in the justice system and refugees. The aim is to create healthier, happier communities by providing opportunities for all, from children to the elderly. 🎉 #CommunityImpact #HealthForAll 🌈 At the Purpose Coalition, we believe in working with a purpose to enhance social impact and improve communities. Good health and wellbeing are fundamental for success at every stage of life. By giving diverse groups the chance to access education and sports facilities, we're contributing to a healthier and happier society. Join us in this journey towards a brighter future for all! 🌞 Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/e2FExuKK

THG partners with Tech She Can to boost women in UK tech roles!💡 Digital retail group THG has joined forces with charity Tech She Can to help tackle the gender divide in the UK’s tech industry. Their goal is to boost women’s presence in UK tech roles and “ignite the next generation’s passion for the tech industry” 👩💻 The initiative forms part of its ambitions of achieving 50% female representation in THG’s Graduate & Apprenticeship schemes by 2025 - one of the four key objectives in its THG x Planet Earth strategy for a better, more sustainable future 🌍 To discover more about this article, head to the link below 👇 https://bit.ly/3tui2SD #UKTech #TechNews #UKTechNews #Equality #GenderEquality #TechEquality

🌍 The theme for International Youth Day 2024 is "From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development." This is to highlight the importance of young people in using digital innovation to contribute to the United Nations' SDGs and encourages the global community to harness the potential of youth in creating sustainable solutions through digital pathways. What are ways your institution is helping students drive change? #InternationalYouthDay #Sustainability #StudentEngagement #HigherEd ____ At Campus Community we are driving meaningful progress towards the UN SDGs with our 360 GLE™, helping institutions build globally competent and competitive students, expanding their career opportunities and perspectives. Ready to transform student global engagement? Contact us to learn more! Link in comments. 🚀 #HigherEdTech #StudentSuccess #GlobalEngagement #IntlEd #InternationalEducation #CampusCommunity

🌟 The Joint Research Centre (EU Science, Research and Innovation) has published a set of tools to support local, territorial and urban communities to shape their sustainable development strategies 🌟 https://lnkd.in/d88eCfrj 🎯 These tools can be extremely useful to identify skill needs that will be necessary to support those development strategies. ✅ Big ambitions require people with the relevant skills to ensure that the work can get done successfully. This is why we need a strategic approach for setting-up "Skills ecosystems" that are closely related to local and regional development goals. 🚀 It is for this reason that the 🇪🇺 European Commission launched the initiative on Centres of Vocational Excellence (#CoVEs) with the strong support from the Erasmus+ programme. https://lnkd.in/ddky726t 👉 CoVEs can be a game-changer for regional & local development strategies. Here's why: 🔹 Skills Tailored to Local Needs: CoVEs collaborate closely with industries and businesses 🏭 in the region to offer Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs that meet the specific skills demands of the local labor market. This ensures that individuals are equipped with the right skills for available job opportunities. 🔹 Boosting Economic Growth: By providing high-quality VET, CoVEs contribute to reducing unemployment rates and fostering economic growth 📈 at the regional and local levels. A skilled workforce attracts investment 💼 and drives innovation within key economic sectors. 🔹 Retaining Talent: Access to top-notch VET keeps local talent within the region, preventing brain drain 👩🎓👨🎓 and ensuring a steady supply of skilled workers to support local businesses and industries. 🔹 Promoting Social Inclusion: CoVEs play a vital role in promoting social inclusion by offering training opportunities to individuals from diverse backgrounds 🌍. This fosters social cohesion and resilience within communities. 🔹 Integrated Development Strategies: CoVEs are seamlessly integrated into broader regional development strategies 🔄, ensuring alignment with other economic priorities. This coordinated approach maximizes the impact of VET efforts on regional growth and prosperity. 👌 CoVEs are not just about education and training; they're about building thriving, sustainable communities! Alessandro Rainoldi Anna Barbieri Chiara Riondino Iñigo Araiztegui Arraiz Boudewijn Grievink Bojan Jovanovski MATTHIEU MERCIECCA Wij zijn Katapult TKNIKA Michèle Grombeer EfVET European Association of Institutes for Vocational Training (EVBB) European Vocational Training Association - EVTA eucen EURASHE European Training Foundation Cedefop WorldSkills International UNESCO-UNEVOC Agência Nacional Erasmus+ Educação e Formação ENAIP Veneto INETE - Instituto de Educação Técnica Earlall EU European Committee of the Regions OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions & Cities

The University of Central Lancashire has risen to the top 15 per cent in the world for the positive impact it has on society and the environment, according to a table posted by the Times Higher Education. UCLan now sits within the top 200 institutions out of a total of 1,963 - even with a 26 per cent increase in the number of institutions participating. The rankings rate the differences universities are making in the world against the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. It highlights positive work in terms of sustainability, health and well-being, gender equality, economic growth and justice. This year, the university scored particularly well in terms of Gender Equality, where it was ranked 65th out of 1,361 and it came 95th out of 825 in the category of Responsible Consumption and Production. Professor StJohn Crean, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise said: “It’s fantastic to see that we have maintained such a high global ranking despite a significant increase in the number of entries for 2024. “The University has put in place policies around ethical and sustainable procurement, waste and sustainability and a Carbon Management Plan so it’s rewarding to see this reflected in the results. In addition, our work with communities around poverty and health and wellbeing, such as organising local health melas and providing sexual and mental health support for students, scored highly, as did our support for arts and heritage, locally, nationally and internationally. “The Times Higher Education World Impact Rankings is important because it considers all aspects of University operations and the impact they have on society. As an anchor institution, we are committed to aiding economic and social growth across the many communities we serve.” You can view the Times High Education Rankings below.

The new partnership aims to provide free #upskilling for young people for #sustainability and #environmental careers. Now launched as a pilot for winter term, five primary and secondary schools are participating, located in #Manchester, #Kent, #Dartford, and #London. The interdisciplinary resources meet into the existing National Curriculum learning objectives, with the first focus on sustainable consumption. Following the trial, from 2024 onwards the content will be available to all schools through an online portal. The programme has been developed with theory and practical applications in mind to improve understandings of both business challenges posed by the environmental crisis and solutions. Case studies from across the globe are included, and an emphasis is placed on critical and creative thinking. ‘Our expertise lies in developing unique and one-of-a-kind climate-focused curriculums for purpose-driven organisations and connecting them with schools in the Primary and Secondary sectors. Working with dentsu on this program has been a dream as they are already so switched on and forward-thinking around these issues,’ said Phil Wharton, co-founder of climate education provider Gen C. ‘The suite of lessons developed will provide children with a unique and inspiring learning experience as they will be able to see first-hand how what they are being taught in the classroom connects to real-world scenarios and job roles,’ he continued. ‘This allow them to take a look into the future with optimism and imagine how they can be part of the solution.’ Earlier this year, a report by the City of London Corporation revealed an urgent need for #greenskills in the current workforce, and programmes to begin preparing young people for potential futures in associated sectors. In construction alone, there could be demand for 250,000 environmentally trained professionals within the next three years just to ensure all projects in the capital had the necessary resources to build as sustainably as possible. ‘Education is where change begins. It’s the first step in creating truly sustainable, legacy businesses that are prepared for the future. In our conversations with teachers, we’ve learned that many students just aren’t motivated to learn – they don’t see the point when the world is on fire,’ said Angela Tangas, CEO UK&I, #dentsu. ‘Through these resources and dentsu’s broader social impact programme, which has already empowered 15,000 young leaders in the #UK and 35,000 globally, we are re-engaging young people by showing that solutions exist and there are purpose-driven companies out there for them to join when they leave school,’ she continued.