Swinburne University’s sustainability focus acclaimed

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Swinburne University of Technology (TAFE) has won the ‘Skills for Sustainability – Educational Institution Award’ category of the Australian Training Awards.

The award recognises Swinburne’s sustainable educational practices and the university’s commitment to transforming the way people live, work and learn.

A few examples of Swinburne’s sustainability achievements include:

  • The development of a university-wide Sustainability Strategy, which includes a commitment that by 2015, 100 per cent of programs will have sustainability embedded in the learning objectives
  • The development and delivery of a number of sustainability education and training programs mostly through the university’s National Centre for Sustainability. These include programs in carbon accounting, carbon management, sustainable energy technologies and sustainable landscape design.
  • The signing of the Talloires Declaration, committing the university to raising awareness of the need to move toward an environmentally sustainable future

    • “This award is a wonderful acknowledgement of the tremendous work of the National Centre for Sustainability,” said Swinburne Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Director of TAFE, Linda Brown.

    \”We recognise that students, businesses and our communities need to be equipped to embrace important issues as they emerge – and sustainability is one such issue. We are passionate about sustainability and believe that educational institutions are uniquely placed to contribute to the future.\”

    At the awards announced in Sydney on 19 November, Swinburne graduate Rory Smeaton took out the ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year’ Award. He has been employed since 2005 by the Football Federation and AFL Sportsready as a youth worker and successfully completed a Diploma of Youth Work at Swinburne in 2009.

    An Indigenous Liaison Officer at Kangan Institute, Smeaton’s career goal is to provide pathways to employment, education and community participation for indigenous youth.

    The Australian Training Awards are the peak, national awards for vocational education and training, recognising innovation and excellence in the training sector.

    Seven organisational categories and five student categories were announced.