Students gain hands-on sustainability experience through environmental audit

Students studying Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) have gained valuable hands-on experience by participating in a real-life Environmental Management System (EMS) audit alongside the University’s Sustainability Team.

The activity, which formed part of a taught module, was designed to give students an insight into how environmental management systems operate in practice across the University’s estate. Through direct engagement with staff and students, participants explored the opportunities and challenges involved in implementing sustainability initiatives within a complex organisational setting.

As part of the exercise, students carried out internal audit activities, gathering evidence and feedback before analysing their findings and developing recommendations. They then presented their conclusions directly to the Sustainability Team, whose ongoing work is guided by the continual improvement process at the heart of the University’s Environmental Management System.

The project not only contributed towards students’ assessed coursework but also enabled them to apply classroom learning in a practical environment, helping to develop the professional skills and experience sought by employers across the sustainability sector.

Dan Priddy, Head of Sustainability and Environment at UWTSD, said:

“Providing students with opportunities to engage directly with our sustainability activities helps bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice. By taking part in the Environmental Management System audit process, students gained first-hand experience of how environmental management is implemented across a large organisation while contributing valuable perspectives and recommendations. Their work supports our commitment to continual improvement and demonstrates the important role students can play in advancing sustainability across the University.”

Students who took part described the experience as both educational and rewarding, particularly valuing the opportunity to engage with staff members and gain insight into how environmental audits are conducted in practice.

Catherine Parnaby, who took part in the audit as part of her Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change studies, said:

“Taking part in the audit gave me a much deeper understanding of how sustainability and environmental management work in a real-world setting. It was fascinating to speak with staff, explore different aspects of the University’s operations, and see how the principles we’ve learned in class are applied in practice. Knowing that our findings and recommendations could help support future improvements made the experience especially worthwhile.”

Ioan Jeffries, also from the Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change course, added:

“The opportunity to conduct an internal audit of the university buildings was really interesting and really helped me to get a better understanding of the process of conducting an audit. It also helped my confidence in asking questions to find out more about the processes within the university that students don’t often get to see.”

Further Information

Arwel Lloyd

Principal PR and Communications Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email:  arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467076