Professor Liz Price MBE
Professor of Environmental Education, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor Sustainability
My profile
Biography
Liz Price is Professor of Environmental Education and serves as Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor Sustainability at Manchester Metropolitan University, responsible for driving sustainability across education, research and partnerships and developing a sustainable mindset and skills for students, colleagues and within communities, including accelerating Education for Sustainable Development, Carbon Literacy and Net Zero skills. Prior to this she was Head of Department of Natural Sciences and Institutional Academic Lead for the Environment at Manchester Met.
She is an elected Council Member of the Institution of Environmental Sciences, a member of the Quality Assurance Agency and Advance HE Advisory Group that reviewed the Education for Sustainable Development Guidance for the UK, a member of the Advisory Board of the Association for Learning Design and Education for Sustainable Development, University Partner in the Department for Education National Education Nature Park consortium and is Co-Lead of the UK Consortium on Sustainability Research. Liz is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators, promoting a diverse and sustainable environment. She is a Chartered Environmentalist, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
She represents the University on the Universities UK Climate Action Steering Group, Manchester Climate Change Partnership and Board, Oxford Road Corridor Executive where she supports sustainability priorities and she Chairs the Greater Manchester Civic University Green Skills Working Group.
Liz was awarded an MBE for services to sustainability education in 2024.
External examiner roles
Postgraduate Programme External Examiner: School of Law and Social Sciences (Education for Sustainability) London South Bank University (2021 – 2024)
External Academic Member for Validation Panel: MSc Sustainability and Social Responsibility, University of Winchester (2020)
Undergraduate Programme External Examiner: Faculty of Science and Engineering (Environmental Science), Plymouth University (2018 – 2022)
Periodic Curriculum Review External Panel Member, University of the West of England, Bristol (2016)
Postgraduate Programme External Examiner: Faculty of Sciences and Social Sciences (Geography), Liverpool Hope University (2013 – 2017)
Undergraduate Programme External Examiner: School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University (2013 – 2017)
External Adviser: Faculty of Applied Sciences, the University of the West of England, Bristol (2007 - 2013)
Undergraduate Programme External Examiner: the University of the West of England, Bristol (2004 - 2007)
Editorial Board membership
Editorial Board Discover Sustainablity, Springer Nature
Associate Editor International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Emerald
Editorial Advisory Board for the Fairer Society gateway, Emerald Open Research platform
Membership of professional associations
2024 - present: Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators
2024 - present: Chair Greater Manchester Civic University Green Skills Working Group
2024 - present: Oxford Road Corridor: Manchester’s Knowledge Quarter Executive Member
2023 - present: Advisory Board of UNICEF and Association for Learning Design and ESD GREEN-Pal FunDoo Climate Action Now
2022 - present: Member Universities UK Climate Action Steering Group
2022 - present: Member Advisory Board of Association for Learning Design and ESD
2022 - present: Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology
2021 - present: Member Manchester Climate Change Board
2020 - 2024: Chair Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences now Community for Environmental Disciplines in Higher Education
2020 - present: Council Member and Trustee Institution of Environmental Sciences
2020: Member QAA Education for Sustainable Development Guidance Advisory Group
2019 - 2020: Member Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education Leaders
2018 - present: Partner European School of Sustainability Science and Research
2018 - present: Member Manchester Climate Change Partnership
2017 - present: Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
2016 - 2020: Vice Chair Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences
2016 - present: Member Institution of Environmental Sciences
2015 - present: Fellow Leadership Foundation for Higher Education
2014 - 2024: Member Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences
2013 - present: Member of the Royal Society of Biology
2010 - present: Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
2005 - present: Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv)
2002 - present: Full Member Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management
1987 - present: Member British Ecological Society
Impact
