Five Fellows to develop Trinity’s programme of Education for Sustainable Development

Posted on: 02 October 2023

_{From L-R, Programme Director: Dr. Pauline Rooney, Programme Manager: Nicola Byrne. ESD Fellows: Dr. Carlos Rocha, Dr. Sarah-Jane Cullinane, Dr. John Gallagher, Dr. Felix Mezzanotte, Dr. Cicely Roche. Programme Sponsor: Vice President for Biodiversity and Climate Change, Jane Stout.}

The ESD Fellows will develop a programme for Trinity which aims to empower students and staff to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to act as agents of change for a sustainable future. It will do this by:

• identifying relevant competencies for sustainability and the pedagogical approaches which support their development;
• co-creating a shared vision for ESD as part of Trinity undergraduate and postgraduate education;
• mapping existing ESD provision at Trinity including integration of ESD concepts and pedagogical approaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

In developing this programme, Trinity will deliver on Ireland's National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development-ESD to 2030. In parallel, it will support international ambitions by addressing Trinity’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals number four, focusing on quality education which aims to “ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development…”

The ESD Fellows are:

• Dr Sarah-Jane Cullinane (Assistant Professor, Trinity Business School)
• Dr Cicely Roche (Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences)
• Dr John Gallagher (Assistant Professor, School of Engineering)
• Dr Felix Mezzanotte (Assistant Professor, School of Law)
• Dr Carlos Rocha (Associate Professor, School of Natural Sciences)

Commenting on the programme, Vice President for Biodiversity and Climate Action, Professor Jane Stout said “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to progress our sustainability ambitions and the pathway to embed education for sustainable development in the curriculum for all Trinity students. Building on the incredible work that is already going on across all three faculties, this project gives us the opportunity to consolidate and enhance our sustainability education, so that in the future, all degrees from Trinity are sustainability degrees”.

Patricia Callaghan, Trinity’s Academic Secretary, said “Empowering our students and staff to tackle the complex challenges of sustainable development is a strategic priority for Trinity. Teaching and learning innovation will be a key enabler of this, equipping our College community with the knowledge and skills required to take action for a more sustainable future. I look forward to seeing this important initiative progress, as we continue to shape the future of Trinity education.”

The Fellows are funded by the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement Funding in Higher Education (SATLE), a National Forum and Higher Education Authority initiative designed to drive teaching and learning innovation and enhancement across Irish higher education.

Click here to find out more about the Fellows and their work.

• Tags:
• Environment
• Research
• Sustainability