Student responses to climate knowledge: enabling climate concern to flourish
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
ISSN: 1467-6370
Article publication date: 25 June 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine a co-produced initiative implemented at the University of the West of England, UWE (UWE) between September 2022 and April 2023. The student-led project (Climate, Conversations and Cake: The 3C’s) addressed environmental and climate crisis awareness through monthly gatherings where, in partnership, students, academic staff and professional personnel gathered to share food, engage in conversations and partake in joint activities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper draws upon a mix of student and staff feedback, gathered through surveys and written/verbal reflections, to explore the value and impact of this project.
Findings
The project received two UWE student Union awards for teaching sustainability and for student welfare, and was a finalist in the UK and Ireland Green Gown Awards. The 3C’s provided a platform for emotional expression by fostering a safe and supportive environment and encouraged students to reflect, share, apply and deepen their learning experiences in an informal setting characterised by compassion and empathy. This paper highlights the importance of developing supportive and compassionate pedagogical practices which recognise and normalise climate concern.
Originality/value
The findings contribute to the growing body of literature on co-produced projects within higher education institutions, showcasing the potential of such initiatives to encourage meaningful engagement and empower students in addressing the pressing challenges of climate crisis. In addition to providing an evidence base for the value of such initiatives, through outlining the specifics of this student-led project, a framework that can be used by other institutions to develop their own initiatives is offered.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Erratum: It has come to the attention of the publisher that the article, Williams, S.-J., Portus, R. and De Laurentis, C. (2024), “Student responses to climate knowledge: enabling climate concern to flourish”, International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2023-0408 was published with uncorrected errors introduced during the production process. This has now been corrected in the online version. Edits include minor grammatical and typographic errors. The publisher sincerely apologises for this error and for any inconvenience caused.
This work was funded through the Student Union Change for Change funding stream of the University of the West of England. Special thanks to Vicki Harris (Sustainability Engagement Lead) and Faith Terry-Doyle (Student Sustainability Engagement Coordinator), and the students involved for their involvement with this project.
Funding: The funding for the Climate, Converstions and Cake project came from the UWE Student Union Change for Change fund: 2022-2024.
Citation
Williams, S.-J., Portus, R. and De Laurentis, C. (2024), "Student responses to climate knowledge: enabling climate concern to flourish", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-09-2023-0408
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited