College team toasts global ‘green’ award
A sustainability team at South West College has been named on a list of the world’s best ‘green’ practitioners, it was revealed this week.
The experts fought off global competition at the International Green Awards, held in London’s Natural History Museum, to claim gold in the Best Green Educational and Sustainability Awareness Category.
Now in its sixth year, the ‘green carpet’ event recognises creative approaches to improve sustainability at business, government and citizen levels.
South West College won recognition for its development of innovative courses, including a Foundation Degree in Wind Turbine Technology, and its work to help local businesses develop sustainable ideas and products.
Aaron Black Research Lecturer with South West College‘s InnoTech Centre and Carbon Zero NI programmes said:
“This is an incredible achievement for South West College. For a further education college from rural Northern Ireland to compete and win on an International stage alongside industry heavy weights such as Samsung, Nissan, Unilever, P&G, Coca-Cola and De Beers is unheard of.
“The award shows that the curriculum and industry assistance we have developed is of the highest international standard. We are so pleased that our work has been recognised in this way.”
Awards host, Phillippa Forrester, said the judging panel was “highly impressed by the commitment shown by the College in the area of sustainable development.”
The judged praised the wide range of industrial assistance undertaken through the South West College’s InnoTech Centre in the area of sustainability and renewable energy.
Funded by the Department for Employment and Learning, the Centre is a specialist training, knowledge transfer and innovation hub.
It is designed to help move innovative ideas on sustainability, engineering, design, electronics and software closer to commercial gain. Since opening in 2009 it has provided assistance for a number of ground breaking projects including the development of wind turbines, biomass equipment, anaerobic digestion systems and hydro-energy stations for local companies.
Judges also recognised the specialist training and mentoring activities delivered through the Carbon Zero NI programmes to the local renewable energy industry.
The award follows the college’s recent success at national and international level having claimed two Association of Colleges Beacon Awards for industry engagement and STEM activities.
The 2011 International Green Awards took place on Wednesday 30th November and entries were received from across the globe, including Bahrain, Singapore, India, Kenya, United States, Pakistan, Peru, Denmark, Australia, South Africa and Sweden amongst others.
The judging criteria were based on the pillars of creativity, sustainability and effectiveness.
For further details of all this year’s winner and to find out how to get involved next year visit http://www.greenawards.com
