Sustainability in higher education

Book, scales, gavel, fuzzy globe, environmental justice concept

Teaching ethics and sustainability through fiction

A novel offers practical ways for students to consider how theory and practice can come together in addressing climate challenges. Here, Denise Baden offers exercises across humanities and social sciences disciplines

Denise Baden

University of Southampton

A group of students in a classroom working on a live brief

From buzzwords to business plans: making the SDGs matter to students

How to help students apply SDG thinking in practical, business-focused ways using local case studies, live briefs, internships and feedback

Robyn Griffiths

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Doing outreach with children? Start with bricks, questions and storytelling

When the climate crisis dominates headlines but often feels too large for meaningful action, how can university researchers invite the next generation to engage, imagine and lead? Here, Nadera Assim shares insights from a workshop on composting

Nadera Assim

University of Southampton

Looking for our environmental future in the poetic past

How can studying a poem or writing a story give students the skills to imagine a healthy planetary future? Stephanie Jones explains the link between literature and environmental literacy

Stephanie Jones

University of Southampton

The case for arts and humanities spotlight guide

Making the case for arts and humanities

The arts and humanities are often dismissed as an unaffordable luxury, when these disciplines underpin vital human skills. This collection explores how arts and humanities can be harnessed for the benefit of all – students, universities and wider society

Campus contributors, Eliza Compton

Campus

Students recycling at a local community centre

Tackle one concrete problem to advance the SDGs: campus recycling

A focus on recycling offers universities a realistic, high-impact way to strengthen sustainability and make measurable progress toward the SDGs

Germán Anzola

The University of Applied and Environmental Sciences (UDCA)

Hands holding up a sign that says "reuse", "recycle" and "reduce" with accompanying icons

The future of sustainable universities is circular

With growing pressure to reduce emissions, costs and waste, now is the time for universities to reimagine their role in the resource life cycle, says Darren Wilkinson

Darren Wilkinson

Lancaster University

Students discuss their work round a table

A co-curricular approach to SDG education

To accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals, students need to be equipped to tackle real-world issues across disciplines. Here’s how it can be done

Michelle Cheng Wing Tung

The Education University of Hong Kong

A healthy array of vegetables and pulses

Put food sustainability on your university’s menu

Steps for embracing food sustainability and fostering behaviour change across campus, which any higher education institution could take

Graeme Collie

King’s College London

Wind turbines and solar panels across the horizon

Support smaller businesses’ sustainability efforts through education

For businesses to improve their sustainability, they first need to understand how. Paula Whitehouse shares lessons from a programme specially developed to educate executives in environmental strategies

Paula Whitehouse

Aston University

Build lasting partnerships with industry, from the ground up

A strong university-industry partnership can transform local communities, building confidence, skills and opportunities. Here are four strategies to help those connections thrive

Simay Sali Sevik

University of Westminster

An illustration of a green light bulb, wearing a mortarboard

How to embed sustainability in your business school

Vague symbolic gestures and greenwashing are no longer enough to show your institution is taking sustainability seriously. Here’s how to embed sustainable teaching and research

Muhammad Ikram

Al Akhawayn University

A large team working together at a table - top-down view

Interdisciplinarity in business sustainability education: how does it work in practice?

Practical lessons and tips to help you launch your own interdisciplinary sustainability initiative

Fatima Lopez Castellanos, Neha Chandarana

The University of Bristol

Four hands each with a puzzle piece that together makes up an image of the planet

Empower students as co-creators in sustainability education

Co-creation in education for sustainable development empowers students to shape meaningful projects, build practical skills and drive institutional change, as demonstrated by a collaborative initiative between two London-based institutions

Multiple authors

UCL, Queen Mary University of London

Ease student climate anxiety through nature and community

As climate anxiety grows among students, connecting with nature and building supportive communities nurture resilience, purpose and well-being, say Mireia Bes and Vivienne Kuh

Mireia Bes, Vivienne Kuh

The University of Bristol

A white-coated figure handles test tubes

Four ways to shape the future of analytical labs now

Academic labs are key to research and innovation – but they need to keep evolving. Here’s how to make a lab smarter, greener and leaner

Imtias Amir Bahauddin

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

A group of educators designing a curriculum

Institutions must work together to build innovative curricula

Collaboration across institutions can drive real curriculum innovation. This guide shares lessons from two east London-based institutions on building partnerships for sustainability and community-based learning

Stephanie Fuller, Rehan Shah, Anne Preston

UCL, Queen Mary University of London

How can we teach students about social value?

