Sustainable-Food/Sector-Curriculum Co-Create

Sustainable-Food-Curriculum Co-Create was a pilot project (10K) funded through TU Dublin SATLE Impact ‘Synergies’ scheme, and was followed by a larger pilot Sustainable-Sector-Curriculum Co-Create project (65K) funded in the related TU Dublin SATLE scheme through Impact ‘Accelerate’. The goal was to build capacity to ultimately allow for integrating sustainability learning outcomes across programmes related to several sectors in TU Dublin, namely Business, Food & Drinks, Tourism and (Bio)Pharmaceuticals sectors. The project was informed by Education for Sustainable Development Guidance (QAA and Advance HE, 2020). The project involved the HCI funded ‘Convene’ project network ‘TUDublin Enterprise Academy’ and the Learning, Teaching & Technology Centre. It led to the development and roll out of sector focused ESD modules, co-created with students and enterprise. During the project lifetime 35 lecturers and 100+ students completed the modules leading to review of modules and programmes to embed discipline-focused sustainability into TUDublin programmes and modules.

SATLE priority area: Educational for Sustainable Development

Context and Needs Addressed

The initial SATLE Impact ‘Synergies‘ project ‘Sustainable–Food–Curriculum–CoCreate’ (SFCC) originated as a School of Food Science and Environmental Health pilot to address a key ambition identified in the TU Dublin Strategic Plan, namely the integration of sustainability learning outcomes across all programmes by 2030. Within the school, several lecturers had sustainability scientific expertise but lacked wider sustainability literacy or formal training in embedding sustainability in the curriculum. To achieve TU Dublin’s sustainability-related Key Performance Indicators, staff required structured professional development, and students needed opportunities to co-create and experience sustainability-rich learning.

The pilot SFCC project (10K) therefore aimed to enhance practice by developing capacity among lecturers and students to integrate sustainability into multidisciplinary food programmes, reflecting TU Dublin’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 4.7.1 on transformative sustainability education.

Building on this success, the Sustainable–Sector–Curriculum–CoCreate (SSCC) project (65K) funded through the TU Dublin SATLE Impact ‘Accelerate’ scheme extended the SFCC blueprint to additional sectors, specifically BioPharmaceuticals & Life Sciences, Tourism & Hospitality, and Business & Finance, with the aim of scaling the impact institutionally and developing a coherent model for integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) across TU Dublin.

Goals and Key Activities

The overall goal was to enhance institutional capacity for ESD through:

• Professional development for staff via the design, validation and delivery of 5 ECTS NQF L9 modules in Educating for Sustainability tailored to each sector (4 x L9 CPD modules developed, validated, and delivered)
• Student learning through 5 ECTS NQF L8 modules focused on sector-specific sustainability literacy offered as optional modules within existing programmes (4 x L8 elective modules developed, validated, and delivered)
• Co-creation of teaching, learning, and assessment activities between academic staff, students, enterprise partners, and sustainability experts
• Development and curation of open educational resources (OERs) to support the learning
• Creating an evidence base for embedding sustainability programme and module learning outcomes across the TU Dublin programme portfolio
• Creating a network linking multiple Schools, the LTTC, and enterprise partners to share knowledge and practice

Key activities included:

• Module design workshops involving staff, students, and enterprise partners identified through existing contacts and the Convene Enterprise Academy network.
• Sectoral consultations and focus groups to ensure professional relevance and policy alignment of the sectoral and disciplinary aspects of the ESD curricula
• Validation and pilot delivery of SFCC modules, followed by validation and extension to three additional sectors.
• Development of a new NQF L8 module in Sustainable Enterprise Operations to engage enterprise learners.
• Integration of technology-enhanced learning, reflective assessment, and design thinking methodologies.
• Dissemination through EdTech and Polytechnic summit PS2021 conferences, a Royal Irish Academy case study, and submission to the Irish Journal of Academic Practice.

