The University of Nottingham is set to play a key role in a new collaborative project recommended for funding through the Natural Environment Research Council's (NERC) Opening up the Environment programme, helping to create more inclusive pathways into environmental science for young people across the East Midlands.
Led by Loughborough University, the project, The C3ITEES Passport: a unified model for opening up the environment, will develop a structured, inclusive and place-based approach to help young people, schools and communities engage with environmental science, climate adaptation and future careers in the sector.
The University of Nottingham joins a partnership that includes Loughborough University, the British Geological Survey, the University of Leicester, Nottingham Trent University, the Environment Agency (East Midlands), Charnwood Forest Geopark and a range of regional partners.
We're excited to continue our work with partners in Nottingham from phase one of this funding, scaling up to the regional focus of C3ITEES. Work taught in subjects like Geography and Environmental Science is vital to understanding, and finding solutions to, some of the biggest challenges society faces at the moment, and we know the broader skills students in these subjects develop are valued by employers."
"We hope the next stage of C3ITEES will allow as many young people in the East Midlands as possible to experience the breadth of the environmental sciences, and look forward to seeing many of them working in related industries, in the region, in the decades to come.
Together, the team will develop the C3ITEES Passport – an innovative model of environmental engagement designed to build young people's confidence, knowledge, skills and aspirations over time. The passport will encourage participants to explore their local environments, better understand environmental challenges and recognise their potential to contribute to a more sustainable future.
The initiative will also strengthen pathways into environmental science by connecting schools, communities, researchers, practitioners and employers through a shared model of progression and participation.
Young people have a vital role to play in understanding and responding to environmental change, but too often opportunities to engage with environmental science are fragmented or unevenly distributed."
"This project is about creating a more coherent, creative and inclusive route into environmental learning, action and aspiration. We want children and young people to feel that environmental science is for them, connected to their lives, and relevant to the places they know and care about."
The project supports NERC's ambition to widen participation in environmental science and create more equitable routes into the sector. It will place particular emphasis on sustained engagement, partnership working and the development of resources and activities that are locally relevant, accessible and scalable.
We are really excited to be working in partnership across sectors to inspire the next generation of environmental scientists and explore how we can build more inclusive routes into environmental careers. Across the East Midlands we will be bringing together schools, teachers, parents, researchers and environmental employers to showcase the breadth of environmental careers and the importance of environmental knowledge in responding to real-world challenges."
The University of Nottingham will contribute its expertise in environmental research and education while working alongside partners to develop opportunities that inspire young people to explore environmental science and consider future careers addressing some of society's most pressing environmental challenges.
