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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Campus Sustainability Organizations Partner to Expand Resources
Collaboration designed to enhance global higher education sustainability dialogue

York, U.K. (March 27, 2012)—With the goal of fostering a global dialogue around higher education sustainability, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) in America, Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS), and Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC) in the United Kingdom have partnered to share member resources.

Members from each organization will now have access to all resources including publications, e-newsletters and networks, as well as sharing good practice from around the globe on issues such as resource efficiency, education, waste minimization and sustainability reporting.

The partnership officially kicks off today at the 16th Annual EAUC Conference at the University of York. EAUC CEO Iain Patton, AASHE Executive Director Paul Rowland and ACTS President Leanne Denby will discuss how the partnership aims to raise the profile of sustainability education internationally through access to a wealth of information, support and good practice from across the globe.

“This new partnership between EAUC in the U.K., AASHE in North America and ACTS in Australasia redefines and multiplies the value of membership of each of our organizations. Combining and sharing our collective knowledge and expertise is a monumental achievement for the advancement of sustainability in global tertiary education, and the EAUC looks forward to further opportunities of working together for the benefit of all our members,” says EAUC CEO Iain Patton.

“We breathe the same air, the waves that lap our shores come from the same bodies of water, we are connected economically, socially and environmentally,” notes AASHE Executive Director Paul Rowland. “Sharing our resources allows us to learn from one another across the national and geographic divides, and allows us to better face the challenges of creating a more sustainable world.”

ACTS President Leanne Denby is “delighted to be a part of this international collaboration to bring the best practice, knowledge and expertise to the fore for its members. The tripartite agreement to share member resources between ACTS, EAUC and AASHE further highlights the benefits to be gained by working at an international level, and the fundamental role of associations that support sustainability being embedded into the core business of tertiary institutions. We look forward to learning from our colleagues across the globe, whilst also sharing our own learnings with others.”

Members of each association will find information and details about this new shared access on the home page of their respective organizations.

AASHE members, please visit our web page for instructions on how to access EAUC and ACTS resource centers.

About AASHE

AASHE is helping to create a brighter future of opportunity for all by advancing sustainability in higher education. By creating a diverse community engaged in sharing ideas and promising practices, AASHE provides administrators, faculty, staff and students, as well as the business that serve them, with: thought leadership and essential knowledge resources; outstanding opportunities for professional development; and a unique framework for demonstrating the value and competitive edge created by sustainability initiatives. For more information about AASHE, visit www.aashe.org.

About EAUC
The EAUC supports the tertiary sector to shape its future and to realize its role in helping people acquire and develop the knowledge, skills and capabilities for living and working for a sustainable future. The EAUC is a strong alliance of universities and colleges, sector bodies and commercial organizations, working together both in the UK and internationally. For more information about EAUC, visit www.eauc.org.uk.

About ACTS
ACTS is a nonprofit member based organization representing higher and further education institutions within Australia and New Zealand. ACTS aims to inspire, promote and support change towards best practice sustainability within the operations, curriculum and research of the tertiary education sector. ACTS seeks to build community and business partnerships at the local, regional and international level, in order to bring together a network of people for positive engagement, capacity building and change. For further information about ACTS, visit www.acts.asn.au.