Sustainable teaching initiatives
At UQ, we encourage all of our academic staff to incorporate sustainability into their teaching and learning practices.
Sustainable teaching is one of our core focus topics in the UQ Sustainability Strategy.
It may include practical changes like reducing paper use and shifting towards fully digital teaching resources, or managing all online assessment centrally through the University's eAssessment tool. It may also mean introducing sustainability principles and content into your courses, regardless of the discipline in which you are teaching.
Check out some teaching ideas below or browse our tips for going paperless in the workplace.
Incorporating sustainability content into courses
No matter which discipline or school you are part of at the University, you may be able to find ways to incorporate sustainability into your courses.
Here are a few ideas, contributed by your teaching peers across the University:
- Invite sustainability practitioners working in your field into the classroom
- Use University initiatives, facilities, buildings and environments as resources for student learning
- Look for opportunities to embed sustainability issues as examples and case studies in your learning activities and assessment tasks
- Talk with your course team about how sustainability fits into your course as a whole
- Seek out businesses with a commitment to corporate social responsibility as industry partners or guest lecturers.
Sustainability participation
UQ staff and students can access a range of other resources to help reduce waste and increase sustainability in their daily roles and routines.
These include the UQ Reuse and Recycling Stations; WARPit (an online tool to donate or claim unused furniture and office items); the UQ Sustainable Events Guide; and the Green Office Program, to name just a few.
As a teacher, you are also uniquely positioned to encourage your students to participate in sustainability initiatives. Many of our programs are designed to help students gain practical experience that will foster lifelong sustainability learning, and be a valuable addition to their resumes upon graduating.
Take a look at the UQ Sustainability Award; sustainability volunteering options; and our flagship Green Ambassador Program, which rolls up myriad student sustainability opportunities into a wide-ranging, student-run engagement and development program.