Transcript 7. Delivering Sustainable Communities, Professor Peter

EAUC ANNUAL CONFERENCE, APRIL 2007
Delivering Sustainable Communities: Learning, Research and
Applications – the Role of Universities and Colleges
Professor Peter Roberts, Chair of the Academy for Sustainable
Communities and Professor of Sustainable Spatial Development
University of Leeds
INTRODUCTION
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Sustainable communities approach provides a way of relating the principles of
sustainable development to places – at various spatial levels, and at various stages
of development: new places, steadily evolving places, regenerating places.
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The application of these principles to places is important because it cuts across the
sectoral elaboration and implementation of sustainable development.
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A sectoral approach alone cannot possibly answer the challenges of sustainable
development – this is because it generates fragmented, suboptimal actions.
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But we continue to emphasise sectoral, silo thinking – this is evident in many
aspects of public, private and voluntary sectors.
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Many academics rightly criticise others for thinking and working in silos, but many
universities then do exactly the same - organisation, operation, learning and
research.
Sustainable Communities
Regenerating
Places
Evolving
Places
New
Places
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES THINKING
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Has its origins in theoretical and empirical evidence, dating back to late 19th Century.
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Early pioneers of planning (and other disciplines and professions, including
biologists, architects, geographers, public health workers, sociologists and civil
engineers) recognised the importance of integrated place-based thinking – Ebenezer
Howard’s `social city’ approach and the classic Geddes valley section.
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But much subsequent elaboration of theory and practice has emphasised sectoral
concerns, often because the complexities of reality appeared to be too challenging
to politicians, professionals and other actors, including academics.
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However, sectoral actions have failed to deliver the managed transformation of
communities – for example, dealing with housing through comprehensive
redevelopment and rehousing on peripheral estates has created major problems,
whilst just building houses will not create communities.
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES APPROACH
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Tackles the placemaking deficit – this reflects past failures to deal with all aspects of
a community through an integrated approach - this is a challenge in the UK and the
European Union.
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Also reflects the absence of sufficient and adequately skilled and experienced
professionals and other partners involved in making and maintaining places – this is
a key challenge for higher education.
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A key element of the deficit is the problem of ensuring that the components of a
sustainable community are delivered by a team of professionals working with other
actors, including local residents.
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Local `ownership’ is essential if communities are to be sustainable, and this implies
engagement.
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The approach requires a change in the way in which students are taught, in
supporting research and in the university community.
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES MODEL
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Attempts to deliver:
 responsible economic development
 social inclusion and social justice
 responses to social segregation
 effective environmental management
 successful towns and cities
 integrated spatial development
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The model also seeks to promote effective governance, investment and
accountability – these are essential requirements in order to promote confidence and
real involvement.
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The model can be considered through eight components plus the `master
component’ of placemaking.
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Wide range of disciplines and professions contribute to building the sustainable
communities team.
Key Components
Sustainable communities occupations
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES COMPONENTS
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The eight plus one components represent both content and process –
they draw upon established theories of social, environmental, economic
and spatial intervention and they provide a means of delivery through
participation, partnership and governance.
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Each component reflects specific education and training needs, but
many cross boundaries between individual disciplines and professions
– this implies the need to attend to both subject – specific skills and
knowledge and generic skills and knowledge.
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The sustainable communities components also provide relevant and
appropriate areas for consideration at various spatial levels: a
community can be a community of interest at neighbourhood, village,
town, city, regional or national level, but it can equally be a college or
university campus.
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
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Reflecting established academic convention, the sustainable communities
capability agenda incorporates the development of skills and knowledge –
both are essential in order to equip individuals with the capabilities
required to engage in placemaking and to provide insights, methods and
models that can influence action.
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In order to provide skills and knowledge the Egan Review proposed the
creation of a new national agency – this was eventually established as
the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC).
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The ASC is the UK focal point for EU action on sustainable communities –
the Bristol Accord and Leipzig meeting mean that this is also EU policy.
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ASC works in partnership with a wide range of organisations and
agencies to deliver skills and knowledge – key partners are universities,
colleges, professional organisations and funding bodies.
GENERIC SKILLS
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Egan report identified a number of generic skills considered essential for all
contributors to sustainable communities - this common skills set covers
over 90 occupations.
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Generic skills include:
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visioning and strategic thinking
programme design and implementation
project management and delivery
financial management and appraisal
leadership
conflict resolution
team and partnership working
stakeholder management
breakthrough thinking
process and change management
analysis, decision making, evaluation
communications
INTER-DISCIPLINARY AND INTER-PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND
RESEARCH
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In order to promote skills and learning for sustainable communities, the ASC
has developed and is developing a number of learning and research
`products’, including:
 generic skills undergraduate and postgraduate modules (which can be delivered
as sub-module units within existing modular structures)
 foundation degree programme
 continuing professional development modules and programmes – working with
professional bodies and universities
 specific short courses and briefings
 community-based skills programmes
 exemplar projects and learning laboratories
 bespoke research related to best practice
 a joint ASC / ESRC research programme
 a programme for young people - `Making Places’
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The ASC has also developed a range of partnership agreements and
commitments.
DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES: THE ROLE OF
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
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The ASC regards higher education as a major partner – HE is the `pivot
point’ in provision – it links the efforts made to stimulate interest in
sustainable communities careers at secondary school level with the supply
of professionals and informed citizens.
Higher education can help to deliver sustainable communities through:
 teaching and learning – generic skills and understanding, team learning and
action projects, CPD, special programmes
 research and knowledge – projects on labour market and skills, generic
research, best practice assessments, access to expert knowledge
 sustainable community campus – social, environmental and economic action,
sustainable communities management team, audits and reviews
 community outreach - HE can offer a wide range of facilities to local
communities – schools, city-wide, individual neighbourhoods, exemplars.
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The ASC cannot deliver the skills and knowledge needed to create and
maintain sustainable communities alone – we welcome your active support
and participation in all aspects of our work.