Published on: 18/03/2025 · Last updated on: 18/03/2025

Introduction

This case study outlines the development, trial, and evaluation of staff-facing workshops designed to explore how global issues such as climate change, sustainability, and global citizenship could be prioritised throughout the MA Education. Although these issues already featured in the programme, student awareness of them was low. In an MA Education student survey administered to alumni to inform Phase 1 of Curriculum Transformation, 60% of alumni thought the course ‘sometimes’, ‘hardly ever’, or ‘never’ made links to global citizenship and sustainability. At an institutional level, a 2022 Climate Action Survey (2022) revealed staff and student perspectives on sustainability education at the University of Bath. Of the respondents, only 17.9% of teaching staff believed their teaching included links to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and only 17% of students felt their course linked to the SDGs. However, in research conducted where all units were mapped against the SDGs (Schantz et al., 2021), 85% of units linked explicitly or implicitly to the SDGs. This indicated a gap in staff and student perception of how their courses linked to sustainable development, revealing a need to be more explicit about where this was happening within units. There were also opportunities to focus more on the SDGs across units, in line with the curriculum principle of course-wide design. 

Workshop structure

A full day workshop was developed that would use the SDGs to embed sustainability and climate change in the curriculum.  The workshop was organised around four main themes:

1. SDGs and Education for Sustainable Development 
2. Introduction to Sustainability Competencies
3. Introduction to Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) for sustainability 
4. Curriculum Transformation and Assessment, with activities woven in   

The grounding concepts and rationale behind the workshop can be explored via a toolkit on Education for Sustainable Development developed by Dr MariCarmen Ortega and Nicki Schantz for staff at Bath (login required).

Following this workshop, there were four further hybrid discussion sessions where unit convenors were able to integrate explicit links to the SDGs into their unit documentation.  

Following the workshop, the decision was made to introduce a second core unit into the programme: Shaping Educational Futures. This unit explores the role of education in responding to current global issues and considers how education can contribute solutions for more sustainable, equitable and inclusive futures. Students develop an understanding of key concepts such as global citizenship, decolonisation, climate change, inclusion, digital education for sustainability, and social justice. This introductory module lays the foundations for subsequent MA Education units.

Workshop outcomes

1. Led to the successful integration of sustainability and climate change principles throughout the MA Education.  All course units explicitly link to the SDGs and Sustainability Competencies in their intended learning outcomes, teaching activities and assessments. 
2. A successful structural framework was established for embedding Education for Sustainable Development across UG and PGT courses.  
3. Staff confidence in integrating sustainability into their teaching has increased with clear guidance and ongoing support through follow up sessions.  
4. The initiative has served as a pilot model that was expanded across other faculties at the university. 

Impact for staff

• Increased awareness and understanding of how to embed sustainability across the MA Education.
• Improved confidence in aligning their teaching with global sustainability frameworks. 
• A collaborative community of practice has been established to support ongoing curriculum development. 

Feedback

• “It was positive to have structured time to think about this topic and discuss it together”.
• “It was a good opportunity for exchange among colleagues”. 
• “It improved my understanding of the context of the SDGs in relation to education”.
• “Hearing other colleagues’ ideas and perspectives [was a positive]”(staff comments)
• “The new module ‘Shaping the future of Education’ is relevant and in line with global education modules I have seen in the market in other universities. I thought the content being so SDG-focused really brings the goals to life through education and promises real excitement through critical engagement of the SDGs.”.  Dr Pontso Moroosi, University of Warwick 

Impact for students

• Greater engagement with sustainability topics and their relevance to professional and academic development. 
• More explicit links between their course content and global sustainability challenges. 
• Increased awareness of climate action, sustainable development, and global citizenship as part of their learning journey. 

What advice would you give another member of staff/department who wanted to emulate what you have done? 

• Start with clear training and structured workshops to introduce staff to sustainability competencies and the SDGs. 
• Provide ongoing support and create opportunities for collaborative discussions so staff feel confident in applying these principles. 
• Make sustainability explicit in course documentation, assessment criteria, and teaching strategies. 
• Involve students and alumni in the development process to ensure relevance and engagement. 
• Use existing frameworks and best practices from UNESCO, AdvanceHE, and other institutions to guide implementation. 
• Explore institutional resources on embedding sustainability within the curriculum available via the Centre for Learning and Teaching’s Hub.

How can your experience address commonly encountered challenges and help others at the University of Bath?