Invited Speaker, ETC (Education and Training for the Climate) Hub Webinar: Higher Education institutional responses to climate change, University of Oxford, March 2024
Invited Speaker, Driving Strategic Change, EAUC Leadership Academy, University of Cambridge, March 2024
Invited Speaker, Changing the Curriculum, UUK Universities, sustainability and the climate emergency conference, January 2024
Selected Speaker, Curriculum design and ESD in practice supported by the CoDesignS Learning Design and ESD Framework and Toolkit, Greening Education Hub at COP28, December 2023
Invited Chair Advance HE Education for Sustainable Development Summit, November 2023
Invited Speaker Baltics Education for a Green Transition Conference, October 2023
Invited Panel Chair Science Council Workforce Conference, October 2023
Panel Chair Our Future Green Workforce, Greater Manchester Green Summit, October 2023
Invited Speaker International Green Skills Conference, September 2023
Inspiring Women Awards Sustainable Award for Women Making an Impact Finalist, 2023
Invited Keynote Speaker Association for Learning Design and ESD and UNESCO IESALC CoDesignS ESD Bootcamp, May 2023
Invited Speaker UUK Climate Conference, January 2023
Invited Panel Member British University in Egypt COP27 simulation model event COP27 Green Zone, November 2022
Plenary Speaker GMCA Green Summit, October 2022
Invited Speaker Advance HE Provocation: Sustainability and Higher Education – the future cannot wait, June 2022 and January 2023
Invited Speaker British Council UK Russia University Alliance Forum: Young People and Global Climate Action, February 2022
Invited Speaker IES COP26 Reflections from across the sector webinar, January 2022
Invited Speaker IES COP26 Solutions ‘Big Picture’ expert panel discussion, October 2021
Plenary Speaker GMCA Green Summit: Delivering skills for a sustainable future, October 2021
Invited Speaker International Conference on Sustainable Development 2021. Plenary 7: University Transformations for the SDGs: From Concept to Action, September 2021
Invited Speaker IES STAGES on the road to COP26: Paving the way for a green society: upskilling the workforce, July 2021
Invited Keynote Speaker Advance HE Virtual Sustainability Symposium: Facing Forward with Sustainability: Principles, Progress and Partnership, March 2021
Invited Speaker British Council UK Russia University Alliance Climate Change Forum, February 2021
Member QAA Education for Sustainable Development Guidance (ESDG) Advisory Group, 2020
Member Climate Commission for UK Higher and Further Education Leaders, 2019 – 2020
Projects
Current projects include:
National Education Nature Park
UK Consortium on Sustainability Research (UK-CSR)
European Green Deal TULIPS: Innovative and Sustainable Airports
QAA Enhancement project on Education for Sustainable Development and Academic Quality processes
Learning Design and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
Innovate UK Net Zero Living: Net Zero Pioneer Manchester
Teaching
Why study…
Understanding community composition and the processes governing this are challenges for conservation biology with innovative applications in habitat management, creation and restoration.
Acquiring the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to shape a sustainable future is also a challenge. Living Labs and Responsible Futures initiatives can be transformational for Education for Sustainable Development.
Subject areas
Conservation Ecology and Education for Sustainable Development
Supervision
Alison Brown (completed 1999), Katherine Lawton (completed 2005), Jill Edmondson (completed 2005), Emma-Lee Glen (Director of Studies, completed 2009), Jonathan Davies (completed 2016), Emily Schofield (completed 2020), Sara-Xaali O’Reilly Berkeley (completed 2022), Sigrun Wagner (completed 2021), Franziska Wolf (PhD by published works; 2020 – ongoing), Markus Will (PhD by published works; 2020 – ongoing), Rosalind Ridout (Principal Supervisor, 2021 – ongoing).
Research outputs
Understanding plant community composition and the processes governing this are long standing challenges for plant ecology. My research has identified mechanisms to explain plant responses to spatial and temporal change and the implications for community composition, with applications in vegetation responses to pollution, habitat management, creation and restoration.
I also have expertise in education for sustainable development and implementation of sustainable development in practice.
Early publications focus on the ecology of clonal species and implications for their management. Later publications examine effects of nitrogen pollution and environmental management techniques for mitigation of eutrophication in the field of restoration ecology. Recent projects focus on the role of temporal dynamism in understanding diversity-function relationships in plant communities. Current projects focus on education for sustainable development and implementation of sustainable development in practice.
