Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is the proactive teaching and integration of sustainability across the curriculum, not just within courses directly titled or related to sustainable development.
At Edge Hill University we aim to provide students with the knowledge, understanding, skills and attributes to work and live in a way that is sustainable. ESD encompasses environmental, social, and economic factors.
Sustainability is listed as one of the graduate attributes, as a core skill. Graduates with this attribute are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future.
Instructions for auditing for UN SDG content in modules
Thank you for your interest in this work. As part of the University’s commitment to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), all programmes and modules are expected to demonstrate how they contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
This audit process supports a whole-institution approach to embedding sustainability across teaching and learning. It enables academic staff and students to identify where sustainability is already present within the curriculum, and where further opportunities exist to enhance learning in line with global sustainability challenges. Through this framework, modules are mapped against the SDGs and reviewed to ensure that students are developing the knowledge, skills, and values needed to contribute meaningfully to a more sustainable and equitable future. This includes encouraging critical thinking, interdisciplinary approaches, and real-world application of sustainability principles.
Staff and students are actively encouraged to engage with this process. Students are not only participants in the audit but are also supported to contribute to the ongoing development and enhancement of ESD within their programmes, fostering a collaborative, co-creative approach to curriculum development.
Audits are conducted on a continuous basis and analysed annually by the Corporate Sustainability team. Findings are used to inform curriculum enhancement, identify areas of best practice, and provide targeted support to academic teams to strengthen ESD integration.
Progress on embedding ESD across the curriculum is monitored through institutional governance structures, including the Institutional Sustainability Committee, which holds oversight and responsibility for ESD in alignment with the University’s Sustainability Strategy 2026–2031. The University is committed to transparency and continuous improvement. Progress, outcomes, and examples of good practice are shared internally and reported publicly through institutional sustainability reporting, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to integrating sustainability across all areas of learning and teaching.
What you need to do
- Access the audit form:
- Go to https://forms.office.com/e/yWW1pV3PUt
- Open the form and make sure that you are logged in with your University account.
- Review the module content:
- Think about the lectures, readings, assignments, any case studies, discussions and if relevant laboratories/field trips in the module
- Consider whether any of the content relates to one or more of the 17 UN SDGs.
- Assess each SDG:
- Select each of the themes for each SDG which you feel is relevant.
- If no themes feel relevant then select ‘None of the above’.
- Provide examples (if applicable)
- Please use ‘question 22’ to provide any examples you feel is relevant to your earlier selections.
- Examples could include:
- A lecture on climate change (SDG 13)
- A case student on gender equality in the workplace (SDG 5)
- A project focused on clean water access (SDG 6)
- If you want to be entered into the prize draw please remember to provide your details – these will not be used for any other reason.
- Submit the form.
- Please complete a new form for each module that you are auditing.
Tips for identifying SDG content
- Look for keywords: sustainability, equity, justice, environment, health, poverty, innovation.
- Think broadly: Even indirect connections to an SDG are worth noting
- Use the SDG icons or descriptions as a reference while completing the form. You can find a summary of all 17 SDGs at: https://unosd.un.org/content/sustainable-development-goals-sdgs
Need help?
If you’re unsure about how to interpret a goal or whether something counts, don’t worry! Just add a note into ‘question 22’ explaining what you aren’t certain about, or get in touch with the sustainability team for guidance on [email protected]
ESD staff training and resources
All staff at EHU have access to a range of training materials to support with the implementation of ESD in the curriculum. This includes information provided via our PGCert training that all new staff must undertake, guidance documents on SharePoint and even some bespoke slide decks for specific courses such as Health-related degrees which are also hosted on SharePoint.
Staff are encouraged to engage with these materials initially and if needed contact the Sustainability team or CELT for additional support and information.
We are currently running virtual drop in sessions to discuss ESD and provide answers to your queries. Upcoming sessions are being run on the following dates and times – please contact [email protected] to request access to the session(s) you wish to attend:
- Monday 17 August 10am to noon
- Tuesday 25 August 10am to noon
- Thursday 10 September 10am to noon.
