University of Bath to offer every fresher climate change training
In partnership with the Carbon Literacy Project, the university will offer students access to a climate course during their induction
The University of Bath has today announced the launch of a major new carbon literacy training programme, in partnership with the Carbon Literacy Project, that will be available to new and returning students during their induction to the University this month.
The scheme, which will be provided by Manchester Metropolitan University Carbon Literacy Toolkit for Universities, was first trialled last year with about 100 students and will teach students about carbon usage in everyday life and how to reduce emissions through their own actions and as part of organisations or systems.
The University is offering the scheme to the entire undergraduate intake of about 5,000 students and postgraduate students, who can then follow-up on the initial training with The Carbon Literacy Project, which offers everyone a day’s worth of Carbon Literacy learning.
“We’re delighted to roll this out to all our new students with the Carbon Literacy Project after it was so well received in last year’s pilot,” said Dr Steve Cayzer, climate action learning and teaching liaison at the University of Bath.
“The idea came from the belief that every student coming to Bath should have a level of Carbon Literacy and that we wanted to weave that into the student experience and give everyone the chance to get involved.”
The initiative is part of the University’s Climate Action Framework, which was developed by the student union and staff and has committed the institution to achieving absolute carbon neutrality by 2040 and providing every student with the opportunity to learn about climate change.
“We know that this is an issue that students care about passionately and is something that will have a bearing on the rest of their lives,” said Cayzer. “By introducing Carbon Literacy right at the start of the University experience we begin to get people into that mindset and thinking straight away, as well as helping them develop knowledge and skills that will be valuable throughout their lives.”
Additional training with The Carbon Literacy Project allows students to achieve a certificate, for a £10 fee, although the University has said they will offer subsidies for students on low incomes or from disadvantaged backgrounds. The further training covers climate change, carbon footprints, and how people can take action to curb emissions.
Emma Richards, project leader at The Carbon Literacy Project, said the charity was thrilled to be working with the University of Bath and “can’t wait to see more universities follow their lead”. “Carbon Literacy is a core competency in the workplace, much like health and safety, so by increasing access to Carbon Literacy whilst at university, students like those at Bath will be much better equipped for entering a zero-carbon workforce,” she said.
