A partnership will be launched next week between Otago Polytechnic’s Centre for Sustainable Practice and Solscape Eco Retreat for short courses and fulltime education in sustainable practice to be run from Raglan next year.
The link-up between the Manu Bay accommodation provider, which has a focus on environmental and sustainability-related practices and education, and the Dunedin-based tertiary education institute will allow recognised courses in the emerging area of sustainable practice to be offered to people living in the Waikato and Auckland regions.
People keen to learn about sustainable practice and the opportunities and qualifications available are encouraged to attend a launch event at Solscape on Friday week, September 23, from 5 to 7pm.
The Centre for Sustainable Practice is a fast-growing business unit of Otago Polytechnic which already has a presence in the Waikato and Auckland regions where it facilitates sustainable business programmes in partnership with local government.
The success of these programmes, and increasing demand for the newly launched (2011) Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice, has encouraged the centre to offer short courses and fulltime programmes based at Solscape from next year.
Centre Manager Steve Henry says the fulltime courses offered through Solscape will be the Level 7 Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice and the Level 5 Certificate in Sustainable Practice, provided there is demand.
Also on offer are short courses in areas such as Social Media, Implementing Sustainable Practice, Sustainable Community Development, and Introduction to Permaculture Design.
Phil McCabe of Solscape says he’s delighted to welcome the centre and looks forward to facilitating learning in the area of sustainable practice. “By partnering with Otago Poly’s Centre for Sustainable Practice we can offer recognised, tertiary qualifications in the field of sustainable practice right here in Raglan.
“Raglan is already well known as an environmentally aware and active community, and Solscape has been communicating sustainability messages and operating with sustainable practices for a number of years, so working with the centre to offer these mainstream qualifications is a natural partnership for us.”
