Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Students versus climate change

Driving change: creating student-NGO partnerships for climate solutions

Luis Ricardo Fernández Carril and Luis Gerardo Rojas Solorio reveal how to energise and empower students to take part in the fight against climate change

Luis Ricardo Fernández Carril , Luis Gerardo Rojas Solorio

Monterrey Institute of Technology

A power station

Moving beyond climate change to teach the climate crisis

Ways to scale up education relating to the climate crisis and the questions it must guide students to answer

Adam R. Aron

University of California San Diego

A flooded coastal road

How to select and monitor climate adaptations for universities

In the fourth and final part of their series, Rob Wilby and Shona Smith explain how universities can implement adaptation measures and monitor their progress towards resilient net zero

Robert Wilby, Shona Smith

Loughborough University, University of Leeds

Life cycle assessment depicted by icons on wooden balls.

Circular impact: a call to action for research on grand societal challenges

How to enact a ‘circular’ approach to research and impact so outcomes feed back into the work to inform ongoing planning and improvement

Ryan Nolan

University of Exeter, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)

A flooded road

A guide to evaluating and managing climate risks to universities

In the third part of their series, Rob Wilby and Shona Smith explain how universities can determine their climate risk exposure, then identify actions to reduce associated threats to people, property and operations

Robert Wilby, Shona Smith

Loughborough University, University of Leeds

Young women campaigning for more action on climate change

A practical approach to tackling eco-anxiety

We induce eco-anxiety by teaching students about climate change, so training them in practical and achievable solutions to it are needed, too, write Helen Hicks and Dawn Lees

Helen Hicks, Dawn Lees

University of Exeter

Couple planting a tree

Making sustainability part of university DNA

Meaningful change comes from embedding green practices into every aspect, and every member, of the institution, starting from induction training

Thomas Menkhoff, Kevin Cheong

Singapore Management University

Universities on Fire climate change podcast

THE podcast: universities aren’t too small to lead the climate crisis fight

It’s easy to feel hopeless in the face of climate change, but, in this episode, two experts offer ways universities – and individuals – can make a difference to their local area and the planet

Bryan Alexander, Sebastian Pfautsch

Georgetown University, Western Sydney University

A construction site in Leeds

Unlocking knowledge within local communities as part of ‘levelling up’

With ‘levelling up‘ and regional prosperity now central to the UK government’s thinking, universities need to transform the way they conduct research to respond to emerging needs and provide solutions to today’s social, economic and environmental issues

Henrietta L. Moore

University College London

Environmental considerations for businesses

Accounting for sustainability: we need to change how we teach

Accountants of the future will need to respond to as yet unknown sustainability reporting standards. Freirean dialogic teaching where lecturers learn alongside students through discussion helps build the skills to respond to such change

Jennifer Rose

University of Manchester

sustainability

A whole-university road map to sustainability impact

Top-ranked Western Sydney University combines immediate action with long-term planning to drive progress in achieving impact aligned with the SDGs. Here, Deborah Sweeney and Kevin Dunn share insights learned from their institution-wide approach

Deborah Sweeney, Kevin Dunn

Western Sydney University

Ntarama church massacre memorial in Rwanda

A case for bringing ethics of friendship and care to academic research

Friendship adds ethical and emotional dimensions that can make research equitable, sensitive, responsive and consequential to local communities, writes Noam Schimmel, based on his experiences in Rwanda

Noam Schimmel

University of California, Berkeley

A city hit by an extreme heatwave

Setting scenarios for a university adapted to climate change

In the second part of their series, Rob Wilby and Shona Smith explain how running institutional plans through different scenarios can help improve a university’s resilience to future challenges relating to climate change

Robert Wilby, Shona Smith

Loughborough University, University of Leeds

Two hands, one offering up a tree growing out of the earth, the other offering up a high-rise city

Decolonisation as a driver for the Sustainable Development Goals

How decolonial approaches can underpin and drive work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals across higher education

Sean Porter, Eleanor Cook

University of Exeter

Young climate activist with a sign

Ease students’ climate anxiety by encouraging climate action

Climate anxiety is a mental health issue and universities can help students overcome it through climate action, multiplying their own impact along the way, writes Cecil Scheib

Cecil Scheib

New York University

row of seedlings with arrow to plant-covered globe

Charting a shared path to net zero universities

What’s been lacking in the decarbonisation journey is the ability to bring universities together to share best practices, resources and tools, so that pioneers in the area can assist those just starting out. Now there’s a toolkit

Shreejan Pandey, Rebecca Powell

Monash University

multiracial group of students eating burgers outside

Creating a reusable takeout dish programme on campus

Want to reduce single-use waste at your university? In this guide for students and administrators, Rojine McVea offers tips for how to set up a reusable dish service based on her own experience

