Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

By Anonymous (not verified), 6 October, 2021

How can universities contribute to achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals? From research to mitigate the climate crisis to teaching through an SDG lens, academics share strategies

By Eliza.Compton, 19 January, 2024

Fostering student co-creation to give back to the community

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Pottery wheel
Engaging in local civic projects offers students meaningful learning opportunities, fosters co-creation and supports the community at large. Here, Martha Sullivan outlines the benefits based on working with the Empty Bowls project
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 5 January, 2024

In-person events are still necessary

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Tree-in-hand sculpture in Dubai
Should academics be travelling to events that could be done virtually? Drawing on her experiences at COP28, Denise Baden shares tips on how to make the most of these events – and why a chance to form alliances, learn from each other and share ideas for action make it worth being present
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 4 December, 2023

Using partnerships to establish and build on project success

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Sheet music lying on moss
From listening to the student voice to creating joined-up partnerships, success on major capital works depends on teamwork. Here, Dominic Wood outlines key elements to ensure project delivery and reap long-term benefits
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 28 November, 2023

Celebrating failure and other advice for PhD supervisors

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Detail of hands collecting river water
PhD researchers should be given space to work independently, share their results and test their own limits with the support of supervisors who see them as people first and scientists second, explains Hannah Cloke
Reading time
5minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 21 August, 2023

A practical approach to tackling eco-anxiety

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Young women campaigning for more action on climate change
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

Reading time
3minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 31 July, 2023

Accounting for sustainability: we need to change how we teach

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Environmental considerations for businesses
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
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 27 July, 2023

A whole-university road map to sustainability impact

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sustainability
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
Reading time
3minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 12 July, 2023

Setting scenarios for a university adapted to climate change

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A city hit by an extreme heatwave
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
Reading time
5minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 9 June, 2023

Charting a shared path to net zero universities

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row of seedlings with arrow to plant-covered globe
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
Reading time
4minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 7 June, 2023

Creating a reusable takeout dish programme on campus

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multiracial group of students eating burgers outside
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
Reading time
3minutes
By Eliza.Compton, 2 May, 2023

A holistic blueprint for sustainability

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Hands holding seedling surrounded by sustainability icons
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
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 1 November, 2022

Transformative not transmissive education for sustainability

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Image of a sustainable city
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
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 17 October, 2022

To offset or not to offset – that is the question

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The different steps to improved sustainability
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
Reading time
4minutes
By Miranda Prynne, 29 September, 2022

For the common good: why we need ecological universities

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Green shoots
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
Reading time
4minutes
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Sustainable Development Goals
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