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Books (authored/edited/special issues)
Filho, W.L., Dinis, M.A.P., Moggi, S., Price, E., Hope, A. (2023) SDGs in the European Region. Springer Nature.
Price, E.A.C. (2003) Lowland Grassland and Heathland Habitats. Psychology Press.
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Chapters in books
Price, E., Iliško, D., Venkatesan, M. (2021) 'Sustainable Crises Management in Education During COVID-19.' COVID-19: Paving the Way for a More Sustainable World. Springer,
Tzoulas, K., James, P., Price, E., Wheater, P. (2014) 'What are the European legal duties to conserve biodiversity in university campuses?.' In Leal Filho, W., Azeiteiro, U.M., Caeiro, S., Alves, F. (ed.) Integrating sustainability thinking in science and engineering curricula: innovative approaches, methods and tools. Cham: Springer, pp. 413-424.
Price, E.A.C., Glen, E., Caporn, S.J.M., Carroll, J., Jones, M.L.M., Scott, R. (2007) 'A novel technique for restoring species-rich grassland.' High value grassland: providing biodiversity, a clean environment and premium products proceedings of the BGS/BES/BSAS Conference : held at Keele University College, Staffordshire, UK, 17-19 April, 2007.
Price, E.A.C., Marshall, C. (1997) 'Sectoriality and its implications for physiological integration.' The ecology and evolution of clonal plants. Balogh Scientific Books,
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Reports
Price, E., Reeves, A., Gwilliam, J., Peter Harrison, , Schantz, N., Ribchester, C., Hughes, T. (2023) Education for Sustainable Development and Academic Quality Principles and Processes for Higher Education Providers. QAA.
Dunk, R., Mork, J., Price, E. (2021) Carbon Literacy: Peer-to-peer training facilitates access for all staff and students.. COP26 Universities Network.
Thew, H., Graves, C., Reay, D., Dunk, R., Mork, J., Price, E. (2021) Mainstreaming climate education in Higher Education Institutions.. COP26 Universities Network.
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Journal articles
Filho, W.L., Sierra, J., Price, E., Eustachio, J.H.P.P., Novikau, A., Kirrane, M., Dinis, M.A.P., Salvia, A.L. (2024) 'The role of universities in accelerating the sustainable development goals in Europe.' Scientific Reports, 14(1)
Nicholson, T., Vargas, V.R., Price, E.A.C., Himatlal, K., Campen, L., Hartley, M., Hewitt, T. (2024) 'Transformative learning design for ESD in a skills-based module.' Open Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 3(1) pp. 21-36.
Leal, W., Frankenberger, F., Salvia, A., Shiel, C., Paço, A., Price, E., Londero Brandli, L., Simon Rampasso, I., Anholon, R., Gonçalves Quelhas, O.L., Wessel Pretorius, R. (2023) 'An overview of research trends on sustainability in higher education – an exploratory study.' International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 24(5) pp. 1161-1175.
Leal Filho, W., Fritzen, B., Ruiz Vargas, V., Paço, A., Zhang, Q., Doni, F., Azul, A.M., Vasconcelos, C.R.P., Nikolaou, I.E., Skouloudis, A., Weresa, M.A., Marczewska, M., Price, E., Anholon, R., Rampasso, I., Quelhas, O., Lange Salvia, A., Ozuyar, P.G., Moggi, S., Wu, Y.J. (2021) 'Social innovation for sustainable development: assessing current trends.' International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology, 29(4) pp. 311-322.
Price, E.A.C., White, R.M., Mori, K., Longhurst, J., Baughan, P., Hayles, C.S., Gough, G., Preist, C. (2021) 'Supporting the role of universities in leading individual and societal transformation through education for sustainable development.' Discover Sustainability, 2(1)
Rowntree, J.K., Dean, C., Morrison, F., Brooker, R.W., Price, E.A.C. (2021) 'Arable wildflowers have potential as living mulches for sustainable agriculture.' Plant Ecology and Diversity, 14(1-2) pp. 93-104.
