Teaching and learning
The University of Nottingham is keen for all students to be able to access learning that enhances their understanding of sustainability, equipping them to make a positive contribution to a sustainable global society. This may be as part of the formal curriculm through their choice of modules or by participating in extra-curricular activities such as Nottingham Advantage Award, volunteering or internships.
The University also offers research opportunities in the field of sustainability, both in the UK and at our overseas campuses. Our research portfolio includes projects ranging from carbon capture and storage to corporate social responsibility.
Education for Sustainable Development
The Education and Student Experience Strategic Delivery Plan (ESE SDP) has been developed to support the University of Nottingham Strategy. Within it, the ESE SDP highlights Environmental Sustainability as one of it’s seven strategic goals.
- Contributing to Sustainable Development Goals: through research-engaged teaching and through the articulation of professional competencies and learning for sustainability in our curriculum design
- We will work with students, alumni, employers and professional bodies to co-create curricula (academic, co- and extra-curricula), that embeds our university values, supports good mental health, develops professional competencies and learning for sustainability.
- Support to develop relevant programmes and modules, as well as creative approaches to the teaching of sustainability across all disciplines, embedding of environmental sustainability in our culture through our ways of working (including teaching and learning), our behaviours on campus, and our contributions to sustainability within our local communities.
Education and Student Experience Strategic Delivery Plan
The Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit provides supporting information, guides, templates,case studies and resources to help you embed ESD within teaching and learning, and allows you to reflect and share through Communities of Practice. The toolkit provides guidance on the UN SDGs as well as HE subject benchmarks, which now include consideration of ESD.
Visit the Education for Sustainable Development Sharepoint
Extra-curricular activities
The university has begun to roll out Carbon Literacy Training with the aim of training staff from across the university. Staff are then expected to develop plans to enhance or embed sustainability within their department, faculty or teaching.
The university launched a Climate Fresk Kick Off event in 2024. Climate Fresk is a three-hour workshop that uses the IPCC reports to educate and engage people on the science of climate change. Open to all students, the session also looked at the actions that can be taken to tackle climate change at a personal, faculty and university level. Internal facilitaors are now equipped and empowered to run further workshops. Contact the Sustainability Team to find out more.
More information on training
The university Careers Team run an annual Sustainability Challenge for students to learn more about sustainability at the university and build essential employability skills. In 2024 the challenge was completed by over 50 students from across the university with the prize of a paid internship with the Sustainability Team.
Read a first-hand account of the Sustainability Challenge
Students as Change Agents enables students to take practical action on sustainability and to make a real impact on teaching and learning.