Educators can perceive a lack of knowledge or expertise as a barrier to embedding environmental sustainability in their teaching, especially in discipline areas not traditionally linked to the environment (Ralph and Stubbs, 2014). Professional development programmes are, therefore, essential in supporting educators to achieve ‘a common language and understanding’ of the role they can play in environmental education (Reid and Petocz, 2006). For example, educators might be supported to explore the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a framework developed by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) to support academics in the goal of preparing students for the professional and societal challenges they will face in the future. ESD focuses on competencies, such as critical thinking and participatory learning, which encourage educators to take a holistic, interdisciplinary, and innovative approach to sustainability in their teaching and curriculum design.

It is acknowledged that ‘ESD professional development is a long-term practice’, which requires adequate support - both promotion and resourcing - from senior leadership figures if it is to bring about long-lasting institutional change (Mulà, 2017).

Examples of staff development resources:

·       Sustainable pedagogies (The Open University)

·       Learning Design Sustainability Crib Sheets (The Open University)

·       QAA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) guidance (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education)

·       Leading Practice Publication: Professional development of university educators (University Educators for Sustainable Development)

References

Mulà, I. et al. (2017) ‘Catalysing Change in Higher Education for Sustainable Development: A review of professional development initiatives for university educators’, International journal of sustainability in higher education, 18(5), pp. 798–820. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-03-2017-0043.

QAA. (2021) ‘Education for sustainable development guidance’, pp.1-51. Available at: file:///C:/Users/njd288/Work%20Folders/Downloads/education-for-sustainable-development-guidance%20(1).pdf.

Ralph, M. and Stubbs, W. (2014) ‘Integrating environmental sustainability into universities’, Higher education, 67(1), pp. 71–90. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-013-9641-9.

Reid, A. and Petocz, P. (2006) ‘University lecturers’ understanding of sustainability’, Higher education, 51(1), pp. 105–123. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-004-6379-4.

UE4SD. (2015). Leading Practice Publication: Professional development of university educators on Education for Sustainable Development in European countries. Editors: Kapitulčinová, D., Dlouhá, J., Ryan, A., Dlouhý, J., Barton, A., Mader, M., Tilbury, D., Mulà, I., Benayas, J., Alba, D., Mader, C., Michelsen, G., Vintar Mally, K. Charles University in Prague, Prague, 136 pp. Available at: https://ue4sd.glos.ac.uk/downloads/UE4SD_Leading_Practice_Publication.pdf.

United Nations. (2025). ‘The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025’. Available at: https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2025/.