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UHI courses aim to boost regional sustainability
Thursday 25 July 2024 - 09:42
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) has launched a series of new courses to help local businesses in the Highlands and Islands meet Net Zero and other environmental standards.
UHI announced plans to deliver the new range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses and Professional Certificates online. Courses can be completed in between six and 12 weeks and will be available to students worldwide. However, the focus will be on providing opportunities for regional Scottish businesses to upskill and become more sustainable.
Dr Michael Smith, lead developer for the new courses, said that creating a flexible and relevant offering was at the heart of the project:
"I am delighted we can offer these postgraduate short online courses to businesses and individuals seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills in particular areas of importance to rural economies.
“Unlike many of our other programmes, these short courses are available for enrolment at any time of the year, allowing participants to study at their convenience and earn credits towards future postgraduate-level qualifications."
Subjects covered by the new sustainability courses include renewable energy, wildlife and resource management, environmental impact assessments, carbon footprinting and training for a variety of sectors to improve their engagement with communities. Scotland’s colleges have long been seen as crucial drivers for the country’s ambitious environmental goals, including the Net Zero targets and the “green revolution” meant to train and upskill workforces to function more sustainably.
UHI’s partner campuses are among the many colleges in Scotland growing their green curriculums and looking for ways to improve professional development.
Dr Su Bryan, Dean of the Faculty of Science, Health and the Environment at UHI said that Scotland’s employment landscape is changing. Incoming workers need to be trained in the latest environmental standards and technical knowledge, and existing employees need opportunities to update their working methods.
Dr Bryan said adaptable, accessible further education and professional development courses are one way to meet these needs, and they build on UHI’s founding principles.
“We are passionate about empowering people to make a difference to challenges such as climate change. In fact, Sustainable Development was UHI’s first-ever degree and our first fully online programme.
“These professional development courses are designed to address current and future issues. Our lecturers are involved in different ways in their own local communities, and we bring these experiences, as well as our academic skills in climate change, geography, economics, rural development, politics and public policy, to our teaching and research.”
More information on the courses available and registration can be found on the UHI sustainability webpage.