EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: INTER-DISCIPLINARY EVENTS:
 
October 2006 to January 2007: a 3 day discussion series to explore the 
interaction between the Natural and Human Sciences in relation to 
‘Education for Sustainable Development’
 
Facilitators:      Dr Colin Brooks (Director: History, Classics & 
Archaeology subject centre; member of ESD Planning Group)
                        Dr Alex Ryan (freelance academic; member of ESD 
Planning Group)
 
Limited places: please respond by the end of August with early 
expressions of interest - later applications will depend on 
availability
Contact for all enquiries - Dr Alex Ryan: [log in to unmask] 
(Tel: 01242 577976)
 
PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY AMONG YOUR NETWORKS!
 
Background:
In 2005 the HE Academy Subject Centres carried out initial explorations 
on the theme of ‘Education for Sustainable Development’, analysing the 
current state of the various disciplines in terms of teaching activity 
and its relationship to the direction of research. Two of the Subject 
Centres (HCA: History, Classics & Archaeology & C-SAP: Sociology, 
Anthropology & Politics) joined forces to hold a multi-disciplinary 
discussion day at Oxford University, in order to initiate debate on the 
interplay between their disciplines and the natural sciences. 
Post-event evaluations and feedback during the dissemination process 
have confirmed a significant interest in developing the agenda in 
relation to inter-disciplinarity and sustainability. We have been 
encouraged to take this work forward and have since made a successful 
bid for funds to run a first series of 3 multi-disciplinary day events, 
involving participants across the natural and human sciences with 
interests in this area, plus a concern to work out the curricula, 
teaching and learning implications of developments in and between the 
disciplines.
 
Aims/Agenda: This sequence of 3 events will provide time for debate and 
reflection with colleagues from a wide range of disciplinary 
backgrounds, all of whom have research and/or teaching expertise in 
relation to ‘sustainable development’. Understandings and approaches to 
concepts of sustainability (and indeed ‘development’) will be diverse 
at these meetings – they have been conceived as an opportunity for 
creative exchange of ideas and as a forum for exploring approaches, 
challenges, and ways to move forward on these issues. This series will 
serve as a forum for those who wish to forge new networks and 
collaborations, to contribute to the growing debate around 
sustainability in HE, and to inform the direction and approach taken 
with events and projects funded by the ESD Planning Group over the 
coming years.
 
Output/Outcomes: We intend that these day events will form a 
progressive sequence and that their developmental orientation will 
allow participants to shape the content and issues as they arise. 
Demands on participants will be minimal; we may simply ask that you 
send a paragraph for pre-circulation, previewing your orientation and 
expertise on these matters. One or two participants may be invited to 
prepare short presentations as the sequence progresses, but the level 
of participation, comment and collaboration will be a matter for each 
participant. In terms of more pragmatic outcomes, we will write a final 
project report and the series will be evaluated by other members of the 
ESD group, with a view to planning for future projects. We will decide 
as a group whether we feel there are significant teaching materials, 
electronic resources, or publications that might emerge from this 
project. Again, participants may become as closely involved as they 
wish; we will seek continuation funding for any substantial future 
outputs, with the aim of buying out academic time to support the 
preparation of materials and publications.
 
Expressions of Interest:
Places will be limited since we will need to create a coherent base of 
representation among the various disciplinary communities. Therefore we 
are inviting initial indications of interest in attending either the 
whole sequence or single days. Please email Alex Ryan in the first 
instance at the address above BY END OF AUGUST; invitations will be 
confirmed towards the start of autumn term and applications later than 
August will depend on the availability of places. There is no charge 
for attendance and reasonable travel expenses will be refunded.
 
Proposed dates: Thurs 26th Oct, Mon 20th Nov, Wed 10th Jan
 
Proposed venues (TBC): Leeds (IDEAS CETL), York (HE Academy), 
Birmingham (Centre for Sociology, Anthropology & Politics)
 
The seminar series is funded by the Education for Sustainable 
Development Planning Group of the HE Academy and the project will be 
administered at LLAS (Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics & Area 
Studies) at Southampton  University.