Management and 1in5
Many universities have declared a Climate Emergency, adopted Net Zero policies, signed up for the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGS UNIVERSITIES – World Leading Universities Focusing on SDGs) and/or are required to address local and national government priorities around environment change. All universities recognise that environment change is a primary concern for students and a cause of anxiety and stress [1].
The 1in5 project provides a framework for working on climate change and biodiversity loss that academic staff can embrace, that does not add to their workload or require a fundamental change in their research focus, or challenge academic standards. The idea is very simple:
In the UK alone, every year, approximately 500,000 students complete an undergraduate degree. In the final year of their degree almost all these students, in collaboration with their expert academic supervisors, undertake a substantial piece of advanced work: a research project, a composition, a dissertation, a show etc. If 1 in 5 of these pieces of work focused on environmental change that could have a significant impact.
If you jump over to the "Academic" page you'll find a full description of the idea and an explanation of why it will have an impact.
If you decide to support 1in5, please avoid the temptation to mandate individual staff to engage with 1in5. Staff enthusiasm for the idea is key to its success. There will be many who will be enthusiastic about the idea, forcing those that are not is likely to be counterproductive. Focus on supporting and encouraging schools or departments, and academics within them who are willing to engage.
We have been inspired by the DORA model that builds engagement by publicising lists of individuals, departments and institutions who have "signed up". If your department or institution would like to support 1in5 then it would be great if you look let us know (email contact@1in5project.info).