Students increasingly expect universities to reflect their social conscience. Business schools must go beyond profit-focused teaching, embedding social value, impact measurement and experiential learning, says Robert A. Phillips

Robert A. Phillips

The University of Manchester

A journalist interviews a man in a raincoat

It’s up to universities to embed climate literacy in the next generation of journalists

With the climate crisis intensifying, the media’s role in informing the public will be critical. Here’s how to equip journalism and media students with the tools to do so

Doug Specht, Anastasia Denisova, Morgan Lirette

University of Westminster

UC Earth Science Garden at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand

How a campus garden is tackling declining 3D spatial skills in geoscience students

Making geology more tangible can spark curiosity in the field and help students learn the skills needed to address global issues such as climate change, resource management and natural hazards. Kate Pedley walks through an interactive garden

Katherine Pedley

University of Canterbury | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha

Students work with plants, a model of the Earth and a solar panel around a table

Sustainability education isn’t just an add-on – it’s a foundation for the future

If universities want to nurture future leaders capable of addressing the world’s most pressing challenges — climate change, inequality, poverty – they must go beyond surface-level curriculum reforms. Here’s how to create the space for your students to grapple with these issues

Maria Jose Murcia

Universidad Austral

Competence matters more than content in sustainability education

Instead of teaching the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals head on, find the competencies business managers will need to take on the challenges of the future. Here’s how

Rhoda Davidson, Hans-Jörg Schlierer

EMLyon Business School

Higher education's bumpy road to net zero

Higher education’s bumpy road to net zero

How universities and academics can ensure rhetoric translates to action on the climate crisis

Kiera O’Brien, Campus contributors

Campus

A lecturer observes her students reading

The subtle curriculum: how to embed ESG in business education organically

Are we marginalising environmental, social and governance considerations in treating them as optional extras? Here’s how to subtly integrate them into business courses

Daniel Muravsky

University of the West of Scotland

Campus webinar: How to embed sustainability into the curriculum

Hear experts discuss how they engage students in climate-conscious learning, build sustainability into course design and connect it to employability and wider social responsibility

Ethan Chong Yih Tng , Edson Kieu , Jo-Anne Ferreira, Daniel Yonto

Singapore Institute of Technology , Nanyang Technological University , The University of Southern Queensland , Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Forget climate anxiety – let’s foster climate confidence

Combine research and administrative duties to tap into how students are feeling about climate change – and use your findings to help them gain the skills, and confidence, to tackle it head-on

Léa Chambaudet

Université Paris-Est Créteil

Campus talks: actions that make a real difference in the fight against climate change

From global finance to the laboratory, hear about two very different ways by which universities can reduce their carbon emissions

Ellen Quigley, Jenna Lowe

University of Cambridge, University of Liverpool

A close-up of a hand painting on a canvas, a paint palette in the background

Use art to cultivate business students’ understanding of climate change

Find out how a transdisciplinary project using drawing and art deepens business students’ understanding of sustainability, inspiring them to become climate champions

Ryan Man

Hong Kong Baptist University

Key terms you should know to advance net zero goals across the university

Achieving net zero on college campuses is an ambitious target, but with targeted strategies, universities can help their community integrate sustainability practices into campus language and experiences

Jennifer Chirico

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Who’s the most sustainable? Get your students competing to be climate champions

Tap into your students’ interests and make climate action fun and competitive. Elliott Brown outlines how

Elliott Brown

Loughborough University

Image of a globe surrounded by the 17 SDG symbols

The need for integrated thinking at universities: from Covid-19 to the SDGs

A joined-up approach between universities, public services and businesses – as successfully demonstrated during the pandemic – is now needed if institutions are to accelerate efforts towards the Sustainable Development Goals

Abeer Hassan

University of the West of Scotland

Three ways to address students’ climate anxiety

While higher education has made progress with greener campuses and remote working, providing students with an education that can respond to the climate crisis will be more challenging. Here’s how educators can tackle climate anxiety

Rob Amos

Birkbeck, University of London

Run your lab more smoothly by centralising chemicals management

A simple change reduced our lab waste by a tenth. Find out how you can do it too

Mohd Fatimie Irzaq Khamis

Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

Students as climate champions: a road map for universities

Universities must empower students to lead the fight against climate change. From green initiatives to student-led campaigns, here’s how to embed sustainability across all aspects of university life

Manjushree G Naik

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Two people gently hold a tiny sprouting plant

How to collaborate on eco education – and how not to

When embedding sustainability education into the curriculum, barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration can limit progress. So, what needs to change?

