Valeria Vargas

Academic and professional qualifications

BA (Hons) Music with Emphasis in Audio Production, Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia
MA Contemporary Curating, Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom
PGCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom

Previous employment

Education for Sustainable Development Co-ordinator, Manchester Metropolitan University

Senior Lecturer in Academic Professional Development, Manchester Metropolitan University

Languages

Advanced French

Advanced English

Native Spanish

Elementary Italian

Research expertise

I am a Research Associate working on Education for Sustainable Development in the Department of Natural Sciences. My research is multidisciplinary and I work with colleagues in research and knowledge exchange projects across Manchester Metropolitan University. My expertise is focused on organisational change and institutionalisation processes in higher education in the context of sustainable development. I have conducted higher education policy review at institutional, national and international level whilst also developing and implementing institutional policy at Manchester Metropolitan University and supporting policy development for education in Colombia. I have experience of working in research projects and activity to support implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Europe and the Americas (South, Central and North America).

In my role I also support the development of undergraduate and postgraduate curricula with a focus on skills and knowledge related to education for sustainable development. Currently, I teach in units of the Biology, Geography and Environmental Science undergraduate programmes. I have also taught in Science Communication, Higher Education, Fine Art and Design postgraduate programmes.

I am passionate about education for sustainable development research and the possibilities it brings to develop students’ future facing skills and knowledge, and capacity building amongst staff. Also, for the potential of education for sustainable development implementation to help in addressing global environmental and societal issues such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

Publications

• Featured Works

  S. Powell, V. Ruiz Vargas, O. McCabe, L. Yuan (2022). Future Student Experience Project: A reputational ecosystem for higher education, Manchester Metropolitan University. AdvanceHE, AdvanceHE.

  LM. Barrios, A. Prowse, VR. Vargas (2020). Sustainable development and women's leadership: A participatory exploration of capabilities in Colombian Caribbean fisher communities. Journal of Cleaner Production. 264, pp.121277-121277.

  VR. Vargas, R. Lawthom, A. Prowse, S. Randles, K. Tzoulas (2019). Implications of vertical policy integration for sustainable development implementation in higher education institutions. Journal of Cleaner Production. 235, pp.733-740.

  W. Leal Filho, C. Shiel, A. Paço, M. Mifsud, LV. Ávila, et al. LL. Brandli, P. Molthan-Hill, P. Pace, UM. Azeiteiro, VR. Vargas, S. Caeiro. (2019). Sustainable Development Goals and sustainability teaching at universities: Falling behind or getting ahead of the pack?. Journal of Cleaner Production. 232, pp.285-294.

  V. Vargas, R. Lawthom, A. Prowse, S. Randles, K. Tzoulas (2019). Sustainable development stakeholder networks for organisational change in Higher Education Institutions: a case study from the UK. Journal of Cleaner Production. 208, pp.470-478.

• Books (authored/edited/special issues)

  WL. Filho, R. Noyola-Cherpitel, P. Medellín-Milán, VR. Vargas (2018). Preface.

  WL. Filho, R. Noyola-Cherpitel, P. Medellín-Milán, VR. Vargas (2017). Sustainable Development Research and Practice in Mexico and Selected Latin American Countries. Springer.

• Journal articles

  LM. Barrios, A. Prowse, VR. Vargas (2020). Sustainable development and women's leadership: A participatory exploration of capabilities in Colombian Caribbean fisher communities. Journal of Cleaner Production. 264, pp.121277-121277.

  VR. Vargas, R. Lawthom, A. Prowse, S. Randles, K. Tzoulas (2019). Implications of vertical policy integration for sustainable development implementation in higher education institutions. Journal of Cleaner Production. 235, pp.733-740.

  W. Leal Filho, C. Shiel, A. Paço, M. Mifsud, LV. Ávila, et al. LL. Brandli, P. Molthan-Hill, P. Pace, UM. Azeiteiro, VR. Vargas, S. Caeiro. (2019). Sustainable Development Goals and sustainability teaching at universities: Falling behind or getting ahead of the pack?. Journal of Cleaner Production. 232, pp.285-294.

  WL. Filho, F. Doni, VR. Vargas, T. Wall, A. Hindley, et al. L. Rayman-Bacchus, K. Emblen-Perry, J. Boddy, LV. Avila. (2019). The integration of social responsibility and sustainability in practice: Exploring attitudes and practices in Higher Education Institutions. Journal of Cleaner Production. 220, pp.152-166.

