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 EAUC ANNUAL CONFERENCE, APRIL 2007

INTRODUCTION 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. The application of these principles to places is important because it cuts across the sectoral elaboration and implementation of sustainable development. A sectoral approach alone cannot possibly answer the challenges of sustainable development – this is because it generates fragmented, suboptimal actions. But we continue to emphasise sectoral, silo thinking – this is evident in many aspects of public, private and voluntary sectors. 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 Has its origins in theoretical and empirical evidence, dating back to late 19 th Century. 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. Local `ownership’ is essential if communities are to be sustainable, and this implies engagement. The approach requires a change in the way in which students are taught, in supporting research and in the university community.

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES MODEL 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 The model also seeks to promote effective governance, investment and accountability – these are essential requirements in order to promote confidence and real involvement. The model can be considered through eight components plus the `master component’ of placemaking. Wide range of disciplines and professions contribute to building the sustainable communities team.

Key Components

Sustainable communities occupations

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES COMPONENTS 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. 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. 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 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. 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). 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. 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 Egan report identified a number of generic skills considered essential for all contributors to sustainable communities - this common skills set covers over 90 occupations. Generic skills include:  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 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’ The ASC has also developed a range of partnership agreements and commitments.

DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES: THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES 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. 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.