ESD EF CoP: AdvanceHE ESD Curriculum Design Toolkit Workshop

ESD CoP: AdvanceHE ESD Curriculum Design Toolkit Workshop

Hosted by UNSW EF ESD CoP, this 3-hour interactive workshop introduces UNSW educators to the Advance HE Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Curriculum Design Toolkit, created by Dr Alison Calvert and Dr Kieran Higgins. The toolkit provides a clear process to help educators design curriculum aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants will explore five key steps (analyse, map, reflect, redesign, and plan) to identify and strengthen how sustainability is embedded in their teaching.

This workshop is ideal for educators applying for Advance HE Fellowship or Senior Fellowship, as it supports reflective practice, curriculum design, and engagement with strategic educational goals. It aligns with UNSW’s Societal Impact Framework and Progress for All strategy, particularly the goal to accelerate the transition to a sustainable society. Course and program convenors, along with educational designers, will benefit from practical tools to embed sustainability more meaningfully into their teaching. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance from AdvanceHE.

Register now

Please note there is an optional networking vegan lunch from 12:30 - 2pm. Please register your interest via the MS Form if you'd like to attend.

Event speakers

Dr Alison Calvert, Senior Lecturer, Queen’s University Belfast

Dr Alison Calvert is a Senior Lecturer (Education) in Food Chemistry at Queen’s University Belfast, with a passion for making complex food science concepts accessible and engaging for students. Alison’s current pedagogical research interests are focused on ESD with a particular interest in curriculum design strategies and teaching methodologies essential for developing sustainability competencies in graduates, plus the development and delivery of programmes designed to educate and support academics embed ESD principles into their practice.Alison is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST).

Dr Kieran Higgins, Lecturer, Ulster University Belfast

Dr Kieran Higgins is a Lecturer in Higher Education Practice at Ulster University, specialising in the development of ESD in the curriculum and upskilling lecturers to support this work. Kieran was previously a Lecturer (Education) in
Sustainable Development at Queen’s University Belfast, where he was Programme Director of the MSc Leadership for Sustainable Development, the university’s 25-year flagship programme on sustainability. As an internationally recognised scholar in the field of ESD, Kieran is passionate about creating inclusive opportunities for students to develop as change agents for a more sustainable future. Kieran is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Other related events

Please see related ESD events throughout the week below.

Connecting Your Curriculum with the SDGs

Tue 28 Oct 2025, 10 - 11:30am

Connecting Your Curriculum with the SDGs

This 1.5-hour workshop helps UNSW educators learn how to include the SDGs in their teaching. In this session, you will work with others to find links between your subject and the SDGs, and learn how to design learning activities that support sustainability.

Register

SDG Workshops

Wed 29 Oct 2025, 10am - 1pm

Session 1: Canberra

AdvanceHE ESD Curriculum Design Toolkit

Tailored for educators who are already familiar with the SDGs and are looking to deepen their integration of sustainability into curriculum design.

Register

Wed 29 Oct 2025, 2 - 3:30pm

Session 2: Canberra

Connecting your Curriculum with SDGs

Ideal for those new to the SDGs, providing a supportive introduction to sustainability concepts and how to begin embedding them into educational practice.

Register

Drop in sessions

Fri 31 2025, Times vary

Drop in sessions

These drop-in sessions with Alison and Kieran offer bespoke one-on-one consultations to support the integration of sustainability into your teaching and learning. Contact efcops@unsw.edu.au to find out more.

Discover more at the SDG Showcase

If you're interested in how UNSW contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals beyond education, don’t miss the SDG Showcase on Tuesday 28 October (9:30am – 5pm, Roundhouse).

This event celebrates UNSW’s progress toward the SDGs in a broader context, featuring talks, demonstrations, research displays, and hands-on activities from across the university.

Find out more