Virtually Sustainable – Conferencing and New Ways of Working in Universities and Colleges

This JISC-funded project focuses on videoconferencing (VC) and other virtual meeting technologies as a means of reducing travel-related energy and carbon in universities. The project is undertaking the following activities:

1. Surveys in 9 universities on conferencing use by staff and, when complete, a comparative analysis of the use of virtual meeting technologies, including any fixed VC suites; the benefits of virtual meetings, including quantification of travel time and cost savings of their last virtual meeting; and the barriers to further usage of virtual meeting technologies. (See the results from the first survey, at the University of Bradford, here).

2. A survey of university travel managers from over 40 universities and colleges in the sector which will provide data on whether institutions promote virtual meetings in their travel plan , the potential for virtual meetings in their institution, the main barriers to the use of virtual meetings, and ways of encouraging more virtual meetings. 

3. A forthcoming survey of JANET videoconferencing users (fixed suites and desktop VC) to analyse their usage and satisfaction with the service, quantify the travel costs and savings of their last virtual meeting, and the barriers to further usage.

4. Virtual events which have relevant content and also showcase the use of videoconferencing through presentations delivered by videoconference and live streaming.  To date this includes:

Conferencing, Remote Working and Low Carbon in Universities and Colleges, University of Edinburgh, 26 August 2010 

The V Factor, at 4 Welsh university sites, data, in collaboration with the Welsh Video Network, 2 February 2011 

Best Practice Criteria for Sustainable E-learning, Open University, 1 Nov, 2011 

5.       A series of briefing papers, and case studies highlighting best practice on videoconferencing within the sector. 

6.       A final report (forthcoming) on the current ‘state of conferencing’ within the sector.

The project is funded by the JISC Greening ICT programme.