ACTS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
11 NOVEMBER 2020, 12.30PM AEDT | 2.30PM NZST
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This year, the ACTS Annual General Meeting will be held virtually. All members, partners and supporters are welcome to attend the meeting. Here, the Executive Board will provide an overview of our 2020 activities as well as plans for the year ahead. This is a valuable opportunity for you to engage with our Board, provide feedback and let us know what you would like to receive from your membership. The AGM is open for anyone to attend, however only ACTS Institutional Members will be invited to vote virtually on proposed resolutions and election of officers.
Invitations are also open for members to join the ACTS Executive Board. Paramount to the success of ACTS is the time and dedication provided by our voluntary Board; this passionate group of sustainability-minded professionals and educators has guided the strategic direction of ACTS, supported its initiatives and broadened the standing of ACTS regionally and in an international arena. Nominations are open until the 10th November 2020.
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JOIN OUR FIRST VIRTUAL AWARDS
26 NOVEMBER 2020, 6.00PM AEDT | 8.00PM NZDT
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Eleven years strong, the Green Gown Awards Australasia continue to recognise exceptional sustainability initiatives being undertaken by tertiary education institutions. In lieu of holding our traditional gala dinner and awards event, finalists in the 2020 awards will be celebrated in our very first virtual awards broadcast!
We invite you to join us to celebrate the champions and innovations for sustainability in tertiary education this year; our free and interactive online event will feature the usual fun and excitement of the awards, delivered in the we-are-all-in-this-together-while-apart covid safe format! While we showcase the outstanding achievements of our finalists and announce the winners of this years awards, there will also be prizes available on the night for those that get involved (see the next story to find out how).
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STAR IN THE AWARDS BROADCAST
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We are calling on Green Gown Award Australasia finalists, ACTS members and supporters to be an active part of our Green Gown Awards Australasia broadcast! To get involved all you have to do is follow these 3 simple steps:
- Dress to impress. Even though you’ll be participating in the awards virtually, there’s no reason not to dress for the occasion.
- Download and print our audience props (or you can display them on your device to avoid printing).
- Record yourself reacting as an audience member! Clapping, cheering and showcasing the official audience props.
You don’t need any fancy equipment; filming from the back camera on your phone (ie. the better quality one) is all you need. Just don’t forget to orientate your phone sideways! Individuals and groups can email up to 1 minute of video footage to ggaa@acts.asn.au by the 19th November 2020 and we’ll include your reactions as part of the official awards broadcast.
During the stream on the 26th November, our live audience will be voting for the most creative participants, with prizes up for grabs for each:
- Best audience reaction
- Best dressed audience member/group
- Most creative background
Make sure you’re in it to win it, and help us bring some real fun and atmosphere to the virtual awards!
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RENEW MEMBERSHIP AND SAVE!
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ACTS Members can now take advantage of our new multi-year membership offer and save in the process. Renewing membership for more than one year means you not only lock in the 2020 rates (ahead of the 1 January CPI increase), but also equals further discount the longer you renew!
Renew ACTS membership for...
3 years and get a 5% discount
4 years and get a 10% discount
5 years get a 15% discount
Already renewed your membership this year? Not a problem! If you've already renewed membership for 2021 but would like to take advantage of this offer, simply get in touch with our team and we can extend your membership at current rates along with the relevant discount/s.
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Top 10 reasons for joining ACTS
- ACTS supports our members in delivering improved environmental, economic and social performance, including realising associated savings in efficiency, utilities, carbon, resources and time.
- ACTS supports members to build capacity within their organisations by providing access to the most up-to-date information and resources.
- ACTS provides a platform for members to engage in stimulating, thought-provoking and leading edge discussions to inspire and drive change.
- ACTS enables institutions to share knowledge and collaborate with other like-minded institutions.
- Connect with practitioners, learn from the best examples in the sector and use the experiences of ACTS members to develop solutions to sustainability challenges and apply them to your organisation.
- With assistance from ACTS, you can turn your sustainability aspirations into practical initiatives and the opportunity to achieve improved results and genuine change. The LiFE tool, which can be used to drive improvement in sustainability outcomes, is free for ACTS members.
