The HEA ESD Self-Evaluation Tool is a voluntary, developmental resource that supports higher education institutions in reviewing and strengthening whole-of-institution Education for Sustainable Development. It helps institutions undertake structured reflection on current strengths, gaps and progression, identify local priorities and plan practical next steps.
The tool is organised around the five ESD to 2030 Priority Action Areas. For each area, it provides developmental descriptors across three broad stages of practice: Emerging, Established and Leading. It is intended to support dialogue, planning and quality enhancement.
This resource sets out five strategic enablers that can support the implementation of Education for Sustainable Development across all areas of a higher education institution:
1. Collaboration and commitment
2. Holistic and transformational practice, scholarship and leadership
3. Capacity-building and professional development
4. Student partnership, engagement and leadership
5. Reciprocal learning communities
The Enablers translate national and international ESD commitments into shared language, strategic direction and practical prompts for higher education. They address curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, campus operations, governance, leadership, professional learning, student partnership, research and reciprocal engagement with communities.
The resource is designed to support institutional reflection, planning and enhancement rather than prescribe a single model. It recognises institutional autonomy, diversity of mission and disciplinary differences.
This overview introduces the Higher Education Authority’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Framework for Higher Education: a connected suite of resources supporting whole-of-institution ESD across Irish higher education. It explains the Framework’s purpose, its relationship to national and international ESD priorities, and how its component resources work together to provide strategic direction, sector evidence, structured reflection, thematic insight and opportunities for peer learning.
The Framework connects curriculum, campus operations, governance, research and community engagement. It is intended for institutional leaders, educators, professional staff, students and representative bodies, ESD and sustainability leads, teaching and learning units, quality and enhancement teams, community partners and policy stakeholders.
Ireland’s Higher Education Authority (HEA) has been working with the sector to move from immediate responses to generative AI towards a more shared understanding of its implications for teaching and learning. This includes how students learn, how educators teach and how institutions approach assessment, integrity and inclusion. The HEA has brought together student representatives, staff, institutional leaders and wider stakeholders to consider how GenAI is influencing teaching, learning and assessment and what kinds of support, guidance and shared understanding are needed.
Speaker
Colin Lowry is Senior Manager for Teaching and Learning, Enhancement and Digital Innovation at Ireland’s Higher Education Authority. His work spans digital transformation, artificial intelligence, open education, professional development and education for sustainable development. He contributes to national teaching and learning initiatives, including Ireland’s National Resource Hub for Open Educational Resources, OpenCourses.ie and related professional development and recognition programmes. Colin has been closely involved in the Ireland’s national response on generative AI in higher education, supporting sectoral consultation, evidence-informed guidance and national dialogue on its implications for teaching, learning and assessment. His previous work includes research on technology acceptance and advisory roles in digital strategy, service design, change management and technology adoption.
This document sets out a detailed, values-led framework to support the ethical adoption of generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) in teaching and learning across Irish higher education. It builds on the HEA Generative AI Policy Framework by translating high-level principles into concrete provisions to guide institutional policy, governance and educational practice.
The principles address five core areas: academic integrity, equity and inclusion, critical engagement and AI literacy, privacy and data governance, and sustainable pedagogy. Together, they provide institutions with a practical reference for navigating the ethical, pedagogical and organisational challenges associated with generative AI, while safeguarding academic standards, student rights and institutional autonomy.
This policy framework provides national guidance for the responsible and values-based use of generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) in teaching and learning within Irish higher education. It is designed to support educators, academic leaders and professional staff in making informed decisions about the adoption and integration of gen AI technologies in educational practice.
The framework focuses specifically on teaching and learning, addressing issues such as academic integrity, assessment design, equity and inclusion, AI literacy, privacy and data governance, and sustainable pedagogy. It sets out five core principles to guide institutional policy development and practice, while allowing for local adaptation and institutional autonomy.
The HEA Education for Sustainable Development Spotlight Series 2025: Case Studies Compendium brings together 115 case studies from higher education institutions across Ireland. It showcases how universities and colleges are integrating sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals into teaching, research, curriculum design, assessment practices and community engagement. It offers a comprehensive picture of national ESD activity and provides an accessible resource for educators and policymakers seeking examples of practice-based innovation.
The report – Generative AI in Higher Education Teaching and Learning: Sectoral Perspectives – was commissioned as part of the Higher Education Authority’s evidence-led approach to policy development.
The report captures the views of staff, students, and leaders across the Irish higher education system on the opportunities and challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
It brings together insights from ten thematic focus groups and a leadership summit, involving over 80 participants from across Ireland’s higher education institutions, alongside student representatives and sectoral stakeholders.
This resource portal is dedicated to providing centralised access to policies, guidelines, and resources for teaching and learning in higher education in the context of generative artificial intelligence. The curated policies and frameworks offer authoritative guidance and practical support to inform and enhance institutional practice.
