Introducing our five policy priorities for sustainability in post-16 education

Across the UK and Ireland, post-16 education institutions are playing an increasingly important role in responding to climate change, supporting biodiversity, developing green skills and helping communities navigate the transition to a more sustainable future. At the same time, the sector is operating in a challenging environment.

Financial pressures, competing priorities, increasing expectations, and a changing policy landscape mean that many institutions are being asked to deliver more with fewer resources. Despite these challenges, EAUC members continue to demonstrate ambition and leadership on sustainability.

To help strengthen our advocacy and influencing work, we have developed a set of five policy priorities for sustainability in post-16 education. Together, they provide a clear framework for the systemic changes we believe are needed to support sustainability across the sector. They will bring greater consistency to our consultation responses, policy engagement, member discussions and partnership activity, while providing a shared basis for conversations with governments, regulators, funding bodies, sector organisations and other stakeholders.

The priorities have been informed by evidence we have gathered from across the sector – including feedback from members, policy and consultation activity, recent roundtable discussions, partnership engagement, and the state of the sector research. They reflect the lived experience of institutions working to embed sustainability across diverse contexts, including various post-16 education settings and differing policy landscapes across the UK and Ireland.

Throughout this process, a consistent message has emerged: institutions are committed to sustainability, but progress is often constrained by challenges beyond the control of individuals. While many institutions have sustainability strategies, targets and dedicated staff, the pace and scale of change can be limited by wider policy, funding, and system-level barriers. The priorities therefore focus not only on what institutions can do, but on the wider conditions needed to enable long-term progress.

For our members, they provide a stronger and more consistent basis for advocacy on the issues which matter most. For policymakers, funders and regulators, they highlight the system changes needed to unlock progress. For partners and employers, they provide a framework for collaboration around shared sustainability, skills and economic priorities.

Why these priorities matter now

Post-16 education has a critical role to play in the transition to a sustainable economy, which will require coordinated action across education, government, industry and communities.

Colleges, universities and other post-16 providers are not only educating future generations; they are developing workforce capability, supporting local employers, strengthening supply chains, driving innovation and acting as anchor institutions within their communities. These institutions connect national policy ambitions with local delivery. Sustainability in post-16 education is not solely an institutional issue, but a strategic issue that affects economic resilience, skills development, social inclusion, and the ability of nations and regions to meet their climate and sustainability goals.

At a time when public finances are under pressure, it is more important than ever to recognise the long-term value that post-16 education delivers. As governments seek to address productivity challenges, skills shortages, regional inequalities and the transition to a sustainable economy, tertiary education represents a critical national asset. The sector has demonstrated its ability to manage complex change, respond to emerging challenges, and deliver public value. Creating the right policy and funding environment is not simply about supporting institutions; it is about enabling trusted partners to contribute fully to national priorities. Long term investment in the sector has benefits which extend beyond education – from supporting local economies, employers and innovation to community resilience and the workforce needed for a thriving future.

We also believe that there is an important role for policymakers in reinforcing the long-term legitimacy of the sector as a key delivery partner in the transition to a sustainable economy. Clear policy signals, stable frameworks, and long-term commitments can help build confidence among employers, investors, communities, and other stakeholders, encouraging greater collaboration and investment across the wider system. This comes at a particularly important time as institutions are being asked to deliver increasingly ambitious outcomes while operating under significant financial constraints.

Across further education, colleges are balancing growing expectations around skills delivery, workforce development and regional economic priorities, alongside constrained resources, funding opportunities and increasing demand. Higher education institutions are navigating a similarly complex landscape, including financial pressures, evolving regulatory requirements, changing student demographics and growing expectations around research, civic engagement and sustainability leadership. Our State of the Sector research further suggests that while contexts vary, institutions across both sectors share a strong commitment to sustainability, but continue to face common challenges around capacity, policy alignment and implementation.

Addressing these challenges will require coordinated action across government, regulators, funders, and employers to create the policy, funding, and accountability frameworks needed to support long term sustainability across tertiary education, and maximise the sector’s contribution to society, the economy, and the environment.

The five policy priorities

Our policy priorities therefore focus on five interconnected areas:

• Embed sustainability within policy, regulatory and accountability frameworks
• Provide stable, sufficient, long-term funding for institutional sustainability action
• Align education and skills systems with the transition to a sustainable economy
• Support institutional capacity and workforce development
• Embed equity, inclusion and the just transition within sustainability and skills policy

Together, these priorities recognise that sustainability requires long-term systems change through policies and partnership, not isolated initiatives and individual projects. They are intended for a broad range of decision-makers and influencers across the UK and Ireland. This includes governments and devolved administrations, regulators, funding bodies, skills agencies, employers, industry bodies, professional associations, sector representatives and institutional leaders. While the priorities are shared across the UK and Ireland, their implementation will necessarily differ across devolved nations and policy contexts, as well as between further and higher education systems, reflecting different funding models, regulatory frameworks and institutional structures. Meaningful progress will therefore depend on coordinated action across organisations, policy systems, and the wider sustainability landscape.

What happens next?

Over the coming months, EAUC will use the policy priorities to inform our engagement with governments, regulators, funding bodies and sector partners. We will continue to discuss and refine our thinking through conversations with members and stakeholders, while using the priorities to shape consultation responses, policy submissions, events and partnership activity. Alongside our advocacy work, EAUC will continue to play a convening role, bringing together expertise from across the sector, sharing evidence and practice, and helping to translate policy ambition into practical delivery. Through our members, partnerships, and networks, we are uniquely placed to support dialogue between policymakers, institutions, employers and other stakeholders.

Most importantly, the priorities will strengthen the case for sustainability as a core feature of a thriving tertiary education system.

The sector has a vital role to play in supporting a sustainable future. By creating the right policy conditions, providing long-term certainty and recognising the value institutions bring to learners, employers and communities, policymakers can help unlock the full contribution of tertiary education to society, the economy and the environment.

Read more: our five policy priorities.

Image by Steve Bidmead from Pixabay