Trinity has announced a new strategic initiative to embed Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) throughout the curriculum. Five members of academic staff from across all three faculties have been seconded to work with Trinity’s Centre for Academic Practice (Trinity Teaching & Learning) and Trinity Sustainability.
L-R: programme director: Dr Pauline Rooney; programme manager Nicola Byrne; ESD fellows: Dr Carlos Rocha, Dr Sarah-Jane Cullinane, Dr John Gallagher, Dr Felix Mezzanotte, Dr Cicely Roche. programme sponsor vice president for biodiversity and climate change, Jane Stout.
The ESD fellows will develop a programme for Trinity which aims to empower students and staff to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to act as agents of change for a sustainable future. It will do this by:
- Identifying relevant competencies for sustainability and the pedagogical approaches which support their development;
- Co-creating a shared vision for ESD as part of Trinity undergraduate and postgraduate education;
- Mapping existing ESD provision at Trinity including integration of ESD concepts and pedagogical approaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
In doing so, Trinity will deliver on Ireland's National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030 which aims to:
- Promote lifelong learning;
- Balance social, environmental, and economic considerations;
- Act as an agent for positive change;
- Promote social equity, climate justice, anti-racism and interculturalism;
- Promote active citizenship and inclusion;
- Be locally relevant, while also linking to national and global contexts;
- Be interdisciplinary, recognising interdependence and interconnectivities across disciplines and sectors;
- Promote and use a variety of pedagogical techniques that support active and participatory learning, critical thinking and development of key skills and dispositions.
In parallel, it will support international ambitions by addressing Trinity’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals number four, focusing on quality education which aims to “ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development…”
The ESD fellows are:
- Dr Sarah-Jane Cullinane (assistant professor, Trinity Business School)
- Dr Cicely Roche (associate professor, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences)
- Dr John Gallagher (assistant professor, School of Engineering)
- Dr Felix Mezzanotte (assistant professor, School of Law)
- Dr Carlos Rocha (associate professor, School of Natural Sciences)
Commenting on the programme, vice president for biodiversity and climate action, Professor Jane Stout said “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to progress our sustainability ambitions and the pathway to embed education for sustainable development in the curriculum for all Trinity students.
"Building on the incredible work that is already going on across all three faculties, this project gives us the opportunity to consolidate and enhance our sustainability education, so that in the future, all degrees from Trinity are sustainability degrees”.
Patricia Callaghan, Trinity’s academic secretary, said: “Empowering our students and staff to tackle the complex challenges of sustainable development is a strategic priority for Trinity.
"Teaching and learning innovation will be a key enabler of this, equipping our College community with the knowledge and skills required to take action for a more sustainable future. I look forward to seeing this important initiative progress, as we continue to shape the future of Trinity education.”
The fellows are funded by the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement Funding in Higher Education (SATLE), a National Forum and Higher Education Authority initiative designed to drive teaching and learning innovation and enhancement across Irish higher education.