A strategic commitment to sustainability education
Sustainability is a cornerstone of our University Strategy and is one of the four principles driving our work. Our Executive Board agreed that, as one of our priorities, we would embed environmental sustainability across both our curriculum and staff training programmes.
In 2021 the University commenced a programme to further embed sustainable development in our curriculum. The Steering Group set up to oversee this work reports to our main Teaching and Learning committee and is sponsored by one of our Pro-Vice-Chancellors (Education and Student Experience), Professor Elizabeth McCrum. The Steering Group is working toward the following goals:
- That all graduates of the University will have a fundamental understanding of the concepts related to Sustainable Development
- That our students are enabled and empowered to become effective in positively contributing to sustainability problem-solving in their lives, professions, and communities.
Our University Strategy drives our teaching and learning initiatives and enhancements. Sustainable development is implicit within our priorities to deliver excellence through the Curriculum Framework and its
focus on developing global engagement and multicultural awareness as a graduate attribute, and the underpinning academic principles of diversity, inclusivity and global perspectives.
The Curriculum Framework was revised in the Summer 2021 and includes a statement on ESD as part of the Graduate Attribute “Global and future-facing outlook”. The updated attribute indicates that our graduates should be equipped with the skills to “positively contribute to addressing sustainability issues within the context of their discipline, their personal lives, professions and communities.”
Additionally, the revised Curriculum Framework expands Principle 4: Sustainable to include a statement that “programmes integrate education for sustainable development appropriate to the discipline”, which is achieved by “embedding opportunities and empowering students to engage with environmental, social and economic challenges within their programme and beyond.”
Our Academic Development and Enhancement Team offers a wealth of training opportunities, many of which are linked to the principles of the Curriculum Framework, which includes the principle: 
Programmes integrate education for sustainable development appropriate to the discipline. This is achieved by embedding opportunities and empowering students to engage with environmental, social and economic challenges within their programme and beyond.
We have introduced a range of training sessions to support this principle, including a session called ‘Establishing Education for Sustainable Development’ and another called ‘Mainstreaming Sustainability Teaching’.
We also offer spaces for staff to discuss practices and concepts relating to the delivery of teaching and learning. Our Academic Development and Enhancement Team facilitates a number of Teaching and Learning fora for the sharing of ideas and best practice. Our School Directors of Teaching and Learning Lunches, Programme Director Community of Practice, and work with Programme Teams provide spaces for participant-led discussions about key topics of interest.
The Academic Development and Enhancement Team continue to provide support to Schools as they engage in ESD in the refinement of their programmes.
In early 2025, the University of Reading announced the next phase of development in its ESD programme, with the launch of the Global Sustainability Leaders Scholarship programme. This significant investment over the next five years will see up to 400 scholarships per year, each offering £6,000 per year of study, to high performing undergraduates across all disciplines who show a commitment to becoming future sustainability leaders.
In addition to funding, a comprehensive programme of additional learning and experience opportunities will be offered to scholars, developing a strong grounding in sustainability issues and developing core competencies and skills to enable them to be sustainability change makers in whatever industry or field they pursue.
They will also receive access to opportunities including: 
- developing knowledge and leadership skills relevant to addressing climate and nature issues
- engaging in cross-disciplinary learning and activities
- taking positive action for sustainability
- building relevant networks
- being part of a growing community of global sustainability leaders of the future
- careers support and the potential to enhance employability.
As The Times and The Sunday Times Sustainable University of the Year 2025, the University of Reading is renowned for world-class research in climate change and its impacts on the environment and society. We want to enable those who share our passion for building an environmentally sustainable world to lead positive change.
Additional Funding for ESD Projects
The University provides funding to projects designed to enhance our Teaching and Learning provision. The funding criteria for the awards ask applicants to align them with the University’s strategic priorities (including sustainability). The University makes awards on an annual basis and has seen an increase in applications with a sustainability or ESD focus. The University Teaching & Learning Enhancement Projects (TLEP) scheme offers 'start-up' funding of up to £2,500 to encourage and enable staff involved in teaching or supporting teaching and learning to experiment and develop practice.
Previously funded projects have included the Bee Meadow Project (to create an evolving living laboratory for the Institute of Education), a project to explore the further use of University campuses as living laboratories for Education for Sustainable development, and a project on co-constructing and evaluating the national Climate Education and Sustainability Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Framework across programmes at the Institute of Education.
The findings from these activities will inform and support the wider adoption of ESD across the University’s teaching and learning activities.
In addition, we have recently approved funding for a new outdoor teaching space to be implemented on the main University campus, which will launch in 2026 as part of celebrations to mark our centenary. The University of Reading Nature Park will include a dedicated learning garden themed around climate and environmental sustainability issues, including specific research activities. The garden will be for the benefit of our own students as well as visiting groups from local schools and colleges, ensuring learners of all ages can access nature-based learning at the University.
'A Living Laboratory'
By using the University’s facilities and surrounds as a ‘Living Lab’, we provide opportunities for students to gain practical skills and direct experience in applying research, help shape how we improve our environmental performance, use our resources efficiently, and work towards a thriving, sustainable university. Here are just some examples;
School of Biological Sciences
Several field projects are delivered on campus each year for students in this School, with recent topics including leaf litter invertebrates, microplastic accumulation in ground beetles, pollinator diversity and carrion-feeding insect communities.
This video talks about using the campus for students studying Ecology and Wildlife Conservation and this blog about campus biodiversity that the students work on.
Geography & Environmental Science
Students in the Department of Geography and Environmental Science have access to an extensive range of facilities that will support their learning. Many of these are on-site at Whiteknights, the University’s main campus, which has won 14 consecutive Green Flag awards.
These include custom-designed laboratories and specialised research facilities, as well as a large area of experimental polytunnels and glasshouses that are available for research purposes.
The University is home to a unique range of environments and allows staff and students make the most of their immediate surroundings for field work.
School of the Built Environment
Both staff and students in this school make the most of our campus environment, providing real-world learning opportunities and helping improve sustainability. Examples of student led initiatives can be found here.
The University of Reading has recently been recognised as a University of Sanctuary. 
This award 'recognises ‘universities that have gone above and beyond to provide an understanding, compassionate, and safe experience that would enable people seeking sanctuary to thrive and recognise their potential’.