16 Overview of TU Dublin ESD Strategy

Dr Olivia Freeman opened the TU Dublin session with an overview of the university’s strategic approach to embedding Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Established in 2019 from the merger of three Dublin Institutes of Technology, TU Dublin has placed sustainability at the core of its mission through three strategic pillars: People, Planet, and Partnership.

The university’s commitment is shaped by key frameworks including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the European Green Deal, UNESCO’s ESD framework, and Ireland’s Climate Action Plan. Under the Planet pillar, TU Dublin aspires to become a beacon for sustainability, with specific targets around building staff capacity, developing sustainability literacy, and embedding sustainability into all curricula.

Sustainability is also woven into TU Dublin’s graduate attributes and new education model, launched in 2023. Grounded in systems thinking, collaboration, and transformation, the model includes “Fundamental Seven,” a requirement that sustainability be integrated into the learning outcomes of all programmes. Quality assurance processes now mandate evidence that ESD principles are embedded in programme-level outcomes.

The graduate attribute on sustainability is directly informed by the EU GreenComp framework, covering values, complexity, envisioning sustainable futures, and action. These are complemented by UNESCO’s head, heart, and hands approach to transformative learning.

Led at institutional level by Vice President for Sustainability Jennifer Boyer, TU Dublin’s Office of Sustainability spans education, decarbonisation, sustainability intelligence, and societal engagement. Dr Freeman emphasised that this whole-institution approach creates a foundation for producing socially engaged and responsible global citizens.