Key Stakeholders

• Academic staff across four sectors (Food, Business, Tourism, BioPharma) representing three of TU Dublin’s faculties and all three campuses
• Postgraduate and undergraduate students participating as co-creators and module participants, including delivering peer lectures as part of the module delivery
• Learning, Teaching & Technology Centre (LTTC) for expertise in pedagogy
• University sustainability experts
• Convene / TU Dublin Enterprise Academy for linking academia with enterprise partners
• Enterprise and community partners across all four sector (e.g., Bord Bia, Teagasc, Food and Agricultural Association, Department of Agriculture, Burren Ecotourism Network, Ecotourism journalist, Verdant Productions, Carrowcrin Consulting, Alexion, industry leaders) who provided expertise and consultancy into module design, and also delivered guest lectures on the modules.

Challenges and Responses

Challenges to curriculum reform for embedding sustainability included varying sustainability capacity of staff, differing disciplinary contexts, and the pace of curriculum reform through institutional QA processes. These were addressed through a structured CPD approach that included disciplinary sustainability expertise via peer lecturer and industry expert lectures, the use of OERs for sustainability literacy, access to the sulitest for sustainability literacy assessment-for-learning, an assessment strategy that drove curriculum review at the module level, and continuous reflection during module delivery.

The COVID-19 pandemic required rapid adoption of technology-enhanced learning, which the team utilised to strengthen online delivery and collaboration. Scaling the pilot model across multiple schools also required cross-campus coordination, achieved by availing of the newly established Convene Enterprise Academy network.

Strategic alignment with national policies and relevant SATLE priority area

The SFCC and SSCC initiatives relate directly to the SATLE priority area of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and national ESD policy objectives.

At national level, the initiative aligns with Ireland’s National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development, supporting transformative learning, critical thinking, and global citizenship. The project operationalises the QAA/Advance HE (2020) ESD Guidance by embedding sustainability learning outcomes and values into staff development and student curricula. It contributes to TU Dublin’s Strategic Intent to 2030, which commits to integrating sustainability-related learning outcomes across all programmes, and supports SDG 4.7.1: “Ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development.” The initiative also aligns with TU Dublin’s new University Education Model (UEM), which emphasises an engaged, connected, and internationalised curriculum co-created with students, industry, and community partners.

It further supports the development of TU Dublin graduate attributes aligned with the EU GreenComp competences:

1. Embodying Sustainability Values.

   Both the Food and Sector Co-Create projects embed sustainability as a core educational value aligned to TU Dublin’s Strategic Intent to 2030 and SDG 4.7.1. Staff CPD (L9) and student modules (L8) integrate sustainability as a personal and professional ethos, encouraging reflection on fairness, justice, and environmental stewardship. The co-creation process between staff, students, and enterprise aligns with GreenComp’s “values-driven” principle by embedding social and ecological responsibility in curriculum design.

2. Embracing Complexity in Sustainability.

   Modules use design thinking to address ‘super-wicked’ sustainability problems consistent with GreenComp’s emphasis on complex systems thinking. Each module includes sector-specific mapping of SDGs, policy frameworks, and enterprise case studies, enabling learners to understand interconnections between social, economic, and environmental systems. Reflective assessment develops critical thinking and problem framing as learners evaluate sustainability challenges within their professions.

3. Envisioning Sustainable Futures.

   SFCC and SSCC empower staff and students to imagine sustainable futures within their disciplines using scenario-based learning and design-led projects. Modules include visioning exercises exploring how future sustainability regulations, innovations, or technologies could transform sectors such as food systems or life sciences.

4. Acting for Sustainability.

   Through co-creation, staff and students jointly shape learning outcomes, demonstrating agency and empowerment in sustainability education. The modules encourage participants to lead change in professional and institutional contexts, with assessment supporting the translation of sustainability literacy into practical curriculum review.

The project also advances the National Professional Development Framework for Teaching and Learning by developing a formal staff CPD pathway in sustainability pedagogy (NQF L9), with potential accreditation within the TU Dublin MSc in Education.

The emphasis on OER creation, open education policy testing, and collaboration through the Convene Enterprise Academy supports national goals for digital and open learning while strengthening institutional capacity for sustainability-focused curriculum review.

