Green shoots of success lead to ‘Oscar’ nomination for BU

12 September 2011

BU shortlisted for Times Higher Education (THE) Award for the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development’ category.

Bournemouth University (BU) has proved its ‘green’ credentials yet again after being short-listed for the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development’ category in this year’s Times Higher Education (THE) Awards.

The THE awards, considered the ‘Oscars’ of UK higher education, will be announced at a gala evening in London on Thursday, 24 November. BU is short-listed for the honour alongside five other universities.

The announcement comes just days after BU achieved nominations for two of this year’s Green Gown Awards in recognition of its strong environmental performance and practice through Promoting Positive Behaviour and Sustainable Procurement.

The THE Award nomination for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development’ also highlights BU’s achievements in environmental management as well as the great strides made by the University in developing its students as global citizens who understand sustainability.

The University’s Centre for Global Perspectives (CGP) and Environment & Energy Team have successfully and positively changed the attitudes and behaviour towards Sustainable Development of a wide range of people – from Board members and senior managers to Students’ Union Officers and key external stakeholders.

BU is also successfully integrating elements of Sustainable Development into academic and social activities, both in and out of the classroom, to develop its students as champions of global change.

Earlier this year, BU became only the sixth higher education institution in the UK to achieve the EcoCampus Gold Award which acknowledges the strength of the University’s environmental practices, procedures and management systems. That achievement was quickly followed by the University’s elevation to fifth place out of 138 universities in the People & Planet Green League Table for 2011 as Bournemouth earned a ‘First Class’ degree-style rating for its environmental performance.

Speaking at the BU-hosted conference, ‘Global Vision, Local Action’, Deputy Vice-Chancellor David Willey said, “Since the 1990s BU has been a leader in the Higher Education sector in its ambition to develop global citizens who understand the need for sustainable development. Increasingly we are embedding sustainability, social responsibility and globalisation into the heart of the University, both in the education we offer our students and in the way we run our business. It is pleasing to have this recognised in these award nominations.”