University of Tasmania, Australia

Creative and critical inquiry leads change: The Sustainability Integration Program for Students

The University of Tasmania’s Sustainability Integration Program for Students (SIPS) is a best-practice example of place-based student engagement and sustainability education in the tertiary education sector. Since 2010, the program has involved thousands of students in real-world sustainability challenges and created opportunities for student leadership. SIPS provides meaningful, authentic learning experiences for students via collaborative design of focused learning programs that address on-campus operational priorities.

To date, 203 projects have involved over 2,235 students and 104 staff from 12 academic and professional areas and all Tasmanian campuses. Students undertaking curricular and co-curricular research projects have delivered significant measurable sustainability improvements to campus life, services, and infrastructure.

The program provides engaging student experiences by inviting and guiding participation in real-life challenges. Through SIPS, students take advantage of, or create their own, opportunities to further develop and use their disciplinary skills to highlight the positive sustainability impacts of their learning.

What the Judges Thought

Judges felt that this project demonstrated strong student ownership and staff mentoring to achieve tangible impacts across the entire university over a sustained period of time. This holistic, intersectional model to student engagement has international appeal for the sector.

Top 3 Learnings

1. Dream big and design for collaboration. Bring disciplines, professional-academic staff, industry, alumni, and students together.
2. Value inclusion, diversity, and differences. We are all learning, and everyone is needed in sustainability.
3. Celebrate learning in place. It brings creativity and critical inquiry to complex challenges.