The third Student Sustainability Council session took place on 24 January 2023 in a hybrid format. Our Sustainability Councillors and Ambassadors gathered up to brainstorm and discuss the important questions, formulating ideas regarding the future improvements on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). We were joined by academics from UCL's Education for Sustainable Development Steering Group.
Education for sustainable development is the process of equipping students with the knowledge and understanding, skills and attributes needed to work and live in a way that safeguards environmental, social and economic wellbeing, in the present and for future generations.
UNESCO 2021
Key discussion points
In 2019, UCL made the commitment: “Every student will have the opportunity to study and be involved in sustainability at UCL.” The aim of this Council meeting was to present the current approach to fulfilling this commitment and engage students in discussion around it.
According to latest SOS-UK research (2021):
- 91% of students agree their place of study should actively incorporate and promote sustainable development;
- 84% would like to see sustainable development activity actively incorporated and promoted through all courses.
Hannah Biggs from Sustainable UCL, the coordinator of ESD work, introduced the four-corner approach to ESD at UCL, discussed in four rotating discussion groups:
- 1. Welcome - All students are introduced to the concepts of sustainability & how to be a sustainable citizen (facilitated by Hannah Biggs, Sustainable UCL)
- 2. Classroom - All students receive discipline relevant sustainability knowledge beyond the taught curriculum (facilitated by Anne Preston, Chair of Measuring ESD Working Group & Deniz Akinci, Union Affairs Officer)
- 3. Interdisciplinary - All students have the option to take new credit-bearing interdisciplinary module on sustainability (facilitated by Simon Knowles, Head of UCL SDGs Initiative & Vaania Achuthan, Sustainability Officer)
- 4. Extra-curricular - All students have the option to join extra-curricular opportunities in sustainability (facilitated by Joanna Socha, Students' Union UCL)
Students responded with a comprehensive list of recommendations and observations included in the minutes below. The student feedback will inform the work of the ESD Steering Group.
Meeting minutes
Next Council meeting
In line with students' priorities voted on in the first Council, the last remaining Council meeting on Tuesday 21 February will focus on Waste & Catering on UCL campus. The theme of communication will be woven into all meetings, with relevance to the main theme.
