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
Focusing on electric vehicle use and optimising lead-acid batteries, Kumar Tripathi shares practical tips for improving campus sustainability through greener transport, based on a pilot study
In the age of AI, has long-form writing in higher education reached a dead end? Martin Compton and Claire Gordon discuss the unique aspects of the essay and introduce a manifesto to revitalise it
Collaboration between community groups, local government and university students has improved bird nest survival rates exponentially as part of a broader biodiversity plan. Here is how one university is bringing native fauna back to campus
As complex communities with a social purpose, universities are ideal places to foster and model difficult discussions around prioritising investment and effort towards net zero goals, writes Nigel Ball
Universities have a pivotal role to play in inspiring the next generation to find sustainable energy solutions, from uniting researchers with business to translating innovation into practice to growing the future workforce, writes Deborah Greaves
With climate anxiety on the rise among young people, universities can adopt several strategies to help harness those concerns, empower students and effect real change
Small, incremental changes in how laboratories manage consumables and equipment can add up to a substantial reduction in the environmental footprint of research activities
Climate impact needs to be the lens through which students view their studies, if we’re going to equip future generations to deal with the coming emergency. Here are the best teaching strategies to do so
A model for how universities can collaborate with public or private sector organisations and community groups to co-develop solutions to local problems
With collaboration and stakeholder buy-in, universities can help solve global issues such as reducing e-waste and the environmental impact of internet servers
Incorporating theatre, music and the visual arts as research tools complements analytical and qualitative approaches to environmental challenges – and goes beyond public engagement into local and global policymaking
Incorporating the SDGs into teaching involves facilitating project collaboration among students from different disciplines. Here are examples of how this can work in practice
As centres of knowledge and innovation, higher education institutions have a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to lead by example in promoting sustainability and environmental awareness. Here are ways to do it
Using the UN SDGs to teach core content in a ‘real world’ context can enhance student engagement – but what about overstretched educators? Rebecca Watts Hull shares three strategies for bringing faculty on board
To integrate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals into curricula, students need to be truly engaged. The five-step SCORE framework could be the answer
Progress towards sustainability falters when institutions don’t understand how change works. Here, Nicola Rieg explains how to apply concepts from organisational change management to integrate sustainability in higher education
The world is hotter today than at any time in the past 100,000 years. Tripp Shealy offers educational strategies for universities to develop the leaders needed in the critical fight for a liveable future
Mapping curricula against the SDGs has become a key objective for education institutions aiming to showcase their commitment to sustainability. But we must do this through a critical lens
Involving students as co-creators and mentors in sustainability courses can help address differences in their understanding as well as issues such as eco-anxiety
To embed sustainability across institutions can be challenging. Find out how a staff-student environmental, social and governance committee can align priorities and drive meaningful change
The SDGs offer both a universal framework and a way to incorporate global perspectives into curricula. Here are strategies for integrating their outward-focused, innovative mindset into everyday learning
Cross-cultural understanding can enrich the ways in which educators in law integrate comparative legal analysis into their teaching, writes Petra Butler
Flexible course design, reasonable time commitments and real-life practice are vital if universities expect to train the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs in sustainable development
Successful or sustainable? Is this the biggest challenge that universities face when striving to reduce their carbon footprint? Jan Evans-Freeman explains where leadership fits into the equation
In this resource, Nick Rowbottom offers ways to help students distinguish and evaluate corporate sustainability within different international reporting standards
The accounting landscape is evolving rapidly amid growing environmental and social challenges. There is a need for urgent action, yet finance teams lack essential sustainable business competencies
Broader definitions of accounting help students redirect their energies and draw on broad-scope approaches to dealing with challenging issues to help shape a better world
Human rights scholar and award-winning author Kathryn Sikkink talks about her work with the Harvard Votes Challenge, how young people are more savvy about misinformation than older generations and why, in this year of elections, democracy needs protection
Finance and accounting educators have a moral obligation to embed the principles of the SDGs into their courses. Thankfully, it’s easier than ever to do, write Shona Russell and Ian Thomson
Achieving gender balance goes beyond mere representation, writes Tahseen Jafry. Tackling the climate crisis necessitates a profound shift among the next generation of leaders towards gender-sensitive decision-making processes
We can expect radical changes in sustainability accounting over the next few years. Developing a sustainability mindset for yourself and your students seems like a good place to start, write Sulaiman Aliyu and Toby York
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
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
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
From working with resident researchers to navigating local salary schemes, Suzanne Fitzpatrick offers lessons on how to carry out a large-scale international evaluation programme
In engaging with small and medium-sized enterprises, universities can raise SMEs’ awareness of their own climate impacts. Here, Ven Tauringana shares a model for teaching accounting students how to produce sustainability reports
Presenting sustainability research in a story – with a protagonist, goal and resolution – can bridge the gap between complex theory and real-world results for wider audiences and policymakers alike
A case study showing how simulations, role playing and gamification can develop students’ global citizenship and help grand challenges feel more surmountable
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
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
