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Sustainability updates

We'll keep this area updated with developments and changes which impact our sustainability goals:

January 2025

  • We publixed a story about one of our Art and Design Lecturers, Colette Davies who presented a paper at the International Journal of Art and Design Education (IJADE) conference.The paper, titled ‘Peaceful Connections: Exploring Creativity and Well-being through Biosphere Engagement’, highlighted how the Isle of Man's UNESCO Biosphere status offers a unique, immersive environment for art students to explore sustainability, biodiversity and mental wellbeing through creative expression. Read the full story.
  • Staff visiting the EFWA group of our staff visited the Energy from Waste Plant (aka the Incinerator) in order to better understand where our waste goes, the importance of reducing our consumption, what we should recycle and why, and what we can be doing to educate the next generations about the importance of these things, particularly for our Island. 

November 2024

  • Exploring Creativity and Well-being through Biosphere Engagement; in partnership with Amy Howse, the Biosphere Isle of Man artist in residence, and Jim Rawson, artist and designer, one of our Lecturers, Colette Davies, has created a meditation to “bring you, wherever you are in the world, to the natural Isle of Man Biosphere environment.” You can try the meditation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1xgBmDp65Y
  • Matthew Warren, module leader for both Creativity and Problem Solving and Sustainable Business Practices (who is also a director of local company Earthscope which, amongst other things, delivers Carbon Literacy training across government) spoke on the panel on the Isle of Man Offset Market at the Sustainable Finance Symposium.
  • UCM Alumni Emma Sayle (who graduated from with a Masters in Business and Sustainable Practice spoke on a panel at the inaugural Isle of Man Sustainable Finance Symposium 2024 at the Villa Marina. Emma achieved her Masters through placements with the Unesco Biosphere Isle of Man team at DEFA, and currently works at Hansard as their Sustainability Officer.

October 2024

  • Sustainability was one of the three themes for our annual Research Festival.
  • Bill from Beach Buddies Isle of Man popped in to see some incredible work created by our art students from materials found on the beaches. This is a great example of how we're embedding sustainability into our courses.

September 2024

  • We were represented on the Biosphere Isle of Man judging panel. We were really impressed with the standard of applications, and it was inspiring to see the work being done on our Island. One of our sessional music lecturers, Matthew Warren, who is also a founder of Earthscope won an award. 

August 2024

July 2024

June 2024

  • Beach Buddies joined some of our staff over a lunchtime to do a litter pick around our Homefield Road campus. 
  • We signed up to the SDG Accord
  • Our annual awards ceremony 'The UCM Awards' was heavily influenced by sustainability with nearly all elements for the set design being pre-loved, pre-used or reclaimed. 

April 2024

  • Our Adult Learning team held the second Learn4Life event which was themed around sustainability. Presented by Nancy Shefford, Sustainability Officer at Capital International, the event promoted upskilling in sustainability and at the event we launched new sustainability courses. Find out more and watch the recording of the event here. 

March 2024

  • We encouraged students and staff to reduce, reuse and recycle through a series of social media posts, a staff leaflet and a takeover of our poster holders, screens and table talkers.
  • Our new recycling points were created with signage to remind students and staff about the benefits of recycling. 
  • Some of our General Studies students have been working alongside Beach Buddies. This has been a great opportunity to develop their employability, communication and teamwork skills, as well as benefiting the environment!

January 2024

  • Biosphere Isle of Man published an article from our Vice Principal Geoff Chatwood about our sustainability journey. Read the article here. 
  • Graham Dugdale from Manx Utilities provided a staff drop in session to help staff reduce their energy consumption
  • We're always looking to embed sustainable practices into our curriculum. Here's an example of a guest speaker who visited our Construction, Architecture and Surveying students to discuss sustainability in this industry.

December 2023

  • Have you visited our Annie Gill café? As well as the incredible lunches and cakes you can also enjoy a delicious ‘proper’ coffee. BUT did you know that the used coffee grounds are given to our Land Management team to use in their compost!
  • With support from their tutor, our Childcare & Early Years Education students made this fantastic Christmas Tree which doubles up as a recycling bin. Thank you to Sadler Agricultural Supplies for providing the materials. 

November 2023

UCM Students visit Douglas City Council recycling centre

  • Did you know we have a Training Restaurant? As part of their course, our Catering, Hospitality & Food Service students learn Barista skills (we also run a Barista Adult Learning Upskilling course), and when they're finished with the coffee grounds we reuse them in our bakery (also a learning environment where students learn their skills). 
  • Student Services announced the Gift Exchange initiative ahead of Christmas.
  • Our Student Services Team is continuing to promote sustainability through the Clothes Exchange, which was originally launched in 2022 with read success (read the news article here).
  • We launched two new Adult Learning 'Just for Fun' courses which promote Sustainable Fashion. Read the full story. 
  • We're encouraging our students to explore Green Careers by getting involved in Green Careers Week through the tutorial programme. 
  • Our level 1 Vocational Studies student recently visited Douglas City Council’s Recycling Facilities to learn all about what happens to our recycling, where is goes and what happens next.

October 2023

 

  • Some of our Art Students were runners up at the Biosphere Isle of Man Awards for a project involving sustainable fashion.
  • The cups available at our water dispensers are Vegware
  • In October 2023 we officially launched our sustainability model with events for students, staff and the wider public. The plan was launched to the wider public at the Research Festival - read the story here or click here to watch the presentations from the Research Festival including the presentation of our sustainability plan from Geoff Chatwood. 
  • Our Research Festival included a keynote address from Climate Change Scientist Douglas Fox.

July 2023

June 2023

May 2023

  • Our management team all completed Carbon Literacy training
  • In May 2023 we conducted a survey of our students to find out their views on sustainability. The key findings were:
    • 25% strongly agreed and 57% agreed that they had a good understanding of climate change & sustainability
    • 63% agreed or strong agreed that they know where the recyclings bins are at UCM
    • 70% agreed or strong agreed that they recycle paper, cans & plastic whenever they can
    • 72% agreed or strongly agreed that UCM is committed to sustainability
  • In May 2023 we conducted a survey of our staff; they were asked where they think UCM should focus in terms of sustainability. The top 3 answers were:
    • Reducing waste, increasing recycling & purchasing environmentally-responsible products
    • Conserving energy, making buildings more energy efficient & generating energy from renewable sources
    • Conserving water and/or capturing rainwater and runoff 

April 2023

We launched a new sustainability course - read our news story here.

2018

  • We've been an avid supporter of Biosphere Isle of Man, and since 2018 have played an active role by: