TwoEA-M seminar, Research Centre for Strategic Environmental Assessment, University of Nankai, Tianjin, China 20-21 March 2010 A review of EA-related taught Masters programmes in Scottish universities, emphasising the role of strategic environmental assessment Tony Jackson University of Dundee, Scotland, UK
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TwoEA-M seminar, Research Centre for Strategic Environmental Assessment, University of Nankai, Tianjin, China 20-21 March 2010 A review of EA-related taught.
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TwoEA-M seminar, Research Centre for Strategic Environmental Assessment, University of Nankai,
Tianjin, China20-21 March 2010
A review of EA-related taught Masters programmes in Scottish universities,
emphasising the role of strategic environmental assessment
Tony Jackson
University of Dundee, Scotland, UK
Scope of presentation• data from recent surveys on UK & Scottish
taught Masters programmes
• data on UK EA-related taught Masters
• data on UK environmental practitioners
• impact of Scottish EA legislation on Scottish EA educational trends
• Scottish EA-Masters in relation to SEA and carbon reduction training
• SWOT analysis of Scottish EA-Masters
UK Masters programmes in general
• first major survey of UK Masters programmes undertaken in 2009 by UK Higher Education Academy (14,421 responses) indicated that:– students mainly took such programmes for
professional qualifications, career enhancement and personal interest
– they had very positive views about their teaching and learning experience and about their staff
– they rated most highly the development of their research and transferable skills, along with personal confidence about independent learning
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
perc
enta
ge
Professionalqualification
Improveemployment
prospects
Personalinterest
En routeresearchdegree
Career change Professionalentry
Current jobrequirement
Other
UK Higher Education Academy 2009 Taught Postgraduate Experience Survey: Main Motivations for Taking UK Postgraduate Programme
(14,421 responses)
Desire for professional qualification, career enhancement and personal interest are main motivations for those taking UK Universities
Masters programmes
Students on UK Masters programmeshad very positive views about
teaching & learning and about the staff
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
perc
enta
ges
Course isintellectuallystimulating
Staff areenthusiastic aboutw hat they teach
Staff are good atexplaining things
Teaching &learning methodsare effective for
programme
Staff made subjectintersting
Staff are availablew hen needed
I am happy w ithteaching support
There is suff icientcontact time
betw een staff &students to supporteffective teaching
UK Higher Education Academy 2009 Taught Postgraduate Experience Survey: Student Views on Teaching & Learning, and on Staff
(14,421 responses)
Students rated UK Masters programmes most highly for development of research & transferable skills, and for developing confidence about independent learning
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
perc
enta
ges
Developed researchskills
Developed transferableskills
Greater confidenceabout independent
learning
Confidence in tacklingunfamiliar problems
Helped present myselfwith confidence
Improvedcommunication skills
UK Higher Education Academy 2009 Taught Postgraduate Experience Survey: Student Views on Skills & Personal Development (14,421 responses)
Scottish Masters programmes in general
• latest Scottish Government statistics indicate total numbers on Scottish Masters programmes rose 70% from 1999-00 to 19,510 in 2007-08
• students from outside EU account for 68% of overall rise in Scottish post-graduate qualifications over this period
• two-thirds of holders of Scottish post-graduate qualifications go into professional occupations
• unemployment levels for holders of Scottish post-graduate qualifications remain very low despite the recession (less than 3%)
Two-thirds of IEMA recognised UK Masters are in environmental sciences, environmental assessment &
management, and engineering & technology
Information on UK IEMA members
• 41% of IEMA members surveyed in 2007 hold Masters degree as highest qualification (1,131 out of 2,759)
• IEMA members cover many areas of environmental responsibility in their work, the most being environmental management systems, waste, environmental legislation
Highest academic qualification of IEMA members2007 survey (2,759 responses)
5%
41%
11%
24%
9%2%
8% Doctor
Master
PG Dip
Bach (Hons)
HNC/HND
Other
Not stated
41% of IEMA members hold a Masters degree as their highest qualification
