LEARNING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability learning strategy for universities
Universities have heard the call to embed sustainability into courses – yet many efforts remain fragmented, low priority, or reliant on champions.
Education for Sustainability (EfS) or Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a capability building approach. It goes beyond just teaching specialist knowledge – this about equipping people to create change, across industries and professions.
I’m an ESD strategist, helping institutions integrate sustainability into the core purpose of learning. Aligning strategy, curriculum, and culture, so sustainability is strengthening academic quality, student outcomes, and institutional expertise.
My focus is turning the complexity of sustainability into coherent strategy and visible progress. My work builds bridges, shared purpose, usable frameworks and leadership capability, supporting educators to innovate with confidence.
I work as a strategic partner to help universities move ESD from disjointed enthusiasms to focused, impactful learning – integral to student achievement and quality academic practice.
Explore my services below and contact me to discuss – pricing is tailored to your priorities.
FUNDED BY THE UK QUALITY ASSURANCE AGENCY
Click here to explore the project
Explore student toolkit below
Research Impact – REF 2021
Read impact case study here
how learning energy can help
BUILD CAPABILITY
ESD leader coaching
(high impact strategic starting point)
Bespoke mentoring and coaching for ESD and sustainability leads. Focused space for sense-making, decision support, and strategic direction.
Starter package includes:
- 90-minute orientation & diagnostic
- 3 × 60-minute coaching/mentoring
- Review & forward planning
ESD CPD sessions
Purpose-designed workshops, keynotes or coaching, to build shared understanding and practical capability across distributed teams.
Common themes include:
- ESD quality & good practice principles
- Student co-creation & anti-greenwash education
- Engaging diverse disciplines & specialist roles
- Systemic coaching for networked academic innovation teams
SET DIRECTION
ESD progress review
(targeted institutional strategy starting point)
An independent, strategic assessment of your current ESD position, strengths, gaps, and priorities.
Options could include:
- Performance & impact review with stakeholder consultation
- Benchmarking & SWOT analysis
- Policy alignment & narrative coherence
- Practical advice on next steps for embedding
ESD strategy development
Targeted consultancy to establish or refresh a clear, achievable ESD strategy aligned with education policy and sustainability priorities.
Typically includes:
- Goal-setting, impact measures, reporting approaches
- Stakeholder consultations & troubleshooting
- Benchmarking & peer comparison
- Capacity-building & coaching for delivery teams
IMPROVE QUALITY
ESD curriculum audit
A quality-focused review using QAA-funded & tested ‘anti-greenwash’ framework. Scalable to your needs, for cross-portfolio progress data using methods credible to academics & students.
Support may include:
- Ready-to-use templates & implementation guidance
- Training for student & staff auditors to improve practice
- Advice on process design, engagement, impact, & reporting
ESD stakeholder engagement
Delivery-focused support for internal and external groups, to build ownership and momentum.
Focus may include:
- Student experience & partnership to strengthen learner input & outcomes
- Cross-boundary academic engagement & impact
- Community, employer, and cross-sector ESD learning collaborations
Contact me for a free call
CREDENTIALS
I held one of the UK’s earliest senior ESD leadership roles, spending 15 years leading ESD in a university – with 8 years as Sustainability Director responsible for institution-wide strategy and delivery across sustainability brainprint and footprint.
My work has delivered demonstrable, quality-assured impact, including:
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ESD embedded across 67.5% of a diverse course portfolio, evidenced with authentic quality criteria
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Eight UK and international awards for strategic ESD initiatives, while supporting academic teams to gain external recognition for their ESD work
Alongside senior leadership roles, I bring 20 years’ experience of teaching, professional development, evaluation, and research, giving me a grounded understanding of what enables strategic change to land in academic cultures.
This includes:
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Lead roles in REF impact-cited international action research on ESD, collaborating with experts and universities in over 45 countries
- Director of ‘anti-greenwash education’ project, strengthening transparency and standards by empowering students as ESD quality assessors
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Awarded a UK National Teaching Fellowship (2017) for peer-recognised strategic impact on teaching and learning in higher education
I work as a critical friend and strategic partner, bringing independent perspective, sector insight, and practical challenge, to help institutions move from ambition to credible progress.
ONLINE RESOURCES
University Educators for Sustainable Development – Professional Development Resource Platform
Flexible Pedagogies Project – Curriculum Framework
Leading Curriculum Change for Sustainability – Quality Assurance & Enhancement Toolkit
Learning for Sustainability testimonials
“We’ve had the good fortune to work with Alex on our strategy for Education for Sustainable Development. She helped us to move forward with confidence, understanding our challenges and opportunities, and keeping stakeholders engaged with this vital work. She brings expertise in the field, sector insight and an empowering approach.”
“Alex is wonderful to work with and has collaborated with us for many years at the Quality Assurance Agency, ensuring the membership programme delivered on education for sustainable development. She designed and delivered excellent initiatives, and the legacy lives on in the anti-greenwash learning resources she created.”
“Alex is a leading voice internationally on Education for Sustainable Development and brings a transformative and strategic lens to embedding this learning holistically in university settings. Alex’s work continues to inspire and inform my work in this space, and how we may reimagine the university for a sustainable and just future.”
Learning for sustainability contact
Contact me to discuss bespoke support