- ACTS membership demonstrates your institution’s commitment to embedding sustainability wherever you may be on your journey.
- ACTS membership enables institutions to demonstrate their leadership in sustainability within the sector, in the community and internationally.
- With assistance from ACTS, you can effectively engage and empower your students and staff in your sustainability journey.
- ACTS supports members to equip their graduates with the skills they need to become responsible global citizens.
Once your institution is a member, all your staff and students can enjoy access to our educational resources and the many benefits of being an ACTS member.
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UTAS DIVESTS FROM FOSSIL FUELS
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The University of Tasmania recently announced a commitment to support the creation of a zero-carbon economy. It will include the delivery of a plan which sees the University divest from fossil fuel-exposed investment funds by the end of 2021.
The University has committed to applying a negative investment screen to fossil fuels and a positive screen to companies and funds which contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Effective immediately, no further investment will be made in companies or funds with exposure to fossil fuels.
“We have taken great strides in recent years – and we are proud of those achievements – but we need to take the next step change as an organisation in supporting a future which is sustainable for this and future generations.” University Vice-Chancellor Professor Black said.
Professor Black said the change in investment strategy was a milestone to which many had contributed. “We have arrived at this juncture through the collective wisdom and effort of a great many people. Our staff and students expect us to be sustainability leaders and we are intent on honouring that expectation."
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FIVE DAYS OF POWERFUL TALKS
16 - 20 NOVEMBER 2020
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ACTS members are invited to join the virtual global collaboration bringing together the world’s best tertiary education students, academics, leaders and professionals to address the Climate and Ecological Emergency.
The climate crisis happens at a global scale and more so, in a world that has experienced numerous drastic caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, a focus on green recovery and climate action is vital. This can only happen with the help of thought-leadership from the education sector across the world and by listening to the student voice and that of the wider sustainability sector. Together, we need to emerge stronger by fostering resilience to future shocks like disease outbreaks and to limit the impacts of climate change.
With 10 Keynote sessions and 60 workshop sessions with over 90 speakers from 18 countries, the program to set to have something for everyone - check it out here.
A Super Pass (allows 3 logins) for an institution at just £600 (~$1000 AUD) and students can join for completely free. You can dip in and out, catch up with sessions missed and watch additional content on-demand extras and for a month after the event too.
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GREEN IMPACT AUDITS IN FULL SWING
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The ACTS team has been busy training over a hundred student volunteers virtually and on-campus as auditors for our popular Green Impact program.
Audits are an integral part of Green Impact, they not only verify the thousands of exceptional sustainability actions undertaken as a direct result of the program; they provide a valuable learning and skills development opportunity for students from any faculty, school or learning discipline.
This year, 13 institutions across Australia and New Zealand adapted the Green Impact program so that it could be implemented by staff and students regardless of their covid restricted working environments. We're half way through the end of year auditing phase and students have reviewed over 3000 small yet meaningful actions that support pro-sustainability behaviour change and have tangible environmental, social and financial benefits for participants in their home and workplace.
ACTS has a limited number of availabilities for institutions to join the 2021 Green Impact program. If you would like to learn more about how Green Impact can support sustainable behavior change and engagement your institution, get in touch with us at green.impact@acts.asn.au.
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INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION CLIMATE ACTION SUMMIT AUTUMN 2020
THURSDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 2020
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The number of globally mobile students is growing each year (more than 5 million students in higher education alone). The CO₂-e emissions associated with this mobility are estimated at 14-39 megatons per year and students around the world are increasingly keen to make more sustainable study choices. The purpose of this Summit is to explore what these developments mean for international education and to build the capacity of practitioners in the sector to respond to the climate challenge.
The event will explore the implications for policy, business models and operations, and showcase initiatives by institutions and educators around the world; looking at opportunities to reduce emissions from your international operations, to incorporate climate action into your strategy and to build climate literacy among students and staff. Find out more here.
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ACTS members are invited to share news and events in upcoming editions of enACT. To be featured please email a brief description, landscape image and link to info@acts.asn.au.
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