Teaching and learning

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

At its heart are the 17 SDGs, which are an urgent call for action by all countries in a global partnership.

They recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand in hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. Integrating the SDGs into courses means we can:

• Address global challenges and empower students as global citizens

• Enhance graduate prospects

• Encourage interdisciplinary learning.

The SDG Hub (login required) is our dynamic and living repository of best practice, guidance, and examples from Higher Education institutions and industry.

It's designed for all colleagues at the University to share ideas and showcase work. By accessing the hub you'll discover:

• What the SDGs are and why they're important to us as a university

• How we can embed SDGs across courses

• How you can assess the relevance for your course

• Practical examples of how SDGs can be embedded across a range of specialisms

• Industry guidance, articles, and literature to provide context

• Podcasts, webinars, and videos.

Using our ESD Framework, we'll support academics, course leaders, and teams to work towards the vision by following a staged approach:

• Course leader or team understands the most relevant and material SDGs and how they align with the professions-facing elements of the course, and has conducted a review of industry drivers and expectations in this area. All students are introduced to the relevant SDGs at a suitable point in the course cycle.

• Where the SDGs align with professions-facing elements of the course, these are embedded in core modules and assessed as part of the overall teaching and learning approach

• The most relevant and material SDGs (aligned with the professions-facing element of the course) are embedded in core modules throughout, including in assessment and with opportunities for work-integrated and entrepreneurial learning experiences.

The SDGs now also form part of the Programme Leadership Course, the Postgraduate Certificate HE, and Preparing to Teach (HE).

We're building regular training and knowledge-enhancing opportunities for academics into the year, including SDGs and Graduate Prospects workshops, and Carbon Literacy training.

We run twice-yearly academic masterclasses – Connecting Sustainable Development to Programmes.

There's a sub-group of the Strategic Environmental Sustainability Group (SESG) leading this work, chaired by Professor Kevin Petrie, Professor of Creative Practice, with a champion from each faculty school.

We report progress towards the mission to embed ESD to the Strategic Environmental Sustainability Group. We also report this in the Annual Sustainability Report.

Our Medical School aims to create an environment that integrates sustainable healthcare education into the curriculum. For example, embedding teaching about air pollution and sustainable eating into clinical skills and patient journey sessions.

Our Healthcare Technicians are also working hard to reduce single use plastic while maintaining a realistic learning environment for students.

Our creative industries courses are embedding sustainability into teaching and other experiences.

There have been many achievements, including joining the BAFTA Albert education partnership to teach students the importance of creating sustainable content. There's also the Art and Design Global Challenges Scholarship.

We've been a signatory member of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) since 2018.

As part of the Business Management Skills Development, students took part in the 'Take 25 Challenge' where they had to maximise a £25 investment and raise as much money as possible for the Children's Foundation. The integration of employability skills, real-world applications, and social responsibility created a dynamic learning experience for the students.

We offer two engineering courses with a focus on sustainability, demonstrating the growing need to reduce environmental impact and reliance on natural resources when creating products or services.

University as a Living Lab

At the University of Sunderland, our campuses are more than places to study. They are living laboratories where students can:

• Test ideas
• Develop solutions
• Help address real sustainability challenges.

We use the University's own sustainability priorities as opportunities for learning. Our students gain practical experience and contribute fresh ideas. These can help shape a more sustainable campus and community.

We have an Entrepreneurial Learning for Sustainable Development programme. In this, students, apprentices, academics, employers and external partners work together. They'll explore complex environmental and social issues. Rather than simply learning about sustainability, participants:

• Investigate real challenges
• Develop innovative solutions
• Present their ideas to experts.

Through this, they build the skills, confidence and behaviours needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Learning through real-world challenges

Our Living Lab approach combines sustainability, innovation and enterprise. Students work in multidisciplinary teams to investigate authentic challenges. Students can also undertake their own research and collaborate with experts. It's an opportunity to develop creative solutions using design thinking and entrepreneurial approaches.

Alongside technical knowledge, students build valuable transferable skills including:

• Systems thinking
• Collaboration
• Creativity
• Critical analysis
• Communication
• Problem-solving.

These are green skills and professional behaviours. They are increasingly sought by employers across every sector.

Bringing learning to life

Students engage with sustainability challenges that reflect real issues facing organisations and communities.

One example is SOLVE: The Sustainable Ideas Workshop. This brought together students from across the University. They developed innovative solutions to protect Sunderland's rivers and coastline. This was part of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water. Students worked in multidisciplinary teams. They combined creativity, research and collaboration to tackle a real environmental challenge.

Similarly, our student-led Developer Society Hackathons challenge students to design digital solutions. They aim to improve sustainability on campus. This could be from encouraging sustainable travel to reducing waste and increasing recycling. Participants have the opportunity to apply their technical skills while addressing sustainability challenges.

In every challenge, students present their ideas to receive valuable feedback. Their audience includes academics, industry experts and sustainability professionals. Students gain experience of pitching solutions in a professional environment.

Working in partnership

The Living Lab is strengthened through collaboration with:

• Employers
• Industry specialists
• Alumni
• Regional partners.

They provide expert insight, mentoring and real-world perspectives. Students also have opportunities to showcase their ideas beyond the University. This helps them build professional networks while demonstrating the impact of their work.

This approach means learning is relevant to the challenges organisations are facing today. It prepares graduates to contribute confidently in their future careers.

Creating sustainable graduates

Our Living Lab demonstrates that sustainability is not confined to specialist roles. In any career our students choose, they'll make decisions that balance priorities. These include environmental, social and economic priorities.

We embed sustainability within entrepreneurial and challenge-based learning. We equip students with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to create positive change. They graduate with academic knowledge and with practical experience of:

• Innovation
• Collaboration
• Sustainable problem-solving.

Our students are ready to help shape a more sustainable future.

Living Lab in action Developer Society Hackathon tackles campus sustainability.