FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Candi Reddick
Director of Marketing & Communications
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
(888) 347-9997
creddick@aashe.org
AASHE Awarded a Grant from Microsoft to Support Centers for Sustainability Across the Curriculum
Philadelphia, PA (March 21, 2023) – The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) was awarded a grant from Microsoft to advance its Centers for Sustainability Across the Curriculum program.
Launched in 2017, the Centers program supports faculty members in integrating sustainability into their courses. Centers organize at least one workshop or other professional development offering annually to advance the integration of sustainability across the curriculum. Hundreds of faculty from various disciplines have been engaged since the Centers’ inception.
With support from Microsoft, over the next two years, AASHE will expand the Centers program globally by recruiting new institutions to become Centers and organizing a support group to train faculty leaders from other institutions to establish sustainability across the curriculum programs. The aim is to support hundreds more faculty from institutions around the globe leading to lasting changes to the curriculum and a deeper understanding of sustainability among students.
This work aligns with Microsoft’s efforts to close the “sustainability skills gap,” the need for a more sustainability literate workforce in order for businesses to achieve their sustainability goals.
The ultimate impacts of this grant will last beyond the two-year funding period as the new Centers and sustainability across the curriculum programs are catalyzed through Microsoft’s support.
“We’re excited to engage many more faculty from around the globe to transform their curriculum, better preparing students with sustainability knowledge and climate solutions,” said Meghan Fay Zahniser, Executive Director of AASHE.
When sustainability is integrated into introductory courses such as economics, chemistry, or business, thousands of students in each institution can benefit in a year. Additionally, evidence from other programs suggests that faculty members who are intellectually excited by sustainability go on to change their teaching and inspire others for years to come.
“Organizations like AASHE help confront a huge gap in our workforce,” said Naria Santa Lucia, General Manager, Digital Inclusion and Community Engagement, Microsoft Philanthropies. “By providing opportunities for people to learn sustainability skills, we can move the needle in the right direction in the fight against climate change.”
To learn more about AASHE’s Centers for Sustainability Across the Curriculum, please visit https://www.aashe.org/partners/centers-for-sustainability-across-the-curriculum/.
About AASHE
AASHE empowers higher education administrators, faculty, staff and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. AASHE enables members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders. We work with and for higher education to ensure that our world’s future leaders are motivated and equipped to solve sustainability challenges. For more information, visit www.aashe.org. Follow AASHE on Facebook and Twitter.
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