Two Years as an Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Officer: Impact and Challenges

This case study reflects on two years of Dublin City University’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Officer role (2024–2026), based within the Teaching Enhancement Unit. The initiative focuses on building staff capacity, strengthening commitment to ESD, and developing an institutional culture of sustainability. Activities include curriculum design support, development of an ESD digital badge and hub, workshops, Communities of Practice, and discipline-aligned assessment initiatives. Approximately 200 staff and 3,000 students have been impacted through training, programme integration, and targeted engagement. Future plans include scaling activity through research-informed practice, programme-level integration, and the development of an ESD Academy to consolidate supports and sustain impact.