Valeria Vargas

My profile

Biography

I am a Senior Lecturer in Academic Development at the University Teaching Academy.  I support professional development of Manchester Met colleagues through formal programmes such as the PGCert in Learning and Teaching In Higher Education and the MA in Higher Education.  I also support the implementation of the Education Strategy through a range of processes and initiatives at Manchester Metropolitan University.  My expertise, research and scholarship is multidisciplinary and is focused on organisational change and institutionalisation processes in higher education. 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.

One of the key areas of my research and scholarship is education for sustainable development, sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals. I have experience of working in research projects and activity which addresses socio-environmental issues in Europe, the Americas (South, Central and North America) and global contexts.

Expert reviewer for academic journals

Journal of Cleaner Production

Production Planning and Control

Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal

Studies in Higher Education

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

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 - 2023 | Board member of Chrysalis Art Development, UK

2021 - 2023 | Chair of the Curriculum, Standards and Effectiveness Committee and Governor at Newchurch St Nicholas CE Primary School, Rawtenstall, UK

Prizes and awards

2022 - Learning Design and ESD Bootcamp 2022 Award -UNESCO IESALC and ALDESD

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

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (Lead support and Member)

NUS Responsible Futures Network (Member)

International Sustainable Development Research Society (Member)

Ecology and Environment Research Centre MMU (Member)

Projects

2024     Co-Principal Investigator, A collaborative autoethnography of co-mentoring experiences for academic staff progression in Higher Education, UK

2023     Principal Investigator, Academic Development Evaluation project at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

2022     Co-Investigator, The Future Student Experience Project  Advance HE Collaborative Development Fund, UK

2020-2021  Co-lead, Manchester Metropolitan University Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy and Environment (SHAPE) Sustainability Impact Projects in partnership with British Academy and SOS -UK

2021     Principal Investigator, Generous Domains: Global Citizenship Perspectives for Environmental Sciences, AHRC/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,  AHRC Engaging the Public with Census 2021, UK

2013-2020  National Union of Student (NUS) Responsible Futures Accreditation Mark awarded to Manchester Metropolitan University (Lead)

2020- 2023    Collaborator and Researcher, Eco-I North West  Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund

2020     Researcher, The Role of Universities and their Leaders facing the Grand Challenges of Climate Change and Sustainability, The Körber Foundation on behalf of the Global University Leaders Council

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

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

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

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

2013     Assistant Curator and Researcher, “Mortality Death and the Imagination”, the Holden Gallery, Manchester Metropolitan University, Arts Council Grant, UK

2011     Artist and 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

Teaching

In my role I support the development of undergraduate and postgraduate curricula across Manchester Metropolitan University.

I currently lead the FLEX 30 module in the PGCert Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and in the MA in Higher Education. 

I regularly supervise dissertations in the MA in Higher Education. 

I am currently supervising a Doctorate in Education focused on ethical Collaborative Online International Learning

I have previously taught in the BSc Geography, BSc Human Geography, BSc Physical  Geography, MSc in Science Communication, MA in Fine Art and Design, and MSc Environmental Science.

Research outputs

Selected Publications

Nicholson, D.T., Vargas, V.R., Skelly, G. (2024). Enquiry-based skills education for sustainable development in a UK Geography module as a catalyst for organisational change. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education.  

Nicholson, D.T., Vargas, V.R., Price, E.A.C., Himatlal, K., Campen, L., Hartley, M. and Hewitt, T. (2024). Transformative learning design for ESD in a skills-based module. Open Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Special Issue (CoDesignS ESD Toolkit), 3(1).

Vargas, V. R. (2023). Intra-organisational sustainable development policy integration processes in higher education through staff networks: a case study from the United Kingdom. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education24(9), 178-196. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-05-2022-0160

Randles, S; Dewick, P; Hannan, E. Nicholson, D,T… Vargas, V. R.; Wadham, H.; Withycombe Keeler, L, (2022) “Applying Enquiry and Problem Based Learning to Mission-oriented Innovation Policy: From Policy to Pedagogy to Teaching and Learning Practice.

