Exploring flying-less
Stephen Allen's research involves exploring: academic identities and flying; universities internationalisation and academics’ flying; and, personal and university benefits of academics flying less.
Project overview
If universities are to contribute their share to urgently needed and radical cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, they must tackle their dependence on air travel. Studies suggest that flying typically accounts for 10-20% of a research-intensive university’s total emissions. The prospects for significant improvements in the efficiency of flying are very limited. Consequently, academic flight is increasingly problematised and debated. The research involves exploring: academic identities and flying; universities internationalisation and academics’ flying; and, personal and university benefits of academics flying less.
Research activities have included hosting a symposium.
Outputs
Journal articles
Nevins, J., Allen, S. & Watson, M. (2022). A path to decolonization? Reducing air travel and resource consumption in higher education, Travel Behaviour and Society, 26, pp. 231-239
Blogs
Allen, S., Krauss, J., Timmers, R. & Watson, M. (2023). Can we fly-less? Understanding people’s attitudes and some policy recommendations, Available at: /management/research/can-we-fly-less-understanding-peoples-attitudes-and-some-policy-recommendations
Allen, S., Nevins, J. & Watson, M. (2022). How can making connections between flying-less and decolonizing universities help us understand how to reduce air travel and resource consumption in higher education? Conference Inference: Blogging the World of Conferences, Available at:
Allen, S. & Watson, M. (2020). Develop meaningful travel policies for academics before lifting any currently imposed restrictions on international travel, Higher Education Policy Institute, Available at:
