60 Embedding ESD in Teaching, Learning and Assessment: The TUS ESD Compendium

Dr Noëlle O’Connor introduced the newly launched TUS Compendium of Embedding Education for Sustainable Development in Teaching, Learning and Assessment, the first publication of its kind in Irish higher education. Featuring 44 submissions from across the university’s faculties and campuses, the compendium brings together examples of teaching innovations, assessment redesign, community-engaged learning, research-informed practice, and co-curricular initiatives that foreground sustainability.

She explained that the compendium emerged from a deliberate effort to recognise and showcase the diverse ways staff are already integrating sustainability—often without labelling it as ESD. Submissions span engineering, business, design, hospitality, social sciences, and flexible learning, reflecting both the breadth of activity and the bottom-up pedagogical creativity within TUS. By structuring the compendium around the SDGs and highlighting actionable insights, it serves as both a celebratory record and a practical resource for colleagues seeking to embed ESD meaningfully in their own modules.

Dr O’Connor noted that the compendium has already strengthened internal networks, created opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, and positioned TUS as a sectoral leader in documenting sustainable teaching practice. The resource will continue to evolve as new case studies emerge, supporting a culture of critical reflection, shared learning, and continuous enhancement.

About the author

name: Dr Noëlle O’Connor

institution: Technological University of the Shannon

Dr Noëlle O’Connor is a Senior Lecturer, Researcher, and Educational Developer at the Technological University of the Shannon.