47 SDG Introduction for Students and Curriculum Support for Staff

Louise Glynn described how sustainability has been embedded in the Connect Module, a cross-faculty, first-year course involving 12 programmes and around 400 students. Originally designed to support student transition and collaboration, the module was expanded through the N-TUTORR project to include sustainability and SDGs as core themes.

Students create digital artefacts addressing themes such as climate action, inclusion, and digital transformation. Ms Glynn embedded resources including interactive UN SDG dashboards, data visualisations, and videos (e.g., Jeffrey Sachs on the history of the SDGs, Hannah Ritchie’s positive framing of sustainability) to situate global goals in practical, creative contexts. Outputs have included infographics, collages, and campaign materials, showcasing how students interpret sustainability in their own disciplines.

To support staff, colleagues developed an intranet subsite with tools, policies, and resources for embedding sustainability across curricula. This includes toolkits, case studies, and links to institutional policy, inspired by models from ATU, UCC, and MTU. A staff survey on SDG use revealed varying levels of awareness, with some lecturers using sustainability themes without identifying them as SDGs — highlighting opportunities for staff development and curriculum alignment.

Ms Glynn stressed the importance of making SDGs visible, accessible, and measurable across teaching. By combining student-facing activities with staff supports, IADT is building a culture where sustainability is embedded across programmes, ensuring that students encounter ESD both through learning outcomes and in the wider institutional environment.

About the author

name: Louise Glynn

institution: Institute of Art, Design and Technology

Louise Glynn is a Lecturer in Computing at the Institute of Art, Design and Technology.