The Sustainability in Education group is a diverse network of scientists, researchers, educators, and other interested employees at Leiden University who share an interest in fostering and celebrating sustainability in education.

Several times a year, this group meets to present ongoing sustainability projects, discuss new ideas for education on sustainability, or explore opportunities to join forces and create interdisciplinary sustainability education at Leiden University.

Open to all employees

The Sustainability in Education group is open to all employees at Leiden University, regardless of their role or field of teaching. Currently, the group consists of many educators and researchers from various fields, such as psychology, law, and medicine. There are also many members who do not work as professors, such as colleagues from LLInC, Luris, or Administration and Central Services. The meetings are coordinated by SAZ Sustainability. In short, the Sustainability in Education group is open to all employees at Leiden University interested in creating a more sustainable university and curriculum.

Goals

The main goal is to create and implement more sustainable education at Leiden University. To illustrate this goal, we have defined three sub-goals:

Inspire

First and foremost, this community wants to inspire change at Leiden University: more education on sustainability in a more sustainable learning environment. By regularly coming together to discuss our work, findings, and ambitions, we hope to inspire more colleagues to make sustainable changes in their teaching and integrate sustainability into their curricula.

Educate

During our meetings, community members give informative presentations about the (research) projects or initiatives they are currently working on. Examples include the findings of a quantitative study on the emotional effects of the climate crisis on Leiden University students, or the workings and positive effects of LUMC’s Planetary Health Alliance. There is always space for discussion afterwards, allowing participants to ask questions and share their own ideas.

Connect and collaborate

Many professors and researchers at Leiden University share the same goal: more sustainability in education. Joining this community allows them to meet colleagues working on similar projects and initiatives and to see if they can join forces. Where is there room for collaboration and synergy? How can we reach our common goal together? We believe that creating real change towards a more sustainable university and curriculum stems from collaborations between colleagues from various fields, each providing their unique perspective and knowledge.

Joining and participating

You can join the mailing list by sending an email to duurzaamheid@leidenuniv.nl.