United Nations Sustainable Development
Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals
Education for SDGs commitment to meaningful education. Have a commitment to meaningful education around the SDGs across the university, relevant and applicable to all students.
A whole-of-university approach
At UniSC, our goal is for every graduate to understand sustainability, no matter what their field of study is. The Sustainability Operational Policy supports this aim by incorporating sustainability principles into teaching, research, engagement, and operations. This policy is managed through our Sustainability Governance framework, which ensures leadership and accountability at the highest levels.
Embedding in curricula
The university has embedded the SDGs into its teaching, research, community engagement, and operations, as highlighted in its 2024 Sustainability Impact Report. Many courses in 2024 demonstrated SDG integration through learning outcomes, assessment tasks, or case studies, such as:
- ACC320 Contemporary Accounting Issues incorporates SDG content into teaching and assessment including the Indigenous Knowledges, and Perspectives module.
- SCS201 International Development and Global Justice and DEV700 International Development and Aid directly address global challenges like poverty and inequality (SDG 1), while minors in agriculture and aquaculture equip students with practical skills to improve food systems and sustainability (SDG 2 and 14).
- EDU206 Sustainability Through Play and Pedagogy encourages our early childhood pre-service teachers to adopt strategies for working collaboratively with children, families, and the community, focusing on connectedness, wellbeing, and sustainability.
These initiatives demonstrate how the SDGs are not confined to specialist electives but are woven into the wider learning experience.
Further, a recent study of UniSC’s pedagogical approaches found that students develop sustainability competencies through methods such as community service learning, case studies, and problem-based learning. These approaches help students understand and address real-world sustainability issues, making SDG education practical and impactful across all faculties.
Support for staff and students
Academic staff are encouraged and supported to integrate sustainability into course design and assessment. Curriculum development resources are available to help translate SDG principles into student learning outcomes.
UniSC also integrates SDGs into the teaching–research nexus, as explored in academic publications. These efforts promote interdisciplinary learning and foster critical thinking, systems thinking, and ethical responsibility, key sustainability competencies for students.
Continuous improvement
We are dedicated to extending this integration across all programs and consistently reviewing curriculum quality to ensure sustainability principles are effectively incorporated.
Summary
UniSC ensures all students engage meaningfully with the SDGs by embedding sustainability across its curriculum, research, and pedagogy, empowering graduates to contribute to global solutions.
UniSC demonstrates a strong commitment to meaningful education around the SDGs, ensuring relevance and accessibility for all students across disciplines.