Leal Filho, W., Frankenberger, F., Salvia, A.L., Azeiteiro, U., Alves, F., Castro, P., Will, M., Platje, J., Lovren, V.O., Brandli, L., Price, E., Doni, F., Mifsud, M., Ávila, L.V. (2021) 'A framework for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in university programmes.' Journal of Cleaner Production, 299
Harris, W.E., De Kort, S., Bettridge, C., Borges, J., Cain, B., Dulle, H., Fyumagwa, R., Gadiye, D., Jones, M., Kahana, L., Kibebe, J., Kideghesho, J.R., Kimario, F.F., Kisingo, A., Makari, F., Martin, E., Martin, A., Masuruli, M.B., Melubo, K., Mossman, H., Munishi, L., Mwaya, R., Nasi, R., Nyakunga, O., Price, E., Shoo, R.A., Strange, E.F., Symeonakis, E., Fa, J. (2021) 'A Learning Networks approach to resolve conservation challenges in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.' African Journal of Ecology, 59(1) pp. 326-331.
Wagner, S., Jassogne, L., Price, E., Jones, M., Preziosi, R. (2021) 'Impact of Climate Change on the Production of Coffea arabica at Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.' Agriculture, 11(1) pp. 53-53.
Leal Filho, W., Price, E., Wall, T., Shiel, C., Azeiteiro, U.M., Mifsud, M., Brandli, L., Farinha, C.S., Caeiro, S., Salvia, A.L., Vasconcelos, C.R., de Sousa, L.O., Pace, P., Doni, F., Veiga Avila, L., Fritzen, B., LeVasseur, T.J. (2021) 'COVID-19: the impact of a global crisis on sustainable development teaching.' Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(8) pp. 11257-11278.
Price, E., Longhurst, J., White, R., Preist, C., Mori, K., Robinson, Z., Braughan, P., Gough, G., Hayles, C., Higgins, P., Molthan-Hill, P., Hack, C., Kemp, S. (2020) 'Education for sustainable development in higher education.' Environmental Scientist, 29(4) pp. 38-45.
Wagner, S., Rigal, C., Liebig, T., Mremi, R., Hemp, A., Jones, M., Price, E., Preziosi, R. (2019) 'Ecosystem Services and Importance of Common Tree Species in Coffee-Agroforestry Systems: Local Knowledge of Small-Scale Farmers at Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.' Forests, 10(11)
Schofield, E., Brooker, R., Rowntree, J., Price, E., Brearley, F., Paterson, E. (2019) 'Plant-plant competition influences temporal dynamism of soil microbial enzyme activity..' Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 139
Leal, W., Emblen-Perry, K., Molthan-Hill, P., Mifsud, M., Verhoef, L., Azeiteiro, U., Bacelar-Nicolau, P., de Sousa, L., Castro, P., Beynaghi, A., Boddy, J., Lange Salvia, A., Frankenberger, F., Price, E. (2019) 'Implementing Innovation on Environmental Sustainability at Universities Around the World.' Sustainability, 11(14) pp. 3807-3807.
Filho, W.L., Skanavis, C., Kounani, A., Brandli, L.L., Shiel, C., Paço, A.D., Pace, P., Mifsud, M., Beynaghi, A., Price, E., Salvia, A.L., Will, M., Shula, K. (2019) 'The role of planning in implementing sustainable development in a higher education context.' Journal of Cleaner Production, 235pp. 678-687.
Schofield, E.J., Rowntree, J.K., Paterson, E., Brewer, M.J., Price, E.A.C., Brearley, F.Q., Brooker, R.W. (2019) 'Cultivar Differences and Impact of Plant-Plant Competition on Temporal Patterns of Nitrogen and Biomass Accumulation.' Frontiers in Plant Science, 10
Glen, E., Price, E.A.C., Caporn, S.J.M., Carroll, J.A., Jones, L.M., Scott, R. (2017) 'Evaluation of topsoil inversion in UK habitat creation and restoration schemes.' Restoration Ecology,
Price, E., Nicholson, D.T., Dunk, R., Lawler, C., Carney, M., Ruiz Vargas, V., Veitch, S., Leigh, S., Singleton, M., Mottram, S. 'Enabling change agents for sustainable development: a whole-institution approach to embedding the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education.' International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education,
Edmondson, J., Terribile, E., Carroll, J.A., Price, E.A.C., Caporn, S.J.M. (2013) 'The legacy of nitrogen pollution in heather moorlands: Ecosystem response to simulated decline in nitrogen deposition over seven years.' Science of the Total Environment, 444pp. 138-144.