Main work areas of IEMA members, 2007 survey (2,759 responses)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
per
cen
tag
e
Main work areas of IEMA members cover environmental management systems,
waste & environmental legislation
Nature of EA Masters teaching reflects different conceptions of role of EA
• some academic approaches advocate EA purely as a scientific, technocratic and instrumental process, intended simply to implement policy-decisions on how to protect the environment
• others regard EA in addition as a communicative, participatory and substantive tool, designed to explore decision-making processes and to examine their validity and underlying value-judgements
• differences in the interpretation of the role of EA are particularly apparent in strategic environmental assessment (SEA), which forms a central part of teaching in leading Scottish Universities professionally-accredited EA Masters programmes
Trends influencing ScottishEA-Masters programmes
• Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 sets most demanding SEA requirements in EU
• covers all Scottish public sector policies, plans & programmes (PPPs), whether voluntary or statutory
• without properly-executed SEAs, Scottish public sector PPPs cannot be implemented and have no legal effect
• legislation intended by Scottish Ministers to make ‘Scotland a world leader in SEA’
SEA in Scottish public sector• any Scottish public sector PPP that may have
significant environmental effects (both positive & negative) is now subject to SEA prior to adoption & implementation, which entails:– undertaking an assessment evaluating the significant effects
on the environment– publishing this information in an Environmental Report (ER)
and consulting the public on both the ER and the PPP– taking account of the ER and of the views expressed during
the consultation prior to adopting the plan– putting into place mitigation actions to prevent, reduce or
offset adverse effects– monitoring the effects of the PPP on the environment
Sector PPP carried over from previous
year
PPP started in 2008
Total PPPs active in
2008
%
AgricultureForestryFisheriesEnergyIndustryTransportWaste ManagementWater ManagementTelecommunicationsTourismPlanning & land useMiscellaneous
1140004220
322412
101205700
166217
2141209920
488629
1.06.90.51.00.04.54.51.00.0
23.742.514.4
Total 91 111 202 100.0
PPPs subject to Scottish SEA 2008(Source: SEA Unit Scottish Government)
National level PPPs Local & regional level PPPs
Second National Planning Framework
Scottish Planning Policy
Scottish Forestry Strategy
EU Structural Funds Programmes
Rural Development Programme
National Transport Strategy
Historic Environment Programmes
Radioactive Waste Plan
Scottish Climate Change Legislation
Scotland’s Railways Plan
Marine Renewables Plan
Aquaculture Strategy
Scottish Soils Framework
Strategic Transport Projects Review
Development plans
Land Use Master Plans and Development Briefs
Regional Transport Strategies
Renewable Energy Strategies
Local Biodiversity Action Plans
Housing Strategies
Access Strategies
Forestry Strategies
Drainage Plans
Planning Frameworks
Regeneration Strategies
Local Transport Strategies
Sustainable Development Strategies
Economic Development Operating Plans
Area Waste Plans
Core Path Plans
Regional Park Plans
National Park Plans
Range of Scottish PPPs subject to SEA
Examples of Scottish UniversitiesMasters programmes in EA and EMS
• three Scottish examples demonstrating EA programmes in engineering, in environmental sciences, and in spatial planning:– University of Strathclyde (Glasgow) MSc in Environmental
Studies (12 months Faculty of Engineering programme delivered through David Livingstone Centre for Sustainability)
– University of St. Andrews MSc in Sustainable Development (12 months School of Geography and Geosciences)
– University of Dundee MSc in Spatial Planning with Environmental Assessment (12 months School of Social and Environmental Sciences planning-based programme)
University of Strathclyde MSc in Environmental Studies (180 credits)
Compulsory modules (12 credits each) Electives (10-12 credits each = 72 in total)
Principles of sustainable developmentApplied strategic environmental
Sustainable environmentsUrban economicsPlanning theory
Place designStatutory planningStatutory systems
Development project managementPlanning knowledge management
Environmental assessment (covering EIA and SEA)
Accredited by Royal Town Planning Institute
Eligible for IEMA accreditationResearch project (30 credits)
Scottish EA Masters training for specific professional skills: carbon budgeting
• Scottish Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 has adopted target of 50% of Scottish energy from renewables by 2020