Nicholson, D.T. and Vargas, V. (2021). Design Principles for Assessment of Sustainability Teaching. In: Baughan, P. (Ed.) Assessment and Feedback in a Post-Pandemic Era: A Time for Learning and Inclusion. York: AdvanceHE, 183-195.

Leal Filho, W., Fritzen, B., Ruiz Vargas, V., Paço, A., Zhang, Q., Doni, F., … & Wu, Y. J. (2021). Social innovation for sustainable development: assessing current trends. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 1-12.

Prowse, A., Ruiz Vargas, V., & Powell, S. (2021). Design considerations for personalised supported learning: implications for higher education. Journal of Further and Higher Education45(4), 497-510.

McCowan T, Leal W, Vargas V.R. (2021)Chapter 11: Overcoming obstacles to sustainability: lessons from the seven countries. Universities facing Climate Change and Sustainability. 17 May 2021. Hamburg, Germany. 124-141 (Report) Publisher URL 

Leal W, Vargas V.R. (2021) Chapter 3: The Role and Impact of the University. Universities facing Climate Change and Sustainability. 17 May 2021. Hamburg, Germany. 38-52 (Report) Publisher URL 

Vargas V. R. (2021) Chapter 9: United Kingdom. Universities facing Climate Change and Sustainability. 17 May 2021. Hamburg, Germany. 104-113 (Report) Publisher URL 

Andreoni, V., & Vargas, V R. (2020). Tracking the Interlinkages across SDGs: The Case of Hill Centered Education Network in Bogota, Colombia. Sustainability12(19), 7924.

Barrios, L. M., Prowse, A., & Vargas, V. R. (2020). Sustainable development and women’s leadership: A participatory exploration of capabilities in Colombian Caribbean fisher communities. Journal of Cleaner Production, 121277.

Vargas, V. R., Lawthom, R., Prowse, A., Randles, S., & Tzoulas, K. (2019). Implications of vertical policy integration for sustainable development implementation in higher education institutions. Journal of Cleaner Production235, 733-740.

Leal Filho, W., Vargas, V. R., Salvia, A. L., Brandli, L. L., Pallant, E., Klavins, M., … & Ayanore, M. A. (2019). The role of higher education institutions in sustainability initiatives at the local level. Journal of Cleaner Production.

Leal Filho, W., Doni , F. , Vargas , V.R., Wall , T. , Hindley , A. et al (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.

Leal Filho, W., Shiel, C., Paço, A., Mifsud, M., Ávila, L. V., Brandli, L. L., … Vargas, V.R., & Caeiro, S. (2019). Sustainable Development Goals and sustainability teaching at universities: Falling behind or getting ahead of the pack?. Journal of Cleaner Production.

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

Leal Filho, W., Raath, S., Lazzarini, B., Vargas, V. R., de Souza, L., Anholon, R., Quelhas, O.L.G., Haddad, R., Klavins, M., Orlovic, V. L. (2018). The role of transformation in learning and education for sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production199, 286-295.

Leal Filho, W., Brandli, L.L., Becker, D., Skanavis, C., Kouani, A., Sardi, C., Papaioannidou, D., Paco, A., Azeteiro, U., Olim de Sousa, L., Raath, S., Pretorious, R., Shiel, C., Vargas, V.R., et al. (2018). Sustainable development policies as indicators and pre-conditions for sustainability efforts at universities: Fact or fiction? International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 19(1), 85-113.

Hernandez, P. M., Vargas, V., Paucar-Cáceres, A. (2018). Education for Sustainable Development: An Exploratory Survey of a Sample of Latin American Higher Education Institutions. In Implementing Sustainability in the Curriculum of Universities, 137-154, Springer.

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