Rojine McVea

University of Alberta

An image of solar panels in a field at sunset

Start your university on a path to resilient net zero

Practical tips on how institutions can improve their resilience to climate threats while on a path towards net zero emissions, by Rob Wilby and Shona Smith

Robert Wilby, Shona Smith

Loughborough University, University of Leeds

Bag of groceries

A ‘grocery store’ model can help your campus food bank reduce waste

A move from pre-packed hampers can make university food banks more efficient and the space more welcoming – and build a stronger community. Erin O’Neil offers tips for switching to a grocery-store model

Erin O’Neil

University of Alberta

Magnifying glass over southern Africa on a globe

Why learning to listen will help you avoid ‘helicopter research’ and make you a better science communicator

A year of failed fieldwork in Africa led Sallie Burrough to ask questions about how researchers interact with the societies they work in. Here, she shares five tips for transparent, inclusive practices

Sallie Burrough

University of Oxford

Young researchers work together on a green city project

Building blocks of university-industry partnerships for positive change

How universities can develop strategic cross-sector partnerships and trans-disciplinary research in order to boost progress towards the SDGs

Tim Bodley-Scott, Ersel Oymak

University College London

Hands holding seedling surrounded by sustainability icons

A holistic blueprint for sustainability

Instead of compartmentalising decisions about infrastructure or resource allocation, universities need a whole-system approach to sustainability that shifts attitudes and behaviour, writes Lily Kong

Lily Kong

Singapore Management University

Deforested rainforest now used for cattle farming

We’ve engaged 250 student volunteers to hold climate emitters to account

The Net Zero Tracker taps into students’ passion for climate action, teaches them net-zero literacy and builds their employability. Here’s how we work with them

Camilla Hyslop

University of Oxford

Primary school children with raised hands

Raising aspirations: lessons in running a young scholars programme

Widening access to higher education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds is a priority for UK universities. Here, Valsa Koshy outlines lessons from a successful programme for primary school pupils

Valsa Koshy

Brunel University London

illustration of a man climbing a mountain with flag on top

Restructuring a university, part two

When funding pressures made it clear that the University of Alberta had to change, it overhauled its entire way of working. Here, president Bill Flanagan explains how they did it

Bill Flanagan

University of Alberta

A young woman exploring a forest

The four-day week in higher education: can we make it work?

With a culture of overwork eroding well-being among UK university staff, could a four-day working week be part of the solution? Rushana Khusainova looks at whether this mode of working is feasible in higher education

Rushana Khusainova

University of Bristol

Bingo balls

Bingo! Try bringing games into your staff training

To engage professional service staff with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, a team at the University of Exeter took a novel approach, creating SDG Bingo. Here’s how they did it

Eleanor Cook, Sean Porter

University of Exeter

Earth-centred education is required to solve the climate crisis

Transformative change is needed to deliver Earth-centred education

The time for incrementalism is over. As responsible humans and academic professionals we must radically rethink the purposes and processes of education and development

Mark Fettes

Simon Fraser University

Concentric ripples in water

Defining impact: a shift in thinking, acting and being

What is impact? And, more importantly, how do universities foster and measure it? Here is a plan to raise impact awareness, literacy and readiness

Igor Campillo, Glória Nunes, Iñigo Puertas

Enlight European University, Euskampus Fundazioa

How creating third spaces can help your university campus

Creating ‘third spaces’ will revolutionise your campus

Informal communal spaces bring multiple benefits, from encouraging interdisciplinarity to helping with net zero targets, says Jerry Tate

Jerry Tate

Tate and Co

Collaboration and partnership should be front and centre for university libraries

Seven strategies to turn academic libraries into social organisations

For libraries to secure their future on higher education campuses, they must embrace a model that prioritises partnerships and collaboration, says Sheila Corrall

Sheila Corrall

University of Pittsburgh

Podcast discussing building resilience and protecting well-being among university staff and students

THE podcast: academia and activism

Three academics share their experiences of using their research and teaching for social justice aims

Colette Cann, Eric DeMeulenaere, John McKendrick

University of San Francisco, Clark University, Glasgow Caledonian University

Outreach campaigns can help signpost students to university wellbeing services

How to run an effective student well-being campaign

From reaching out to the local community to making it interactive, Christina Chant offers seven tips for effectively promoting your university’s well-being services

Christina Chant

Edinburgh Napier University

Woman casting a vote in a US election

Voting counts: how to get more students to the ballot box

Young people are less likely to vote than any other age group, so what can institutions do to engage students with the most fundamental of democratic processes? Rebecca Deegan shares some lessons

