Foreword

In a period of significant global environmental and societal change, the importance of education in supporting a sustainable future is increasingly recognised. Higher education carries a responsibility to empower learners with the “knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to take informed decisions and make responsible actions for environmental integrity, economic viability and a just society” (UNESCO, 2021). Ireland’s approach to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is grounded in high-level policy commitments and a vision for system-wide transformation. The Government’s Second National Strategy on ESD to 2030 provides a framework to integrate sustainable development principles at all levels of education, and is aligned with the pillars of UNESCO’s ESD for 2030 framework, which seeks to transform learning environments to be more inclusive and sustainable.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is committed to providing national leadership in this mission. The HEA’s remit encompasses policy development, strategic planning and regulation across the higher education sector. Our approach to ESD recognises that sustainability is not a discrete topic but a cross-cutting ethos that permeates teaching, research, institutional operations and community engagement. The HEA Act 2022 places clear emphasis on promoting teaching, research, and institutional engagement that contribute to social, economic, cultural, and environmental responsibility. This mandate underpins our work with institutions and strengthens the sector’s collective responsibility to lead on climate action and sustainable development. This commitment is further advanced through the System Performance Framework 2023–2028, which guides institutions in developing performance objectives across four pillars — Teaching & Learning, Research & Innovation, Access & Participation, and Engagement — and transversal areas of impact, including Climate and Sustainable Development, ensuring that environmental and climate goals are integral to institutional planning and accountability.

Since 2022, the HEA Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement Funding in Higher Education (SATLE) funding has supported the response to the ESD to 2030 strategy, directly targeting innovations to embed ESD and inclusive practices in our higher education system. SATLE supports change through numerous institutional projects focused on ESD, enabling institutions to build capacity – from establishing ESD champion roles to developing new interdisciplinary modules – and to embed sustainable practices across curricula.

Ireland’s higher education commitment to sustainability is increasingly apparent on the international stage. Institutions across the sector engage actively in global initiatives and partnerships focused on advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and their efforts are reflected in positive international assessments and peer recognition. These achievements demonstrate that Ireland’s collective progress in ESD aligns with, and increasingly contributes to, global standards and best practice.

Throughout 2025, the HEA ESD Spotlight Series provided a platform for institutions, staff, and students to showcase innovative approaches to embedding ESD in teaching and learning, research, operations, and community engagement. The breadth of contributions reflects a sector-wide recognition that equipping learners with the knowledge, skills, and values to shape a sustainable future is now central to the mission of higher education.

The HEA ESD Spotlight Series 2025: Case Studies Compendium, supports these objectives by translating policy into practice through the innovative initiatives it showcases. It highlights how Ireland’s higher education sector is embedding sustainability across teaching, research, and campus initiatives in alignment with national and global priorities. This publication brings together a body of work from across the higher education sector, demonstrating the creativity, commitment, and leadership that underpin Ireland’s progress in advancing Education for Sustainable Development. These case studies also demonstrate the value of collaboration, both within institutions and across the wider system, in supporting the ambitions of the national strategy. It highlights what is possible when educators, students, and institutional leaders work together to integrate sustainability into every aspect of the learning environment.

This breadth of work is matched by the scale of participation in the 2025 Spotlight Series. From February to November 2025, twenty-one public and private institutions across the whole island hosted sessions in which 97 staff and students shared their experiences. With case studies and ESD open educational resources included, the compendium represents contributions from 235 individuals across 42 institutions and organisations, both national and international. The HEA applauds the educators, staff, and students across our universities and colleges who contributed to the case studies and open educational resources herein. Their dedication to integrating sustainability into curricula, campus life, and research is driving the culture shift required to meet our national ESD goals.

As we look to the future, the HEA will continue to champion ESD as a cornerstone of quality and innovation in higher education. In doing so, we aim to ensure that Ireland’s higher education system not only fulfils its national policy objectives, but also serves as an international exemplar of education for sustainable development and system-wide transformation. I hope that policymakers, institutional leaders, educators and students alike will find this resource invaluable. It is my expectation that this Compendium will serve as a record of the achievements of 2025 and as a resource to inspire further action, partnership, and ambition in the years ahead.

About the author

name: Tim Conlon

institution: Higher Education Authority

Tim Conlon is the Head of Policy and Strategic Planning at the Higher Education Authority.