Sustainability has become a growing global concern reflected by the inception, in 2015, of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) (United Nations, 2015). Consequently, the integration of these Goals (SDG’s) into higher education has become a priority at local (Queen’s University Belfast, 2024), national and international levels (Physiological Society, 2023). Our group has proposed a simple poster assessment as a means by which undergraduate students can engage meaningfully with the SDG’s (McGahon et al., 2025). We found that the assessment fostered contextual learning, authentic assessment and increased awareness of the UN SDG’s. An unexpected finding was that engagement with the assessment was deeply meaningful, with students reporting leaving the class with a sense of mission and activism. This work aims to explore this phenomenon, investigating student and academic perceptions of the potential of SDG education to promote, not just student knowledge and awareness of sustainability, but also engagement with Sustainable Education (SE) and how this may translate to activism.
After gaining ethics committee approval, a mixed-methods approach was used combining both electronic survey data and focus group discussions from 2nd Year Science (Human Biology, n=13) and Bioscience academics from various universities in the UK and Ireland (n=12). The survey assessed student and academic engagement with SE, as well as the importance they attach to it. Respondents were also asked whether such engagement was likely to lead to action and changes in sustainability behaviour.
Student data suggested that engagement with the SDG-related activities increased interest in sustainability issues, with 69% of students reporting that their interest increased “quite a bit” or “to a great extent” following the SDG-related assignment. This engagement also encouraged reflection on global challenges and personal values. Additionally, 85% of students reported they were “likely” or “very likely” to take future action and engage in activism, although action beyond the classroom was underreported. Educators generally recognised the need for SDGs integration into Biosciences education, with 11/12 rating its importance ≥ 4/5 (Likert Score) post engagement with teaching materials that linked SDGs to physiology. While many educators agreed that biosciences teaching should address global sustainability issues (12/12 “agree” or “strongly agree”) and support student activism (9/12 ≥ 4/5 Likert Score), few reported actively promoting activism through their teaching (11/12 reporting ≤ 3/5 and only 1/12 reporting higher levels ≥ 4/5). Academics reported a range of pedagogical barriers and perceived risks preventing their promoting activism in their teaching.
These findings suggest a gap between recognising the importance of SE and actively promoting it within teaching practice. Educators were not aware of the directives from their organisation and discipline to promote sustainability action. While academics may strive to enhance engagement and encourage reflection on SD, their concerns around their perceived role in addressing global challenges still outweigh their “partnership for the goals” and belief that they have a part in “activating” students.