Governance
Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability)
In 2010 the University announced the creation of the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability) headed by Professor Carol Adams. Replacing the Sustainability Taskforce that had existed in 2009, the Office is the driver behind La Trobe’s determination to make sustainability central to everything we do.
Climate Change, unsustainable resource use and increasingly inequitable access to the benefits of economic development are some of the major challenges that have to be tackled on a global scale.
Issues of Sustainability and social responsibility will affect everyone’s career in the future. La Trobe and the Office of the PVC (Sustainability) will make a difference.
In October 2011, La Trobe won the ‘Continuous Improvement – Institutional Change’ award at the 2011 Green Gown Australia awards, recognised for the development since 2009 of its Best Practice Sustainability Governance and Management structures.
Read the media release.
The role of sustainability at La Trobe
Watch Professor Adams discuss the role of Sustainability at La Trobe.
It will seek to develop responsible leaders, professionals and citizens by:
- Recognising that sustainability encompasses economic, social and environmental dimensions.
- Integrating sustainability across all operations, curriculum and research.
- Embedding sustainability in the culture and practices of the University through the broadest engagement with staff, students, employers and partners in the community and in government.
- Becoming known as the leading sustainable university in Australia and a leader internationally.
Committees and forums
The Office reports to and consults with a number of bodies at the University.
Sustainability Management Committee
The Sustainability Management Committee consists of senior personnel from across the University and provides the necessary oversight, advice and leadership concerned with achieving the sustainability objectives.
The Committee will also endeavour to support the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability) in differentiating La Trobe in the national and international Higher Education sector through excellence and leadership in sustainability business practice.
The Committee reports to the University’s Planning and Resources Committee.
Sustainability forum
The Sustainability Forum is made up of nominated members from each faculty and division of the University, the NTEU and the University student unions.
The overall aim of the Forum is to support the University’s ongoing sustainability objectives.
Specifically it will:
- Garner energy and support for sustainability issues from staff and students.
- Assist the Sustainability Management Committee in achieving sustainability actions and outcomes which involve the university community.
This will be done through consultative stakeholder engagement processes.
External Sustainability Advisory Board
The External Sustainability Advisory Board is primarily made up of members external to the University who are experts in one or more aspects of sustainability.
The Board assists the University in adopting a best practice approach in managing its social, environmental and economic sustainability performance across operations, curriculum and research and changing behaviours amongst staff and students so as to become a leading sustainable organisation.
The Board reports to the Vice-Chancellor.
Sustainability is part of the University's long term vision. View La Trobe's Vision 2015.
Further information
For more information, please contact the Office.
