Our sustainability and climate education workshops primarily aim to develop your understanding of sustainability in the context of education and how learning can be used as a key enabler for positive change. Participants will gain an understanding of student demand for sustainability and climate education and how it can be embedded practically, across all areas of curricula. The workshops are suitable for educators and teachers working in tertiary education, they could also be adapted for other levels of education. They may also be of interest to students’ union staff and officers, and wider audiences.  

The training is delivered by SOS-UK’s education team. The content was initially created to form part of the University and College Union (UCU)’s continuous professional development programme for their members to progress the UCU Green New Deal for Universities and Colleges. We have added and developed this workshop to align with SOS-UK’s 3 core aims  

• to enable students to lead on and learn about sustainability
• to embed sustainability in formal education across all disciplines

• to make sustainability more inclusive.  

Standard delivery of each workshop is 2-hours with a short break scheduled midway through. For bespoke delivery or adaptation of these workshops, please do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss your options.

The workshops include:

1. Introduction to sustainability

2. Embedding climate and sustainability education in the curriculum  
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Introduction to sustainability

This workshop introduces the concept of sustainability, sustainable development, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the role of education in addressing the climate crisis to progress climate justice.  

The learning aims:  

1. Understand student demand for sustainability and climate education  

2. Explore the meaning of sustainability

3. Make the connection between sustainability and climate education  

4. Understand the relevant frameworks to define sustainability and how to apply them.  
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Embedding climate and sustainability education in the curriculum  

This workshop takes participants a step further from the introductory workshop with a detailed exploration what meaningful embedding of sustainability in the curriculum could look like. We also share examples of how to incorporate climate and sustainability education into your practice.  

The learning aims:  

1. Understand why sustainability issues are important to students and staff  

2. Explore how sustainability issues have been incorporated into a range of learning programmes

3. Reflect on how to amend your own practice

4. Consider how you could use your experience to support others around sustainability issues.  
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Both workshops typically run consecutively. You do not need to have taken part in the ‘Introduction to sustainability’ workshop to attend ‘Embedding climate and sustainability education in the curriculum’. You can, however, if you might find it useful.

These workshops have potential to compliment other institutional or students’ union work supported or delivered by SOS-UK, or being run in-house. Programmes and support packages led by SOS-UK that align with these workshops include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible Futures
• ESD Changemakers  
• SDG Mapping
• Course reps and sustainability (Learning academy workshop)  
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To discuss these workshops in more detail, please get in touch with us.