Through dissemination to the All-Ireland Universities Working Group on ESD and contribution of a case study to the Royal Irish Academy report on knowledge co-production, the project demonstrates strong alignment with national and sectoral efforts to mainstream ESD in higher education.

Innovation in specified SATLE priority area

Innovation within the Sustainable–Food/Sector–Curriculum–CoCreate initiative is evidenced in four key areas:

Novel Pedagogical Approaches:

The modules employed transformative learning, design thinking, experiential workshops, and interdisciplinary collaboration to address complex sustainability challenges within learners’ professional and disciplinary contexts. Participants explored the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in depth, analysing targets, indicators, and metadata to understand sustainability as an interconnected system rather than a checklist. Workshops provided hands-on experience in design thinking for tackling complex “super-wicked” challenges, enabling participants to test creative, systems-based solutions. Subsequent sessions guided staff and students in rewriting programme and module learning outcomes, syllabi, and assessments using the SDG framework. Each discipline completed a materiality mapping exercise to identify priority SDGs and used a shared sustainability lexicon to refine curriculum language. These practices embedded sustainability at every stage of curriculum design and built participants’ competence in systems thinking, critical reflection, and practical problem-solving—core capabilities within the EU GreenComp framework. The use of OERs ensures scalability and adaptability across disciplines, while technology-enhanced delivery, initially developed during the pandemic, is now a core design feature.

Student Partnership:

Students were empowered as partners in curriculum design and delivery, particularly through assessments focused on reviewing modules within their programmes. This marks a significant cultural shift from traditional QA processes—where module lecturers propose changes for committee ratification involving students—toward genuine embedding of student voices in programme review and curriculum co-creation.

Emerging Tools and Methods:

The initiative piloted innovative tools such as an AI-based curriculum analysis model to assess the embeddedness of SDGs within modules. Reflective assessment practices encouraged deep, contextualised learning and personal transformation.

Institutional and Cultural Change:

A network for Leading Sustainability was established, connecting 12 Schools and three campuses with enterprise partners. The project’s multidisciplinary composition—spanning Science, Food, Business, Tourism, and BioPharmaceuticals—necessitated a culture of empathy and mutual understanding. Team members learned from each other’s disciplinary perspectives to co-create meaningful sustainability curricula. This has become a blueprint for cross-campus collaboration and future ESD initiatives, including the rollout of a general CPD ESD module for all academic staff in TU Dublin. This module draws on SFCC and SSCC SATLE projects, incorporating learning outcomes focused on disciplinary contexts, sustainability literacy, pedagogies for ESD, and assessment strategies that promote reflective practice and sustainable personal transformation. It also drives curriculum reform through reviewed learning outcomes and aligned pedagogies and assessments. The module is now part of the TU Dublin Postgraduate Diploma in University Teaching and Learning and the MA in Higher Education Practice.

Through its integration of enterprise-based learners and staff CPD, the initiative has created a model of lifelong sustainability learning. The approach has been recognised as a case study of transformative educational innovation and disseminated nationally through EdTech, the international Polytechnic Summit PS2021, and the Royal Irish Academy.

Outcomes

Impact

The SFCC/SSCC initiative has delivered measurable and lasting benefits for students, staff, TU Dublin, and the wider higher-education community, demonstrating local, national, and international impact that continues beyond project completion.

Improvements to Teaching and Learning

Benefits to Students

All current students on programmes reviewed through the SFCC/SSCC initiatives continue to benefit. Over 500 students have completed the Business Sustainability module, now embedded across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including the Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainability Leadership in Business. Students have developed enhanced systems-thinking, reflective-practice, and sustainability-leadership skills aligned with EU GreenComp competences and TU Dublin’s Graduate Attributes. Student reflections and evaluations indicate increased confidence in analysing complex sustainability issues and applying SDG frameworks within professional contexts.

Benefits to Staff and Institutional Capacity

The project established a replicable blueprint for cross-campus collaboration and professional development. A general CPD module in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), derived from the SFCC and SSCC modules, has been integrated into TU Dublin’s Postgraduate Diploma in University Teaching and Learning and MA in Higher Education Practice. This module supports staff in embedding sustainability literacy, reflective assessment, and curriculum review practices within their disciplines. To date, 30 staff have completed it, with additional cohorts enrolled through postgraduate programmes, ensuring ongoing capacity-building and diffusion of ESD practice across the University.

