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Teaching & Learning

University of Galway is committed to meaningful education around the SDGs across the university, relevant and applicable to all students. We recognise the importance of increasing sustainability knowledge among all campus users, including students, staff and community partners. We are working towards an internationally-acclaimed sustainability curriculum that is relevant to the needs of society and responsive to change.

The University of Galway Strategic Plan 2020-2025, Shared Vision, Shaped by Values contains a firm commitment to embed sustainability across our learning, research and the student experience so that our entire campus community can gain the necessary knowledge and skills to become sustainability role models and leaders. The University of Galway Sustainability Strategy commits to the integration of sustainability across all educational programmes in the University. 

‌daffodils in front of the engineering building

Photo by Prof Chaosheng Zhang

Your Quick Guide to SDGs in our Prospectus

17 SDG 700pix

If you have a passion for sustainability, then grow it in Galway. University of Galway offers a wide range of courses – at undergraduate and postgraduate levels – with a specific focus on sustainable development.

  Click here to find a Quick Guide to the SDGs in our Prospectus

University of Galway embedding sustainability across the curriculum

The University has set a target that sustainability will be embedded in all programmes. As programmes are built from their constituent modules, to gain a snapshot of progress to date, we first assessed the extent to which sustainability is covered in modules. A keyword scanning method was used to identify whether a module potentially covered sustainability (the method and its limitations are detailed below).

A sample of approximately one-third of University modules with learning outcomes was extracted from Akari, the curriculum management system. Following the keyword scan, three members of the sustainability team reviewed the flagged modules and agreed a final list of ‘sustainability modules’. We classified 226 of the modules as ‘sustainability modules’. Further data collection and analysis is currently underway to provide a performance indicator for the full set of modules and degree programmes offered by the University. This will be complemented by new visualisation tools for sustainability in the curriculum.

Keyword scanning tool
A research group at the University of Galway developed a tool to scan the curriculum for SDG keywords. This spreadsheet can take curriculum material (module learning outcomes) and scan the text for the presence of keywords related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This creates an “ESD baseline” from which universities can begin creating an ESD implementation roadmap. Using the tool to label modules as supportive of or focussed on certain SDGs can spark the conversation on campus as to what the SDGs are and how we can best educate them. A version of the tool is downloadable here: SDG Keyword Scanner - Code & Guide.‌
 
The two accompanying Excel spreadsheets can be accessed here:

Introduction to Sustainability Module

In Academic Year 2020/2021 University of Galway introduced a new module entitled 'Introduction to Sustainability' to provide students with a broad overview of key topics relating to environmental, social and economic sustainability. The module is a collaboration across disciplines, schools and colleges and explores the interconnectedness of the SDGs in addressing global challenges. The Introduction to Sustainability module is now available across all 4 colleges with inperson and online option for uptake, the plan is that the module will eventually become an Institution wide module.

Dedicated programmes on sustainability and the SDGs

Sustainability literacy (Sulitest)

We use Sulitest to measure and track students' sustainability literacy. Since 2020, Sulitest has been incoporated in several sustainability courses, including Introduction to Sustainability, Green Labs: Principles and Practices, BSc Environmental Sciene, BSc Applied Social Sciences, MSc Sustainable Environments and MSc Environmental Leadership. 1,287 University of Galway students have taken Sulitest to date and will repeat it at the end of their four-year programmes. An Irish module of Sulitest is currently in developed and, on completion, this will be rolled out to all University of Galway first year students at the beginning and end of their studies.

Education for the SDGs in the wider community

We provide education and outreach on the SDGs for alumni, local communities and the wider public through our communications channels, annual SDG Week events, annual Nelson Mandela Anti-Racism Week events and much more. See here.