Rebecca Deegan

I Have A Voice

Image of someone picking up a plastic bottle from a beach

From personal to professional: incorporating sustainability into your university work

Practical advice for embedding sustainability issues into broader professional practice, taking lessons from teaching English language that are applicable across other disciplines

Peter Buckley

The University of Edinburgh

Green gap years can be beneficial for students transitioning to university

Offering students a ‘Big Green Gap Year’ has multiple rewards

James Derounian makes the case for a gap year in which school-leavers can engage with university while tackling climate change and helping with community development

James Derounian

University of Bolton

Image representing higher education as tied to financial interests

To save higher education, we must look beyond traditional university models

If we are to radically transform universities, we must seek solutions from diverse learning projects that have historically been excluded from, or remained separate to, higher education, argue Fern Thompsett, Kristen Lyons and Richard Hil

Fern Thompsett, Kristen Lyons, Richard Hil

Columbia University , The University of Queensland , Griffith University

Neon blue welcome sign

How can universities ensure all new students feel welcome?

Nikki Anghileri and Elizabeth Parker share practical tips on executing an impactful and memorable welcome transition programme for new students from diverse backgrounds

Nikki Anghileri, Elizabeth Parker

St Mary's University Twickenham

A family embarking on a journey

When refuge isn’t safe: uncovering real-life stories to shape policy

Human stories that feed into research can be a powerful tool for driving policy change but need careful and sensitive handling, as Lizzie Kirsch explains

Lizzie Kirsch

University of Birmingham, Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN)

Businesswoman mentors student

Experiential learning gives students invaluable workplace exposure

Strong industry partnerships can help students broaden their career objectives and create graduate opportunities

Reem Althawadi

Zayed University

Basket of pumpkins with sign "buy local"

Food for thought: advice for building a university-community collaboration

Planning and communication can turn good intentions into lasting benefits for students, faculty and the community. Joshua Gruver shares his advice for successful outreach, based on his experience developing a local farmers market0

]oshua Gruver

Ball State University

Image of a sustainable city

Transformative not transmissive education for sustainability

The teaching of sustainability and the SDGs needs to equip graduates with the skills to bring about transformative change for a better future. Jen Dollin, Brittany Hardiman and Susan Germein explore what this means for universities

Jen Dollin, Brittany Vermeulen , Susan Germein

Western Sydney University

Community outreach like the Great Science Share for Schools requires listening

Flip the script: why listening is the best form of outreach

In aiming to widen participation, it’s easy to get lost in your own passion. Instead focus on understanding others’ needs – and keep it simple

Lynne Bianchi

University of Manchester

Young girl doing chemistry experiment

So, you want to reach out? Lessons from a ‘science for all’ programme

Public engagement in STEM strengthens research relevance and trust in science, but how can universities do it well? Here, the team behind S4 give three considerations based on a decade of effective outreach to disadvantaged schools

Mary Gagen , Will Bryan, Rachel Bryan

Swansea University

The different steps to improved sustainability

To offset or not to offset – that is the question

Carbon offsetting is a hotly debated issue, with critics positing that it distracts from real efforts to reduce emissions. David Duncan explains why a compromise position in which offsetting is used to complement focused efforts at carbon reduction may be needed

David Duncan

University of Glasgow

Green shoots

For the common good: why we need ecological universities

Higher education has become too aligned to specific economic interests and needs to be redirected to focus on regenerative values for the common good, argue Richard Hil, Kristen Lyons and Fern Thompsett

Richard Hil, Kristen Lyons, Fern Thompsett

Griffith University, Southern Cross University, The University of Queensland , Columbia University

Podcast discussing building resilience and protecting well-being among university staff and students

THE podcast: how can universities tackle misinformation?

Just providing a degree isn’t enough. Through their research, community engagement and teaching, universities can do much more to tackle misinformation.

Phil Napoli, Simge Andi

Duke University, University of Exeter

Support for Ukrainian academics and students

Supporting Ukrainian scholars: what’s next for #ScienceForUkraine?

Academics and students from Ukraine at home and in exile need help. Here are ways to support the Ukrainian academic community

Arran Reader , Anna K. Bobak

University of Stirling

Image showing an anti-war poster

It is time to bring back peace studies

Recent world events point towards the need for a commitment to peace at every level of society, writes Annelise Riles, as she explains how universities can promote peace-making and related skills through teaching, research and collaboration

Annelise Riles

Northwestern University

Robot art holding a green shoot

Go green, AI!

Can artificial intelligence be as green as it is integral to solving complex problems? As universities integrate courses on AI into different fields, they also need to show students its risks and costs, particularly for the environment

Inès Chihi, Inma Peral

University of Luxembourg