Resources for
Everything you need for each step
Sustainable Development Goals How can universities contribute to achieving the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals? From research to mitigate the climate crisis and environmental damage to teaching through an SDG lens and creating more sustainable campuses, academics share strategies to tackle the most pressing global challenges of our time and build a sustainable future.
Copyright © 2025 THE - Times Higher Education. All rights reserved.
For the common good : why we need ecological universities
Higher education has become too aligned to specific economic interests and needs to be redirected to focus on regenerative values for the common good , argue Richard Hil , …
What does ‘ taking sexual violence seriously ’ look like at universities ?
Rates of sexual violence in universities are the highest in society , ONS data show . So what actions must universities take if they are serious about tackling this pernicious …
How to improve the public understanding of evidence
The ability to critically analyse information and differentiate fact from fiction is a skill needed far beyond higher education . So how can academics trained in evaluating …
The US should admit Ukrainian medical students to help them rebuild their country
A caveat for recipients of such aid would be committing to moving back to Ukraine to practise after they have completed their studies
Embrace students ’ eco - anxiety to spur critical and systemic climate action
Luis Gerardo Rojas Solorio gives tips on how to leverage and assuage your students ’ eco - anxiety , using fun games and discussions , in order to drive change
The role of complementary higher education pathways for refugees
Education has emerged as a pathway to sustainable resettlement for displaced people but establishing programmes requires leaders to overcome …
The sector ’ s role in addressing climate change is crucial – and varied
From researching microalgae to evaluating and contributing to climate policy , universities have a significant job to do , says Lucy Meredith
THE podcast : how to build mutually beneficial community partnerships
Three vice - presidents of public affairs and community engagement at universities in London , Melbourne and Chicago speak to the value of two - way partnerships
Five tips to enhance your institution ’ s civic engagement by working with public libraries
Advice to help universities work in partnership with public libraries to reach wider audiences and enhance their civic engagement
We won ’ t get anywhere without placing the SDGs in local contexts
Applying the SDGs looks vastly different in a Western city from how it does in a rural Asian village . Su Li Chong explains how universities can help us get past a one - size …
Universities must follow business and place ‘ purpose ’ front and centre
More and more businesses are shifting from the short - term myopia of financial self - interest to enduring , aspirational reasons to exist . Universities need to do the same
Tips for creating open access digital courses focused on tackling the climate crisis
Tips on how to develop , design and deliver open access digital education resources to help educate wider audiences about the climate crisis , by Erika Warnatzsch
How open knowledge strengthens democracies
No longer just guardians of knowledge , public universities are critical to the health of young democracies . To support civil society and democracy , flagship …
How universities can embed democratic principles and practices into the student experience
Higher education is a critical pillar of a functional democracy and there are things that colleges and universities can do today to actively foster democratic practices , as …
A higher education playbook for strengthening democracy : what institutions can do
Five ways universities can engage in supporting democracy in their home nations and throughout the world , presented by William Tierney
Universities aren ’ t walking the walk on sustainability – not even close
While HEIs continue to take tens of millions of pounds from oil companies , their integrity and commitment to the SDGs looks shaky at best , says James Derounian
We ’ ve forgotten how to communicate science to the public at a crucial time
As we try to tackle climate change , it feels like the pandemic has pushed us back decades to the bad old mode of scientists lecturing the public , says John Womersley
Working with student activists to speed up progress towards a sustainable future
Jaime Toney explains how working with grassroots student activists can help accelerate institutional action towards the Sustainable Development Goals
Accelerating towards net zero emissions : how to mobilise your university on climate action
John Madden provides insight on how universities can mobilise their intellectual and institutional capacities to accelerate towards net zero emissions
Match sustainability learning outcomes to specific curricula to achieve SDG 4 . 7
Ron Johnston provides a guide to embedding education for sustainable development into university courses by linking it with the learning outcomes of the core subject …
Studying sustainability by applying systems thinking to news stories
A guide to framing , modelling and acting on sustainable development issues highlighted in the news , shared by Cameron Guthrie
Changing lives through community engagement and outreach
Josephine Bleach outlines questions that higher education institutions should ask to help them foster authentic community engagement that improves educational …
Now could be a smart time to move into environmental research
Against a backdrop of increased funding and publishing output , aligning yourself with the green economy early could be a shrewd move , says Tim Smith
How to be a civic university : lessons in collaborating with local communities
Deborah Bull outlines how institutions can make their civic duties a strategic priority , developing mutually beneficial partnerships with local communities and organisations
Eight ways universities can reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Ellie Bothwell outlines recommendations from THE ’ s recent report on how universities around the world are performing in the race to net zero carbon emissions
THE podcast : how NYU and the University of S ã o Paulo are thinking about climate change
Ahead of COP26 , leaders at NYU and S ã o Paulo spoke with us about how universities can be leaders in tackling the climate crisis and what they hope the summit achieves
The dos and don ’ ts of creating a large - scale sustainability module
Rachel Lander , Sylvia Snijders and Gustavo Espinoza Ramos discuss lessons learned from creating a sustainability module that ’ s taken by 600 - plus students per year
Students demand action on the climate crisis now – not later
COP26 is the world ’ s best – and perhaps last – chance to get runaway climate change under control , and to reach net zero HE needs to act swiftly , says Manveer Gill
Supporting student action on sustainability
Students want opportunities to develop skills and knowledge to address sustainability issues . Matthew Lawson describes how sustainability can be embedded into the …
Prepare for student sustainability demands to go through the roof
Students will be the driving force behind universities finally being held accountable and made to practise what they preach on climate change , says Andreas Kaplan
Engaging students in applied research to tackle Sustainable Development Goals
Jen O ’ Brien describes a pedagogical project that engages students in applied research carried out in partnership with external organisations , related to the Sustainable …
Behavioural change for sustainable development
Four European academics explore how universities can encourage positive behaviour change among students in line with the Sustainable Development Goals
Demystifying impact : a glossary of key terms
The extensive terminology surrounding research ‘ impact ’ can be confusing for those new to it . To help , Alex Smith and Laura Tucker have compiled a glossary of the …
Designing back from the future : building scenarios to engage students with global challenges
Anke Schwittay shows how design methods such as scenario building can help students think creatively about diverse challenges and imagine responses to them
It ’ s a game changer : using design thinking to find solutions to the Sustainable Development Goals
Rachel Bickerdike explains how using design thinking to find solutions to the Sustainable Development Goals can open up a new world of social entrepreneurship for students
Social sciences , humanities and arts are critical for sustainability
The neglect of social sciences , humanities and arts is at the heart of why the shift to sustainability has been slow − and why it may eventually fail , say Eric Neumayer …
How to ensure online education is a clear win for the SDGs
Online teaching offers many opportunities to drive education and awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals . Ellen Touchstone explains how
Greener assessment : transitioning to online marking
Universities should lead by example on sustainability issues , looking at what they can do to shrink their environmental impact . Here , Ling Xia and Yao Wu outline a …
Using digital technology to assist the spread of knowledge and ideas about the SDGs
Gisela Loehlein on how digital communications can assist in spreading knowledge and awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals , through …
