22 Embedding Sustainability in TU Dublin Student Orientation — a whole-of-university approach

Aims and Objectives

• Ensure all students are introduced to sustainability concepts such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during Orientation.
• Ensure sustainability sessions are engaging and give students the chance to meet each other.
• Give new students the opportunity to engage with sustainability/climate action focused activities.
• Measure, evaluate and enhance engagement on an ongoing basis.

Initiative Overview

Sustainability is a major theme of TU Dublin’s strategy, and the University has set out the aim of ensuring that every programme has sustainability as a learning outcome.  This is set out in the university Sustainability Education Policy and sustainability is also one of the graduate attributes with which all programmes must align.

The focus on sustainability has been recognised by external bodies. In 2024 TU Dublin was the first University in Europe to be recognised by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) as a Centre for Sustainability across the Curriculum In 2025 TU Dublin was ranked 1st in Europe and 17th globally by AASHE through its STARS® Gold accreditation. TU Dublin has also received accolades such as the Green Flag, Green Gown Awards, and the Smarter Travel Mark.

One of the key elements of embedding sustainability across the university is set out in the Sustainability Education Policy which states that “All incoming students will engage with a sustainability session and sustainability/climate action focused activities as part of general orientation and extended induction”

Over the past three years, the Sustainability Education team, supported with SATLE funds from the National Forum for Teaching and Learning, have developed the sustainability element of Orientation on an iterative basis to ensure all students gain an introduction to sustainability and the SDGs during Orientation.

2023:

In 2023, TU Dublin launched a dynamic sustainability orientation program that reached over 5,400 students. A video introducing sustainability in TU Dublin was produced with the support of N-TUTORR funds.  All students received a welcome pack comprising sustainable elements such as keep-cups and an academic wall-planner with information on how to live sustainably as a student were distributed to all students.  Interactive and fun activities were designed, including Sustainability Treasure Hunts & Escape Rooms. These events helped students explore sustainability concepts while familiarizing themselves with campus life. The initiative emphasized experiential learning and introduced students to TU Dublin’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing increased awareness and motivation to engage in sustainability efforts.

2024:

In 2024 the programme engaged over 6,000 students. The sustainability video, welcome pack and academic wall-planner were again delivered along with the structured sustainability presentations across all campuses, ensuring every student received a foundational understanding of TU Dublin’s sustainability strategy. These sessions encouraged students to participate in initiatives like Green-Campus, Smarter Travel, and Healthy Campus. The program also introduced students to the concept of a sustainability mindset, positioning them as active contributors to climate action and societal change.

2025:

In 2025, the Orientation emphasized that sustainability is not just an academic theme but a core part of its institutional identity. Orientation activities showcased real-world applications, such as community engagement projects, living labs, and student-led sustainability societies. As well as the sustainability video, academic wall-planner and structured sustainability presentations, many programmes incorporated learning experiences such as Climate Fresk, Sustainability Scavenger Hunts, & Stepping into the Doughnut – an exploration of doughnut economics.

To drive engagement, the Sustainability Education team worked with the School of Computer Science to develop Quest: SDG.  This interactive Mixed Reality game was demonstrated using VR headsets and allowed students to explore how TU Dublin is addressing the SDGs through academic programmes, research, student services, and operations.

Impact and Evidence of Success

• The key aim of sustainability orientation was to ensure that ALL new students received an introduction to sustainability in TU Dublin.
• Each year c. 6,000 students receive the structured sustainability presentation, the welcome pack, a student-led video, and the SDG survey.
• In the feedback survey on Orientation, 86% of students recalled the Sustainability presentation.  73% of students said the presentation was relevant, and 72% would recommend the presentation to a friend.
• The engagement activities have been continuously developed with positive results. In 2024 400+ students engaged with sustainability challenges outside of the sustainability presentation. In 2025 this figure increased to 1,448 students.

Future Directions and Sustainability

The Augmented Reality game Quest:SDG has been a great success with students and staff.  Currently students in the School of Computer Science are further developing the game to enhance interactivity and value to TU Dublin students. 

There is a strong template set out for the delivery of the structured sustainability sessions to ensure a coherent, replicable experience for all TU Dublin students.  The training of student ambassadors to co-create and deliver the sessions ensure scalability of the orientation activities. 

Academic staff have been trained as facilitators for workshops such as Climate Fresk, Sustainability Scavenger Hunt and the SDG Escape Rooms so they can be delivered without the support of the sustainability team.  

Alignment and Policy Context

• ESD to 2030
• EU GreenComp Framework
• TU Dublin Strategic Intent
• TU Dublin Sustainability Education Policy

Resources and Supporting Information

• TU Dublin Sustainability Education Toolkit
• TU Dublin Sustainability Orientation
• TU Dublin launches mixed reality SDG experience

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Funding and Acknowledgements

Funding: The Sustainability Education team acknowledges the support of the SATLE Fund for Sustainability Orientation activities, the N-TUTORR fund for the Sustainability in TU Dublin video, and institutional funding for staff costs.