Edmondson, J.L., Carroll, J.A., Price, E.A.C., Caporn, S.J.M. (2010) 'Bio-indicators of nitrogen pollution in heather moorland.' Science of the Total Environment, 408(24) pp. 6202-6209.
Price, E.A.C., Marshall, C. (1999) 'Clonal plants and environmental heterogeneity: An introduction to the proceedings.' Plant Ecology, 141(1-2) pp. 3-7.
Hutchings, M.J., Price, E.A.C. (1999) 'Glechoma hederacea L. (Nepeta glechoma Benth., N. hederacea (L.) Trev.).' Journal of Ecology, 87(2) pp. 347-364.
Marshall, C., Price, E.A.C. (1999) 'Clonal plants and environmental heterogeneity - Space, time and scale: Editorial.' Plant Ecology, 141(1-2)
Price, E.A.C., Hutchings, M.J. (1996) 'The effects of competition on growth and form in Glechoma hderacea.' Oikos, 75(2) pp. 279-290.
HUTCHINGS, M.J., PRICE, E.A.C. (1993) 'Does Physiological Integration Enable Clonal Herbs to Integrate the Effects of Environmental Heterogeneity?.' Plant Species Biology, 8(2-3) pp. 95-105.
Price, E.A.C., Hutchings, M.J. (1992) 'Studies of growth in the clonal herb Glechoma hederacea. II. The effects of selective defoliation.' Journal of Ecology, 80(1) pp. 39-47.
Price, E.A.C., Marshall, C., Hutchings, M.J. (1992) 'Studies of growth in the clonal herb Glechoma hederacea. I. Patterns of physiological integration.' Journal of Ecology, 80(1) pp. 25-38.
Price, E.A.C., Hutchings, M.J. (1992) 'The causes and developmental effects of integration and independence between different parts of Glechoma hederacea clones.' Oikos, 63(3) pp. 376-386.
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Conference papers
Price, E.A.C., Gamble, R., Williams, G.G., Marshall, C. (2001) 'Seasonal patterns of partitioning and remobilization of 14C in the invasive rhizomatous perennial Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decraene).' 15. pp. 347-362.
Price, E.A.C., Hutchings, M.J., Marshall, C. (1996) 'Causes and consequences of sectoriality in the clonal herb Glechoma hederacea.' 127. pp. 41-54.
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Presentations
Nicholson, T., Ruiz Vargas, V., Price, E., Toro-Troconis, M., Dale, V., Tasler, N., Tait, V. (2024) Embedding education for sustainable development in curricula using the CoDesignS ESD framework. [Presentation] Online,21/3/2024.
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Other
Price, E., Vargas, V., Wheater, P. (2017) Living Labs. Special Issue of Environmental Scientist, 26 (4): 1 – 99..
Various, (1999) Clonal Plants and Environmental Heterogeneity - Space, Time and Scale. Plant Ecology Special Issue. Volume 141 Nos 1-2. ISSN 1385-0237.
Career history
2021 - present
Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor Sustainability, Manchester Metropolitan University
2019 - 2021
Institutional Academic Lead for the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University
2014 - 2021
Head of Department of Natural Sciences (formerly School of Science and the Environment), Manchester Metropolitan University
2016 - 2017
Acting Head of Education, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University
2014 - 2016
Associate Dean for Student Experience, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University
2010 - 2014
Head of Division of Geography and Environmental Management, Manchester Metropolitan University
Press and media
BBC Radio 4 Costing the Earth: Jobs for a Green Future https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001k7p0