sustainable development: new vision or new mission for the university? 2007 autumn symposium in...
TRANSCRIPT
Sustainable development: New vision or new mission for the University?
2007 Autumn symposium in Veracruz15 Nov 2007
Jaana Puukka, OECD
Contents
• Growth in higher education• Globalisation & Localisation
• What is Sustainable Development?
• What does Sustainable Development mean for universities?
• How to mobilise the potential of universities for sustainable development?
More people are completing tertiary education than ever
before…
…in some countries, growth has been
spectacular…
…while others have fallen behind.
Growth in all tertiary qualificationsThe percentage of persons with a minimum of 2 years of tertiary education born in the
period shown below (2004)
Benefits of Education…
…higher employment rates…
…higher earnings for individuals
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
Male-tertiary Female-tertiary Male-below upper sec Female-below upper sec
Relative average earnings of 30-44 year-olds
Source: OECD (2004) Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators 2004, Table A11.1a, p.175.
Upper secondary and post secondary non-tertiary = 100
Increased productivity…
… and economic growth for countries
Consider South Korea 1960s
Beginning of 21st Century
WealthBelow all South American
countriesAround level of Afghanistan
20th in OECD
Educational expenditure1st in OECD in % of GDP
Educational attainmentcompleting secondary – 24th in
OECDcompleting tertiary – 20th in
OECD
completing secondary – 1st in OECD
completing tertiary – 3rd in OECD
Educational quality4th in reading, 1st in mathematics
1st in science in OECD
Educational equity1st in OECD
Globalisation and population growth
Source: UN 1998 World Population Report
The impact of globalisation for nations
6.2% range
The impact of globalisation for regions
17 % range
…and growing inequalities
What does Sustainable Development mean in the era of globalisation and
localisation?
“Sustainable development is the development
which meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs. “
Brundtland 1983
Deregulation of
companies and the rise of corporate
power
Rise of Civil Society:
activism in ecological, consumer, citizenship
issues
Corporate and
environmental crises
Globalisation
ICT revolution
Sustainable Development: Drivers
… demands for sustainability, transparency, dialogue and systematic assessment of
economic, social and environmental performance
Organisations should drive for progress on three bottom lines:
the economic, the social and the environmental…
(adapted from Elkington, 2001)
…fit for purpose……fit for people……fit for planet…
An increasingly complex environment: Challenges for universities
Demands for transparency and accountability
Pressure of International Rankings
Public Service Need to diversify funding Streams
New frontiers in research
Demands for quality, relevance and impactMassification and Widening access
Governance
New demands for HEIs...
What does Sustainable Development mean in the Higher Education scene?
…Triple Bottom Line in universities…
Economic performance
Efficient degree production
Regional employment of graduates
Direct economic impacts
Environmental performanceon-campus work to
protect natural resources
Training of environmentally conscious graduates
Policy advice, expertise and research &learning programs to support
sustainable development
Social perfomance
Promotion of wellbeing, knowhow and ownership
of staff and students
Community involvement
Good practices in stakeholder co-operation
University’s responsible behaviour
Sustainable development
University Sustainable Development
Shift from short-term to long-term
planning Close collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders
Systematic assessment of economic, environmental
and social performance and reporting of findings
Establishment of efficient
management information systems
What are the Challenges?
brings ethics to the development of
working life
facilitates continuous improvement of the
university’s performance, external impact and
capacity building
Improves risk management
improves stakeholder relations
Gives a balanced account of the university’s
economic, environmental and social performance and the impacts of its
operations
attracts highly skilled, high value labour and best
students
What are the Benefits?
How to mobilise the potential of HEIs for
sustainable development?
…Think Globally……Act Locally…
OECD Reviews of
“Higher Education Institutions in Regional
Development”
Evaluation Focus
• Regional contexts• Regional/national higher education systems
• Contribution of research to regional innovation• Contribution of teaching and learning to labour
market and skills• Contribution to social and cultural development
and environmental sustainability
• Contribution to regional capacity building
Participating Regions 2005-07
• Higher education institutions and their stakeholders in 14 regions in 12 countries were brought together in a partnership- building process led by the OECD
What Did We Learn….?
To Become Globally Competitive Countries Need to Invest in their
Innovation Systems
at the national and regional level
… HEIs can play a key role in Regional Innovation Systems,
Human Capital development…..
…. and Sustainable Development of their regions
In Castellon, Valencia, Universidad Jaume I is recognised as a world leader R&D in the
tile industry.
It has helped to transform the region’s traditional industry. The growth is built on technology transfer, spin-offs created by
staff and students and upgrading of existing technologies.
– Today, Valencia is a global leader in the tiles and ceramics industry.
Source: the Valencia Region SER
… Building on competitive advantage of regions
In Aalborg University, Denmark, up to 50% of the study work consists of problem-oriented project work: students work in teams to solve problems which have been identified in co-operation with firms, public organisations and other institutions.
At any one time there are 2000-3000 ongoing projects that ensure not only the university’s engagement with the surrounding society but also enhanced learning experience for students. Source: the Jutland-Funen SER
… Mobilising human capital and “knowledge transfer on legs”
In Central Finland, Jyväskylä Univ. of Applied Sciences has helped to rehabilitate 800 long-term unemployed back to working life with a wide range
of physical and social rehabilitation measures, partly delivered through the student training
centre.Source: Jyväskylä region SER
In the North East of England, the 5 HEIs use
sports as a means to widen access, to raise
aspirations and to enhance social cohesion
within the excluded communities. Student
volunteers play a key role in sports activities.
Source:NE England SER
In Mexico, all university students are obliged to do
480 hours community work. If linked to local
development needs and properly implemented
and monitored, this can be a powerful mechanism
of region building.Source: Nuevo León SER
… Building the social, cultural and environmental contributions…
Uncoordinated HE, S&T and territorial policy
Limits to university autonomy
Limited incentives to universities
Weak management, lack of entrepreneurial culture
Tensions between regional engagement & academic excellence
Lack of incentives to individuals
National Regional Institutional
Fragmented local govs, weak leadership
Intraregional and interinstitutional competition
universities not part of strategy work and implementation
Barriers
…Policy Changes are not enough…
… Universities need to embrace the change themselves..
…adopt Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility Agenda…
….and involve the Faculty and Students in doing this…
How would you recognise a university that has embraced
sustainable development?
…one that considers, actively promotes
and demonstrates
economic and social responsibility and
environmental sustainability
both now and for the future…
All review reports published at
www.oecd.org/edu/higher/regionaldevelopment
for information on new reviews of HE in regional development
Contact