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Scotland’s Climate Week allows communities, schools, businesses and individuals across Scotland to celebrate our progress in taking action on climate change, while inspiring us all to go further. This is a delicate balance, and one that we at EAUC Scotland recognise well.
For more than a decade, we have been supported by the Scottish Funding Council to inspire, empower and support leadership and collaborative action for sustainability across the Scottish further and higher education sector. We work to equip the sector with the knowledge and tools to embed and achieve its sustainability goals. We convene our community, celebrate its successes and advocate for its needs. At the same time, we are a critical friend – challenging the sector to go further, faster in its net zero journey.
In this blog, we will provide an overview of our work, organised according to some of the principles of Scotland’s Climate Week.
“Start where you are”
Climate action can be daunting. We support Scotland’s colleges and universities through practical, actionable guidance and tangible support, whether they are taking their first steps towards a sustainable future or leading the way.
We are always available to answer questions relating to sustainability in the sector via our sector helpline. If we don’t know the answer, we usually know who does!
Recognising that sector staff have limited time and budgets for sustainability CPD, we have produced our Sustainability Champions Learning Pack, a self-directed learning resource available to EAUC members. However, we also produce and contribute to targeted guides, toolkits and templates to support climate action across the whole institution.
- Leadership: HE Climate Action Toolkit and Climate Action Roadmap for Colleges.
- Adaptation and climate risk: Climate risk profiles for Scottish college and university campuses agus Climate Risk Register and Tool.
- Travel and transport: Commuting Survey Guide and Tool, the Domestic and International Student Relocation Travel Emissions Calculator Tool and our Business Travel Guide.
- Biodiversity and nature: Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Guide and Template.
- Procurement: Guide to the APUC Scope 3 Supply Chain Emissions Reporting Tool.
- Careers guidance: Showing the Path to Green Jobs – a guide for careers and student support staff in FHE and How to find a job that’s good for you and the planet – a Green Careers Guide.
- Waste and circular economy: Circular Economy Guide.
Following sector feedback, we will shortly publish a guide to sustainable catering.
You can access a wide range of publications from the EAUC via our website.
“Join your climate community”
It’s not just about knowledge though; community is a powerful tool for change.
Our EAUC Scotland conference brings together more than 120 attendees from all areas of campus life. Taking place every 18 months, the conference is a place to gather as a sector and have much-needed conversations. The next conference will take place at Perth Concert Hall on 31 March 2026, and we will be sharing more information about this via our channels very soon.
Held online, our quarterly fora are more regular opportunities to discuss key sustainability topics facing the sector as they arise. For those looking to connect with sector colleagues in person, we also run regular regional meetups across the country, exploring opportunities for local collaboration in a friendly and welcoming environment.
Members in Scotland can also contribute to EAUC’s UK-wide programme of communities of practice, supporting improved knowledge sharing across nations. These mailing lists and associated events are aimed at facilitating discussion on specific topics such as Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), energy and water, or sustainability communications.
You can see our full event listings and register via our website.
“Lead by example”
Going further looks different in every institution and in every role. EAUC Scotland is here to support the sector’s sustainability journey, whatever comes next.
To shape policy and raise our sector’s profile in governmental decisions, we work with our members to develop, share and submit consultation responses.
We support institutions with their statutory climate change reporting through our PBCCD guidance for Scottish colleges and universities, as well as by holding annual peer-review cycles and producing analysis reports.
To help individual staff understand their role in institutional carbon reduction efforts, we offer Carbon Literacy Training tailored to the university and college sector.
In the face of the sector’s financial challenges, we continue to explore innovative ways to fill resourcing and knowledge gaps, such as our current Education for Sustainable Development pilot (details to be shared shortly) and our shared sustainability resourcing partnership with Forth Valley College, Borders College and Queen Margaret University.
You can learn more about EAUC Scotland on our website or contact us at scotland@eauc.org.uk. You can also register as a member contact to receive our newsletter, sign up for events and access member-only resources.
To follow our activities and connect with our work you can follow EAUC on LinkedIn, Instagram and Bluesky
Alice Smith, Communications and Governance Officer, EAUC Scotland 1 October 2025
Photo: Gemma McNaughton
