Realigning Curricula for the Future

We are pleased to announce a third series of Realigning the Curricula for the future will start in September 2023. Members are invited to book their tickets now.

'Realigning Curricula for the Future' aims to create collaborative networks of teaching staff who are working to embed ESD into their curriculum, in the same subject across different institutions, through facilitated discussion and presentations.

EAUC has long recognised the importance of teaching and learning as part of institutions' journeys to sustainability - EAUC Scotland's Education for Sustainable Development Topic Support Network has supported the sector with general ideas around embedding ESD in curricula for more than 10 years, however the demand for subject-specific support around ESD has since risen. This is partly a result of developments in guidance for institutions to embed sustainability within all aspects of teaching, such as the college lecturers standards in Scotland and the QAA and Advance HE guidance for ESD, but is also due to demand from students.

"Embraces and embeds sustainability in learning and teaching."
- Standard 1.2.5, Professional Standards for Lecturers in Scotland's Colleges, 2020

"(QAA) aims to support all students to acquire the skills necessary to develop values and take actions to transition society towards a sustainable future."
- QAA and advance HE Education for Sustainable Development guidance, March 2021

"84% of students would like to see sustainable development actively incorporated and promoted through all courses"
- SOS-UK Sustainability Skills Survey 2020-21

Some subjects are further along in realigning their curricula with this guidance, due to the nature of their existing curriculum, but others may need more support to do achieve this. It is our goal that the ‘Realigning Curricula for the Future’ series creates a much needed space to share the unique pathways and barriers to embedding ESD in all subjects' curricula.

Demand

A survey undertaken by EAUC in November 2021 revealed that 100% of respondents were interested in subject-specific ESD support sessions. Further to this, we asked what subjects members would like to see covered in the first series of Realigning the Curricula for the Future. We incorporated the most popular ideas into our programme and have since added more, which you can see below.

Session Structure
These 1-hour sessions focus on a different subject each time. All sessions have a general layout - beginning with case studies of ESD in the relevant subject, an interactive 'quick SDG mapping' activity, and ending with discussion. Following each session, the group will summarise everything into a guide for ESD in your subject area, which will be shared on our Sustainability Exchange.

We want you to have ownership over these sessions therefore the agenda for these events will be significantly guided by input from attendees - upon booking, you will receive a link to a Google Form where you can indicate if you would like to speak at the event, as well as request questions you would like us to propose to the group, around ESD in your subject.

Series 1 and 2
Based on survey responses and our perception of demand from communication with the sector, we initially delivered the following sessions (summary videos for each session can be found here):

Hair and beauty - 23rd March 2022. Find recording and resources here.
Law - 20th April 2022. Find recording and resources here.
Art and Design - 25th May 2022. Find recording and resources here.
Mathematics - 22nd June 2022. Find recording and resources here.
Accounting- 26th October 2022. Recording pending
Philosophy and Theology- 23rd November 2022, Find recording and resources here.
Business- 25th January 2023. Find recording and resources here.

Series 3: Autumn 2023

Travel and Tourism - 18th September 2023, 12-1pm. Find resources here.
Retrofit Best Practice & Network - 3rd October 2023, 12-1.15pm. Find recording and resources here.
Medicine & Health Care - 12-1pm - 9th October 2023. Find resources here.

Series 4: Winter 2023/24