  V. Vargas, R. Lawthom, A. Prowse, S. Randles, K. Tzoulas (2019). Sustainable development stakeholder networks for organisational change in Higher Education Institutions: a case study from the UK. Journal of Cleaner Production. 208, pp.470-478.

  W. Leal Filho, S. Raath, B. Lazzarini, VR. Vargas, L. de Souza, et al. R. Anholon, OLG. Quelhas, R. Haddad, M. Klavins, LV. Orlovic. (2018). The Role of Transformation in Learning and Education for Sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production. 199, pp.286-295.

• Chapters in books

  MDP. Cornejo-Rodriguez, MJ. Borbor-Cordova, D. Ochoa, SC. Quispe-Prieto, A. Paucar-Caceres, et al. V. Vargas, D. Haley, J. Espinoza-Molina, E. Osco-Mamani. (2021). Enhancing Self-determined/Socio-Ecological Resilience to Flooding in marginalised communities of Ecuador and Peru. In: Handbook of Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham,

  M. del Pilar Cornejo-Rodriguez, M. Julia Borbor-Cordova, D. Ochoa, SC. Quispe-Prieto, A. Paucar-Caceres, et al. VR. Vargas, D. Haley, J. Espinoza-Molina, E. Osco-Mamani. (2021). Enhancing Self-determined/Socio-Ecological Resilience to Flooding in marginalised communities of Ecuador and Peru. In: Handbook of Climate Change Management. Springer International Publishing, pp.4279-4296.

  PM. Hernandez, V. Vargas, A. Paucar-Cáceres (2018). Education for Sustainable Development: An Exploratory Survey of a Sample of Latin American Higher Education Institutions. F. Walter Leal. In: World Sustainability Series. Springer International Publishing, pp.137-154.

  F. Cocchiarella, V. Vargas, S. Titterington, D. Haley (2018). Research Informed Sustainable Development Through Art and Design Pedagogic Practices. In: World Sustainability Series. Springer International Publishing, pp.207-221.

  VR. Vargas, G. Heyes (2016). Scaling up the Woven Filigree: (un)Common Systemic Thinking to Embedding Sustainability into the Curriculum in a Large-Scale Higher Education Institution in the UK. In: World Sustainability Series. Springer International Publishing, pp.299-312.

  A. Langdown, VR. Vargas (2015). Integrating Sustainable Development Within Teaching Fashion Education. In: Integrative Approaches to Sustainable Development at University Level. Springer International Publishing, pp.539-550.

• Conferences

  S. Daimer, S. Randles, VR. Vargas (2018). RRI and institutional change: Studying ‘deep institutionalisation’ in non-European cases. Paris, 6/6/2018.

  AJ. Prowse, V. Vargas, C. Neame The role of educational development in developing and interpreting university missions: what’s wrong with Motherhood and Apple Pie?.

  AJ. Prowse, VR. Vargas Potential of the Human Capabilities Approach for Strategy Development in Higher Education.

  MJA. Fernando, C. Boyd, A. Langdown, V. Vargas Sustainable Wool Processing developed with the Academic Curriculum. Cyprus, 16/3/2015.

• Reports

  S. Powell, V. Ruiz Vargas, O. McCabe, L. Yuan (2022). Future Student Experience Project: A reputational ecosystem for higher education, Manchester Metropolitan University. AdvanceHE, AdvanceHE.

  A. Morley, V. Ruiz Vargas, T. Burrowes-Cromwell, PM. Hernández Díaz, M. Ramírez, et al. S. Boyce, S. Osman. Strengthening Collaborative Food Waste Prevention in Colombia: Towards Responsible Consumption and Production – COLLARES Project Report.

  T. McCowan, W. Leal, V. Vargas (2021). Chapter 11: Overcoming obstacles to sustainability: lessons from the seven countries. Hamburg, Germany: , Körber-Stiftung.

  V. Vargas (2021). Chapter 9: United Kingdom. Hamburg, Germany: , Körber-Stiftung.

  W. Leal, V. Vargas (2021). Chapter 3: The Role and Impact of the University. Hamburg, Germany: , Körber-Stiftung.

  P. Warnke, A. Röß, A. Spitzley, M. Friedrich, T. Klages, et al. A. Wuchner, S. Randles, V. Vargas. (2019). D10.4: User Briefs, WP 10 Multi-level learning and communication, Joining Efforts for Responsible Research and Innovation (JERRI), European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 709747. , European Commission.

  A. Prowse, VR. Vargas (2016). Potential of the Human Capabilities Approach for Strategy Development in the Higher Education Curriculum. Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE), Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE).