Aideen Foley, Dale Mineshima-Lowe

Birkbeck, University of London, Parami University

Top down view of people working on a table around an image of the globe

How can we decarbonise knowledge production?

An interdisciplinary approach that includes the institutions most affected by climate change is essential if higher education is to achieve net zero, argues Priya Vijaykumar Poojary

Priya Vijaykumar Poojary

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

How to succeed as a green leader

Small projects, broad buy-in, leadership-level commitment and consistent attention to energy, waste and water all add up to a more sustainable campus. Here’s how a UK university turned its climate awareness around

Andrew Church, Toby Maloy

University of Bedfordshire

A woman putting a shirt on a mannequin next to clothes rails

Use a professional student wardrobe to tackle waste and increase employability

A student-led clothing wardrobe scheme helps students step into professional roles while reducing textile waste. Here’s how to set one up to support both sustainability and student success

Debra Easter

Nottingham Trent University

Traditional ecological knowledge can inspire students to take climate action

Combining ancient wisdom with modern knowledge does not just broaden perspectives, it can also prompt climate action. Discover more benefits, and read advice on how to integrate traditional ecological knowledge into curricula

Daniel Yonto, Bin Feng

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Poster approaches to embedding real-world learning into coursework

A data visualisation task can support students’ problem-solving and critical thinking skills as well as give context to themes around sustainability. Here’s how to put it into practice

Lisa Winstanley

Nanyang Technological University

How we partner with landowners to sequester carbon emissions

Universities are turning to external partnerships in a bid to adopt more sustainable practices. Here are tips on how to identify and build relationships and overcome the challenges these collaborations can present

David Bruce

The University of Edinburgh

Equip students with interdisciplinary skills for the future with the Inner Development Goals

To navigate today’s complex challenges, students need more than just knowledge – they need transformative skills. Here’s how to embed the Inner Development Goals into your teaching

Debby Gerritsen, Rosanne van Wieringen , Belle Jansen, Jasper ter Schegget, Linda de Greef, Katusha Sol

University of Amsterdam

Universities must evolve from degree-granting hubs to social anchors

Higher education institutions can be incubators for ethical leadership, lifelong learning ecosystems and community partnerships, writes Rahim Somani

Rahim Somani

University of Northern British Columbia

Rewild your campus

Intentional planting and water and soil conservation can encourage wildlife back to our campuses and create a rich learning environment

Deepta Sateesh

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Students work together in an outdoor setting

Give students the skills to communicate across disciplines

In sustainability education, inter- and transdisciplinary teaching alone is not enough – students need to develop the skills to learn in a cross-disciplinary way. Co-creation could be the answer.

Julia Myatt

University of Birmingham

Campus talks: the pros and cons of AI in higher education

How should universities manage the rapid uptake of artificial intelligence across all aspects of higher education? We talk to three experts about AI’s impact on teaching, governance and the environment

Shaolei Ren, José Antonio Bowen, Shushma Patel

University of California, Riverside, Bowen Innovation Group, De Montfort University

Three ways to ensure you are teaching for lasting societal impact

Multidisciplinary courses, applied learning and personalisation will all help business schools prepare graduates to serve the needs of the global community. Baback Yazdani explains how to make them work

Baback Yazdani

Nottingham Trent University

Close up photo of a guest speaker delivering a lecture on sustainability

Integrating sustainability into a financial and actuarial mathematics course

Advice on delivering sustainability-focused guest lectures in collaboration with industry experts and reinforcing learning with project-based assessments

Multiple authors

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Changing the climate of teaching: embedding sustainability into film and media studies

Research-led teaching can bring educators’ work and passions into the classroom, making topics such as climate change less overwhelming for students and linking learning to future skills. Here are five key takeaways

Malcolm Cook

University of Southampton

Tax Taylor Swift

Is sustainability a ‘blank space’ in professional music education? Not exactly. Music students want to make an impact and some music academics are embedding the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the curriculum

Thomas Irvine

University of Southampton

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