As the EAUC's LIFE fires up for its 1st November launch, publicity for it increases. The latest I have spotted is in the EAUC's own digital EARTH magazine where you will find the following:
No time-wasting please!
LiFE directly replaces UtC [ Universities that Count ] and we’ve listened and learned from all the feedback we have received. We have openly engaged with the sector and have been working hard to ensure that LiFE is not just another time-consuming reporting tool that is a drain on your resources.
What is LiFE?
LiFE is a bespoke and comprehensive system that will help universities and colleges manage, measure, improve and promote their social responsibility and sustainability performance. It has been developed in collaboration with institutions and people from across the sector, as well as our funding partners HEFCE, HEFCW, SFC and DELNI.
Not just another league table
We know how disappointing it can be to see all of your hard work ignored as league tables are publicly announced that bear no real relationship to how you are genuinely performing. LiFE is not about random naming and shaming. Instead, LiFE institutions can use their accreditation to publicly promote their achievements and benchmark their success against the sector, both nationally and internationally. That makes LiFE a much more positive and effective experience for institutions than a traditional league table.
Quite a lot of promises here from EAUC – following a deal of investment from HEFCE. Both must be hoping that institutions will buy into it – metaphorically as well as more literally through their cheque-books.
EAUC Director, Iain Patton, said this in an interview in the October issue of University Business magazine:
LiFE accreditation will be confirmed through independent verification. That’s an important part of the value that the LiFE accreditation brings – independent verification. In addition, we’ll have a process that allows for peer review of performance. It’s important that universities and colleges are allowed to learn from, and share with, one another. ... They will also be able to use LiFE to directly drive improvement within their institutions. That makes LiFE a much more positive and effective experience for institutions than a traditional league table.
Appropriate ambition; but it will be interesting to see how accreditation and validity are kept in balance, particularly as it's not at all clear what is to count as "sustainable", and who is to say.
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