• Other

  K. Beasy, JK. Polanco O'Neil, V. Ruiz Vargas (2024). Vol. 21 No. 3 (2024): Sustainability in Learning and Teaching During and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic. 21,

  FN. Cocchiarella, D. Haley, V. Vargas (2016). Fruitful Futures: Imagining Pomona.

  V. Vargas (2014). Sustainability in the Curriculum (Webinar).

Conference organisation

2016 | Symposium on Sustainable Development Research at Universities
2014 | 2nd World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities (WSSD-U-2014)

Expert reviewer for journals and publishers

Reviewer for the following journals:

Journal of Cleaner Production

Production Planning and Control

Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal

International Journal of Sustainable Development

Section Editor- Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Quality Education.

Associate Editor- International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education

Grants

2021-
Principal Investigator, Generous Domains: Global Citizenship Perspectives for Environmental Sciences - AHRC and NERC Hidden histories of environmental science: partnership seed fund, UK

2021-
Co-Investigator, Strengthening collaborative food waste prevention in Colombia and Peru: towards responsible production and consumption - QR Global Challenges Research Fund, UK

2021-
Principal Investigator, Counting on Culture: Taking Stock of Change Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK

2020 -
Co-Researcher, The Role of Universities and their Leaders facing the Grand Challenges of Climate Change and Sustainability

2018 -
Principal Investigator, Pathways for sustainable livelihoods through female
community leaders in the Dique Channel region, Colombia- QR Global Challenges
Research Fund

2017 -
JERRI – Joining Efforts for Responsible Research and Innovation- European Union's
Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No.
709747, EU

2017 -
Co-Principal Investigator, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
Grant:Education for Sustainability and Responsible Innovation: Enquiry and
Problem Based Learning in a Blended Context– Centre for Excellence in Learning
and Teaching, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

2016 -
Independent Chair of the Board of the multi-partner project Fruit-full
Communities, funded by the Big Lottery Fund under Our Bright Future Programme,
UK

2016 -
Dealing with each other in the Spirit of Ubuntu- Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC)Festival Grant, UK

2016 -
Teaching Award Outstanding Achievement for National Union of Student (NUS)
Responsible Futures Project, Manchester Metropolitan University Students’
Union, UK

2015-
Co-Researcher, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Grant : Enhancing
studentexperience through embedding Education for Sustainable Development in the
curriculum – Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, Manchester
Metropolitan University, UK

2015 -
Co-Researcher, The potential of the Human Capabilities Approach (HCA) for
strategy development in the Higher Education curriculum-Society for Research
into Higher Education (SRHE) Scoping Award, UK

2015 -
Walk about the City? - Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Festival
Grant , UK

2014 -
Co-Researcher, Incorporating Sustainable Wool Processing using Engineering
Solutions into the Academic Curriculum – winner project of the 2nd European
Award for Best Practices for the Integration of Human Sustainable Development
into Technology and Engineering Education, Global Dimensions in Engineering
Education, EuropeAid, EU

2013 -
Assistant Curator and Co-researcher, “Mortality Death and the Imagination”, the
Holden Gallery - Arts Council Grant, UK

2011 -
Artist and Co-researcher, Sculpture series for the Truth of the war through
Women’s Voices: Sexual Violence and Gender - Women’s Initiative for the Peace
Grant, Colombia

Projects and initiatives

2020-2021 | SHAPE Sustainability Impact Projects in partnership with British Academy and SOS -UK

2016 | Education for Sustainable Development and ISO 14001 workshops for Senior Leadership team (Deans and Heads of departments) EAFIT University, Colombia

2016 | Education for Sustainable Development and outdoor learning short courses for school Teachers Bogota Hills Schools’ Network/ Red de Cerros, Colombia

2016 | Education for Sustainable Development and policy networks workshop for Head teachers Bogota Hills Schools’ Network/ Red de Cerros, Colombia

Community, charity and NGO links

2016 - 2019 | Independent Chair of the Board of the multi-partner project Fruit-full Communities, funded by the Big Lottery Fund under Our Bright Future Programme, UK

2020 - 2021 | Board member of Chrysalis Art Development, UK

Prizes and awards

2016 - Teaching Award Outstanding Achievement for National Union of Student (NUS) Responsible Futures Project, Manchester Metropolitan University Students’ Union, UK.

2014- Incorporating Sustainable Wool Processing using Engineering Solutions into the Academic Curriculum – winner project of the 2nd European Award for Best Practices for the Integration of Human Sustainable Development into Technology and Engineering Education, Global Dimensions in Engineering Education, EuropeAid, EU

Membership of professional associations

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy