This is the third year that The Times Higher Education Supplement has run the awards. More than 90 per cent of UK universities entered in one category or more.
The Energy and Environmental Management Unit (EEMU) has been shortlisted in the Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development category. This award, given in association with the sustainable development organisation Forum for the Future, seeks to recognise and reward those institutions or departments that can demonstrate the most imaginative and joined-up approach to the social, environmental and economic dimensions of sustainable development.
Since the University adopted its environmental policy in 2003, it has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 18 per cent, water use by 23 per cent and waste-to-landfill by over half. This is despite the fact that teaching and research programmes are increasingly energy-intensive. EEMU’s key achievement in 2006-07 was developing alternative approaches to cooling buildings, using technical fixes such as liquid pressure amplification to reduce energy consumption.
In 2005-06, the University launched an undergraduate unit in sustainable development open to all students, which has generated teaching blocks examining sustainable development perspectives on earth sciences, philosophy and law. These are reinforced by interdisciplinary seminars on congestion charging and estuary management, and by podcasted lectures for students with timetable clashes.
EEMU involves the local community through ‘sustainability cafés’, where people meet to discuss the notion of a sustainable city and consider plans for the future. The Bristol Sustainability Network grew out of the first such café and now brings together green thinkers via an online discussion forum. In addition, in March the University became a founder signatory of Bristol City Council’s Green Capital pledge, designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The International Office has been shortlisted for the Outstanding Support for Overseas Students award. This award, sponsored by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, will be given to the UK institution that helps international students gain the maximum benefit from their study.
Overseas students were polled using the International Student Barometer. Bristol was rated highly for its strong and supportive administration, and for a broad-reaching range of opportunities for student integration and involvement in social groups and student organisations.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony held on 29 November.
More information on the awards can be found at www.thes.co.uk/Awards/2007.