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Embedding sustainability in the curriculum

Empowering our staff and students to act on the climate and ecological crises.

At the University of York, we’re committed to embedding sustainability into all aspects of our educational experience through our participation in the Responsible Futures programme. This work is informed by global commitments such as the SDGs and the Paris agreement, as well as what students have told us matters most. Our goal is to empower everyone in our University community to take meaningful action on climate and ecological challenges.

Mainstreaming sustainability education

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Sustainability at York

Responsible Futures

Responsible Futures (RF) is an institutional change-making programme and accreditation framework, co-led by students, staff, academics, and the students’ union to embed social responsibility and sustainability into formal and non-formal education.

Supported by SOS-UK, the University of York has established a Responsible Futures working group, made up of staff representatives from the University and Students’ Union. Together, we are working to embed sustainability across all aspects of teaching including leadership, decision-making, staff support, community outreach, and student empowerment. 

Responsible Futures at York

In January 2024, the University of York and York Student Union formally entered a partnership for Responsible Futures. To date, we have:

  • Conducted a baseline audit of our programmes
  • Surveyed the student population
  • Identified strengths in sustainability education at York and beyond
  • Shared findings with faculty teaching leads
  • Offered climate and sustainability education and training for staff and students

Responsible Futures

Internship programme 2023/24

At the start of 2024, we recruited nine interdisciplinary student interns as part of a Responsible Futures Internship Programme. These paid interns worked as a team to conduct a baseline audit of our curriculum to map where environmental sustainability features. The purpose of the audit is to understand where we are as an institution in relation to environmental sustainability education and empowering all students at York to act on the climate and ecological crises.

The outcome of the internships has been a synthesised report and presentation for each faculty identifying areas of strength and opportunity, supporting reflection and longer term action on the audit findings. 

Internship spotlight

Moses Cirelli, Responsible Futures Intern:

"I signed up to be a Responsible Futures intern as I have been involved in lots of projects and discussions about sustainability at the University, and so have developed a keen interest in all things green. Naturally, a project which involves assessing the delivery of sustainability education within the curriculum itself was irresistible. As institutions cultivating the next generations of workers, universities and higher education providers have a duty to ensure students are equipped with the skills to tackle the sustainability problems of the future."

Responsible Futures Group

The Responsible Futures group is a partnership between the University of York and the University of York Students’ Union.

For enquiries about Responsible Futures at York, please email esay@york.ac.uk.

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Sustainability at York