Curriculum Reviews and Validations

For examples, following staff upskilling, the School of Food Science and Environmental Health completed sustainability reviews of 11 of 13 programmes at Stage 1, with eight programmes now featuring a formal sustainability learning outcome. The MSc Food Safety Management (TU260) was revalidated MSc in Sustainable Food Safety Management, with enrolments increasing from 10 to 30 annually and attracting strong international interest, particularly from India. Validation of the PG Cert in Sustainability Leadership in Business secured €800,000 in Springboard funding (2021/22–2024/25), supporting 140 students and confirming national confidence in TU Dublin’s leadership in sustainability education.

Follow-on Projects and Institutional Leadership

The Food Sector pilot served as the catalyst for institutional transformation. Its tested blueprint for embedding sustainability through formal ESD has influenced disciplines including Business, Tourism, and BioPharmaceuticals, resulting in sustainability being adopted as a unifying theme across programmes.

The SFCC/SSCC initiative catalysed a university-wide movement for sustainability, directly informing TU Dublin’s governance and strategy. Major outcomes include:

• Designation as Europe’s first “Centre for Sustainability Across the Curriculum” (Advance HE / EAUC, 2025):

  recognising TU Dublin’s excellence in embedding sustainability across teaching and learning and enabling the University to deliver professional development and ESD workshops across Europe.

• AASHE STARS Gold Rating (2025):

  TU Dublin ranked first in Europe and 17th globally among 600 institutions, achieving 100% in sustainability research and over 90% in curriculum development, governance, and engagement.

These achievements demonstrate that the SATLE-funded work in curriculum integration, staff CPD, and student partnership directly contributed to TU Dublin’s sector-leading performance.

Leadership from the core SFCC and SSCC teams has generated multiple new initiatives, including:

• Sustainable Lab Manual workshops

  embedding green chemistry principles across the Faculty.

• Erasmus+ NEMOS project participation,

  including delivery of one of the first EU GreenComp “Scaffold” workshops.

• Climate Fresk, Sustainability Action Labs, and the Green Dragon Hackathon,

  led by SSCC CPD graduates.

• My Green Lab capacity-building,

  achieving Platinum MyGreenLab certification for Food and Biopharmaceutical laboratories.

• Establishment of the Faculty of Sciences and Health Sustainability Committee,

  chaired by the SATLE project PI, with Terms of Reference under review by the TU Dublin Sustainability Council for adoption university-wide.

• Support for EU and DAFM-funded circular bioeconomy projects,

  including food waste valorisation (olive pomace, brewers’ spent grain) and LCA analysis of Irish whiskey, published by a SFSS student graduate.

These outcomes demonstrate how the project’s ethos is now embedded within TU Dublin’s governance, research, and operational culture.

Transforming Teaching and Learning

The initiative transformed teaching practice by integrating reflective, experiential, and co-creative pedagogies into programme design. Staff now routinely apply sustainability lenses when revising learning outcomes and assessments. This has created a sustained culture of evidence-based curriculum enhancement that continues to shape new programme validations and reviews across TU Dublin.

Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration

Partnerships developed through the initiative link the Learning, Teaching & Technology Centre (LTTC), multiple Schools, and enterprise partners via the Convene Enterprise Academy. Collaborations with stakeholders such as Bord Bia, Teagasc, Burren EcoTourism, and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland ensure professional relevance and applied learning opportunities.

The network established across twelve Schools and three campuses remains a key mechanism for interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange. A Sustainability Literacy Community of Practice (CoP) has been formed to sustain ongoing professional dialogue, resource sharing, and peer support.

Through this integrated model—linking staff CPD, student learning, enterprise collaboration, and research translation—the SFCC/SSCC initiative has built enduring institutional capacity and positioned TU Dublin as a European leader in sustainability education. Its legacy continues to inform national ESD policy and to inspire innovation across Ireland’s higher-education sector.