• greenhouse gas reduction targets to be delivered via mandatory carbon reduction commitment placed on all large non-energy intensive businesses & Scottish public sector organisations
• objective to reduce emissions by 0.5 million tonnes of carbon per year by 2015, rising to 1.2 million tonnes per year by 2020
• 5,000 Scottish organisations with energy consumption of 6 MW or more per year covered
• SEA crucial in promoting a low carbon development process, in combination with new software for measuring carbon footprints
Local Footprint initiative• Scottish public bodies must now calculate their carbon
allowance responsibility, purchase requisite allowances, monitor & report annual energy consumption, & keep evidence pack which involves an audit trail
• carbon accounting software being developed to help them meet these statutory obligations
• termed Local Footprints Project, this is joint venture by WWF Scotland & the Sustainable Scotland Network, with funding & support from Eco-Schools Scotland, the Improvement Service, the Scottish Government & Scottish Power
• University of Dundee MSc in Spatial Planning with Environmental Assessment provides training in applying this technique for SEA of development plans
Carbon modelling of development plans
• project uses Stockholm Environment Institute Resources and Energy Appraisal Programme (REAP) inter-active software package, designed to model their current & projected local activities for their carbon (and ecological) footprints
• input data on relevant scenarios (next slide)
• decision on new housing or transport or energy developments then modelled through REAP software to identify lowest carbon footprint (second slide)
Housing/Transport Calculator
Projections translated into REAP variables
Enter REAP variables into Scenario editor
Scenario Development – Data Input
Councils developing scenarios
SWOT analysis of ScottishEA/EMS Masters programmes
• based on personal involvement in all three Scottish EA-related Masters programmes outlined, including interviews with students taking these programmes:– around half 20-30 annual intake of each programme
consists of overseas students from non-EU countries
– two programmes (Dundee & Strathclyde) offer direct entry into professional careers, through RTPI and IEMA qualifications
– all three subject to regular external academic programme review, with Dundee & Strathclyde also subject to professional review
SWOT analysis of ScottishEA/EMS Masters programmes
• strengths:– often professionally-accredited, with graduates
quickly gaining employment in appropriate careers– graduates meet need for new skills in EIA & SEA to
deliver climate change targets through application of quantitative carbon-budgeting techniques
– dovetailing of university training at Masters level with Scottish Government initiatives in training public sector staff to undertake new legislative responsibilities in SD, SEA, EIA and carbon budgeting
SWOT analysis of ScottishEA/EMS Masters programmes
• weaknesses:– limited exposure to environmental law & auditing– limited training in policy-formulation, project
appraisal and programme management skills– emphasis on electives in some programmes allows
possibility of degree pathways which do not fully cover professional EA/EMS requirements, necessitating further subsequent on-the-job training
– limited on-site experience during programme: little opportunity for placements, so exposure to actual practice mainly from guest speakers and research project
SWOT analysis of ScottishEA/EMS Masters programmes
• opportunities:– rapidly increasing global demand for professionals
with EA/EMS skills, demonstrated by growth of international bodies such as International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA)
– career in EA/EMS offers flexible career opportunities for disseminating professional expertise across many sectors and many countries because of extensive international sharing of core skills and techniques, reflected in common components in university Masters EA/EMS syllabi
SWOP analysis of ScottishEA/EMS Masters programmes
• threats:– potential divergence between:
• technical/instrumental approaches to EA/EMS covered by science- & engineering-based Masters programmes, which often assume such skills are simply designed to facilitate delivery of policy decisions; and
• deliberative/substantive approaches in social science- & management-based Masters programmes, which see EA/EMS also as means of exploring and questioning values on which decisions are made, helping promote better policy formulation for sustainable development
– need to ensure that both instrumental and substantive aspects of EA/EMS are supported