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The Environment and Geography department at the University of York has set an ambitious goal to become the most influential department in the world for providing environmental solutions by 2032. This will require us to do things differently, not just follow the path of others.

As the world faces multiple environmental crises, from climate change to biodiversity loss, the ecosystem services that humanity has relied on for millennia are rapidly being degraded. This is causing escalating levels of ‘eco-anxiety’ in society, and the feeling among many that the challenges are too large to be surmounted. Not only do Universities have a key role to play in helping to find solutions to these environmental challenges, we also need to provide independent, trusted and reliable information, perspectives and education to society at large. This is crucial for influencing positive change in an era of information overload. These dual responsibilities are the key driver of what we are striving for in the Environment and Geography department, and strongly aligns our purpose with that of the University of York’s mission to work for public good. However, society and the role of Universities within it, is also changing at a rate and in ways never seen before. We need to be alert to this, and to be increasingly innovative and dynamic in the ways we do research, teach and engage with the wider world.

The scale and nature of current environmental challenges also requires working collaboratively through partnerships, stakeholder engagement and co-design where the success of one partner reinforces the other, allowing for greater impact and influence. Our partners are diverse and include students, businesses, charities, local communities, government departments, and other educational institutions (schools and universities), from our city and region to across the world.

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title	OUR 2032 VISION

In 2032, we will be working in innovative and creative ways with our partners to support more equitable and just outcomes for people and the planet. We will be developing new and influential ways of disseminating and co-creating knowledge about environmental solutions. Together with our teaching and research, our work on engagement and partnerships will be shaping new narratives, behaviours and practises of individuals, businesses and policy-professionals to help enable more equitable and sustainable futures.

Our aspirations for influence:

Influence through being different, not necessarily trying to be the best in what others already do

Influence because our department is who people turn to - for skills, knowledge, experience, technology and wisdom

Influence by having equitable co-creation of change and capacity building to help tackle the environmental challenges of our time

Influence by having and working through mutually beneficial and supportive partnerships

Influence because we are an inspirational force for good and society values what we do and have to say

Influence by continually striving for our own change and questioning who we are, what our purpose is, and how we can be of more value

Influence through stories & positive messaging - right place, right tone, right time

Influence through nurturing a 'University for life' - fully engaging with alumni

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title	KEY GOALS AND ACTION PLAN (2022-2026)

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title	ONE-YEAR

Engagement and Influence Team: Continued growth and improved coordination of the existing team to include new staff with relevant skills / duties and the appointment of a full time (equivalent) Communications Officer. We will also look to integrate our engagement and partnerships strategy with that of the Environmental Sustainability Academy at York (ESAY).

Teaching Programme: Continued engagement with the re-structure of the teaching programme to include the development of new content and the appointment of new lecturers at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels focussed on environmental communication and outreach.

Communications: Conduct a review and refresh / restructure of our webpages to incorporate our new strategies and to rebrand us as a solution-focussed department.We will aim to double the media coverage we generated the previous year.

Policy and Practice Influence: Further support and expand our interactions with environmental standards and policy makers, from the University (e.g. Green Impact Awards) to key international forums / boards such as the IPCC, IPBES and the IUCN.

Alumni: Increased interactions with our alumni to support career development of our students, research and teaching partnerships, and our mission to be ‘a University for Life’.

Impact Advisory Board: Our Advisory board to be reconfigured and reconvened in summer 2022. Two existing members have agreed to continue, so we will need to recruit approximately six new members. The Office for Philanthropy has agreed to help us with this process. Members will be sought from the business, environmental and scientific sectors and include several prominent alumni. A new approach and terms of reference will have been developed which focus on our ambition to increase impact and influence.

Strategic Partnerships: We will conduct a stock-take / road map of existing partnerships within the department to identify key strengths, gaps and opportunities. The first of our KTP projects with businesses will have commenced.

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title	THREE-YEAR

Engagement and Influence Team: A fully established engagement and influence team that is self-sustaining and is supported by an appropriate business model for further growth. This would include expertise in communications, knowledge exchange, partnership development/fundraising, and academic expertise relevant to teaching and research in this area.

Teaching Programme: An appropriate teaching programme capable of providing funds and expertise to support development of innovative and influential engagement activities: Two academic staff members that can deliver appropriate undergraduate and postgraduate courses in topics such as social media, campaigning, and environmental communication. This would build expertise in the Department and provide opportunities for student projects and engagement that enhances our ‘influence’.

Communications: High quality web/outreach/communications/branding that is confident, shows our uniqueness, and is inspiring and oriented towards our core transactional audiences.

Policy and Practice Influence: Continued improvements in the environmental sustainability of our own operations. Increased staff and student representation on key national and international advisory boards / forums.

Alumni: Effective and extensive partnerships with our alumni that fully utilised their potential and supports their continued engagement in our Departmental approach to an ‘education for life’. Enhanced programme of exchange with our alumni that includes placements / internships, research and teaching partnerships, and positions on our External Advisory Board.

Impact Advisory Board: A fully active, highly influential impact advisory board that opens up opportunities and helps drive and supports our ambition. A group that works for and with us to enable our mission.

Strategic Partnerships: A set of carefully selected and nurtured set of core and influential strategic partnerships with a select number of community groups, education providers (schools and other Universities), environmental organisations and industry at both a local and international level. A minimum of three ongoing KTP projects with local and national businesses. This will include the strengthening of key partnerships within the University, particularly ESAY.

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title	FIVE-YEAR

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Engagement and Influence Team: A continually growing engagement and influence team who have become nationally and internationally recognised for their innovative and effective ways of communicating environmental solutions and influencing change.

Teaching Programme: The teaching restructure of 2024 continues to mature. Communicating environmental solutions, building equitable partnerships and influencing transformative change has become a key part of the curriculums of all of our undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Communications: We have become one of the first departments in the UK that the media, businesses and policy makers turn to as a trusted, effective and inspirational source of information on environmental solutions.

Policy and Practice Influence: We have become a nationally and internationally recognised model for how to run an environmentally sustainable and inclusive University department. The majority of our staff hold positions on key national and international environmental advisory forums / boards. We will have identified an appropriate number of potential four star REF impact case studies.

Alumni: Our ongoing interactions / partnerships with alumni will have matured even further. We will have employed a full-time Alumni Officer to further nurture these relationships for the mutual benefit of our alumni and our department.

Impact Advisory Board: Our impact advisory board continues to develop and become further embedded in our strategic decisions and the career development of our students.

Strategic Partnerships: Our strategic partnerships are continuing to blossom and work synergistically to provide environmental solutions. We have developed an outstanding reputation as a trustworthy, supportive and sensitive partner that others from within our region to across the globe want to work with. Businesses are approaching us to set up further KTP projects.

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