The School of Fashion and Textiles at RMIT University has won another flagship sustainability award.

Following its success with the 2011 Premier\’s Sustainability Award for Tertiary Education, it has received a Green Gown Award in the Learning and Teaching category.

The prize was presented at the Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) conference in Adelaide.

The ACTS citation read: \”Over the last three years RMIT University textile design academics have creatively explored and re-examined textile design practice through the \’Curriculum Change to Embed Sustainability\’ project.

\”The program has shown leadership by providing graduates with the knowledge, skills and capabilities necessary to practise in a sustainable way as well as to be relevant, employable and visionary, with the capacity to influence change and be the future leaders of the fashion and textile industry within Australia and internationally.

\”The project places the Bachelor of Arts (Textile Design) curriculum as a leader in its field and sets a practice benchmark for the textile industry generally showing that sustainability can be applied as a standard in all aspects of design.\”

Dr Jenny Underwood and Emma Lynas received the award for RMIT. Dr Underwood said: \”Winning gives us an international voice, enabling us to engage with educators both here in Australia, New Zealand and further afield.\”

The judges said the RMIT entry provided solid evidence on the processes of how to teach sustainably, with evidence of how to measure student learning and a strong collaboration with the local community.

\”It showed a deep commitment to embedding sustainability within its curriculum and we feel the entry showed real promise for replicability elsewhere,\” they said.

Leanne Denby, President of ACTS, said the Green Gown Awards Australasia were now in their second year.

\”Not only do these awards provide an opportunity to recognise the efforts of the sector, they also provide an opportunity for others to learn about ways to approach different aspects of the full campus sustainability program.\”