FIE: Foundation for International Education
EN-6: Assessing Sustainability Culture

Based on a recommendation from FIE's Sustainability Action Group (StAG), for the past few semesters, questions related to students' knowledge of and participation in FIE's sustainability initiatives have been included in the end of programme feedback form. This information provides not only feedback on current sustainability initiatives but helps guide StAG in discussions for the improvement of current programmes and development of future initiatives.

Please see attached a snapshot of the sustainbility-focused questions found in FIE's student-feedback survey. (Please note it is a PDF labelled 'Student Feedback Survey - Snapshot of Sustainability Questions'.)

From the Fall 2016 survey - Sustainability at FIE
New section to the questionnaire the questions (which, as mentioned, are uploaded below) explored the awareness and involvement of students in the FIE initiatives and their recommendations for future improvements. 96% of the students who responded were aware of the Student Switch Off campaign, followed by 64% for second handbook sale and 39% for the Meet Free Monday. 56% of the students who responded took part of in the Student Switch Off campaign.

After the student survey is collected, the relevant sections are reviewed by respective teams. For example the Sustainability section mentioned above is reviewed by the Sustainability Action Group (StAG). From this review, if changes or any action is required it is recorded on the Team Action Plans spreadsheet. As I have used up my quota for uploads in this section, explanatory notes from the 'Feedback Action Plan - Guidelines 2017' is as follows:

Team Action Plans - Guidelines
Why do we need a plan?
A key purpose of collecting student feedback is to use it as one of the tools which
help us measure the quality of our services. Reviewing the feedback in a more formal
way helps us identify specific actions which each one of us can take to improve the
quality of the services we deliver and hence increase student satisfaction.

The Team Action Plans spreadsheet (TAPs) facilitates each team in the process of
reviewing student feedback, planning and tracking their progress on improvements
being made. It also offers staff members the opportunity to see what other teams are
working on, exchange ideas and collaborate.

How to complete your action plan?
While following the guidelines of the process is at the discretion of each team, here
are some directions for completing the Team Action Plan.
• Year and Semester: record the year and semester of the feedback report
where the action item derives from
• Action: action which a team member or the team as a whole will complete in
order to address specific student feedback responses
• Responsibility: once the actions have been identified please indicate the
person responsible for each action
• Source: indicate whether this action came directly from the student feedback
data, focus groups, partners or organisations such as the QAA and BAC
• Deadline: to be able to track the progress of each action item please state in
this column the approximate deadline for completing it.
• Status: indicate if the task is complete, in progress or no longer applicable;
make sure to regularly update as and when you complete tasks
• Results: briefly state if you managed to make any significant progress over the
task and how. If you can already see the results of your action, make sure to
specify them

What are the deadlines for updating your plan?
Feedback Results are to be sent to FIE team 3 weeks post departure date of each
semester. The results will be sent as follows:
• Fall – report will be sent post semester end date
• Spring – to include Winter Quarter, Spring and Spring Quarter Data; report will
be sent post departure date of the last Spring Quarter programme
• Summer – report will be sent post departure date of the last programme for the
semester
Each team is expected to review the student feedback data and submit the
completed action plan form within 4 weeks of receiving the aggregated semester
report.

Who should update the action plan?
While the active participation of each team member in the discussion of the results is
highly recommended, the final edit and submission of the action plan should be done
by the Senior Management Team (SMT) member.
*Please note, the SMT member can designate a director or other team member to
follow through with the process.

How does the action plan fit into the whole feedback process?
Step 1: 3 weeks post semester end each team receives the feedback report
Step 2: SMT member/Director schedules a team meeting to discuss the feedback,
preferably allowing at least 2 weeks for the team members to go through the
feedback individually and make notes on their observations. Ideally, the meeting
should take place within 4 weeks of receiving the feedback report.
Step 3: In the meeting, team members should share their observations. Next the plan
should be completed by the SMT member preferably in the meeting working together
with the team members to identify action items, allocate responsibility and determine
deadlines for completing the tasks. Alternatively, notes could be made and the plan
could be edited after the meeting.
Step 4: Team should regularly review the action plans of the other teams and identify
if there are any overlapping action items which members of different teams could
work together to address.
Step 5: SMT member tracks progress on action items. When an action is complete brief
description of the end result should be recorded in the final column of the form.

*** End of Guidelines***

What's next: FIE is currently in the process of creating a 'student voice page' on our website. The page will have a section labelled 'You said, we did' where there will be a direct match of student comments and the actions FIE has taken.

FIE has embedded sustainability in all formats and working structures, and as such is not something the company 'does' so much as 'is'. Indeed, sustainability at the core makes up FIE's identity and how the company functions.

As aforementioned in prior categories, FIE has four articulated values: ‘Knowledge & Inclusivity’, ‘Ethics & Human Rights’, ‘Social & Cultural Reflection & Action’, and ‘Commitment to the Environment’. (http://www.fie.org.uk/about-us/our-values). At FIE, sustainability practices are found in every department and academic structure.

Sustainability themes are embedded in FIE’s academic curriculum and as such it is a part of FIE’s formal academic assessment process. Sustainability is also part of FIE’s scholarship pathways, existing in final assessments for study only pathway students as well as internship students.

Sustainability is also evident in FIE’s student residences via the Student Switch Off (SSO) campaign, social media advice and recipe initiatives. In addition, FIE students are encouraged to donate and buy second hand books and donate their unwanted clothing items to TRAID (via FIE) before they leave London.

Around FIE’s campus there are posters discussing FIE’s commitment to the environment and its actions to decrease its carbon footprint as a company through partnership with Climate Care and support of The Marol Academy in South Sudan.

From the moment staff are introduced to FIE they are asked during the interview process what they feel about FIE’s core values and how they feel they can contribute. Teaching staff are also asked to embed FIE values into their courses where appropriate.

The FIE Facilities Team source, where they can, sustainable products – from the washing powder used in residences to what light bulbs are fitted.

FIE also has a myriad of signage on walls in campus halls and residences. For example, in FIE classrooms and computer labs, all laptops have screensavers that remind students and staff of FIE’s values and to ‘switch off’ computers after use. FIE also has stickers on light switches reminding staff and students to 'switch off' and to consider how what is seemingly a small act has a greater positive impact on the environment.

In sum, a copy of FIE’s Sustainability Action Group's Audit is attached, which outlines clearly each department’s role, goal and what has already been put in to action. This audit has thus far been the way by which FIE's Sustainability Action Group has assessed all FIE sustainability efforts.