HEA Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Self-Evaluation Tool

The Self-Evaluation Tool supports structured reflection on ESD strengths, gaps and progression over time, and can be used to review current practice, identify local priorities and plan next steps.
National ESD to 2030 progress reports provide a valuable account of ESD-related activity. As reporting tools, they offer an important snapshot of practice, while a complementary framework can help support deeper reflection on patterns of development, coherence and progression in ESD practice over time. Building on this, the HEA has developed an ESD Framework for Higher Education that provides shared resources and a structured approach to support reflection, enhancement, peer learning and greater coherence a c ross the system, while respecting institutional diversity.
The ESD Framework Self-Evaluation Tool is intended as a voluntary, developmental self-evaluation and planning resource to support institutional reflection, dialogue and enhancement. It does not introduce any reporting requirements, benchmarks or performance measures beyond those already in place under the national ESD to 2030 strategy or the HEA Performance Framework Agreements. It is designed to support institutions make existing practice visible, identify priorities for enhancement and inform local planning in ways that are appropriate to institutional mission, context and capacity.

The Self-Evaluation Tool aims to:
• Help institutions take a structured, developmental approach to reviewing and strengthening ESD in teaching, learning and wider institutional practice.
• Provide a shared language for discussing ESD across a diverse higher education sector.
• Help institutions learn from each other through clear descriptors and practical examples of initiatives and evidence.
• Help institutions connect their ESD work with national ESD priorities, relevant HEA and sector policy agendas, including student success, recognition, Healthy Campus, inclusion and civic engagement, institutional performance agreements, institutional strategies and quality assurance and enhancement processes.
• Support reflective planning and ongoing improvement by helping institutions use existing evidence to inform ESD planning and reporting.

DOI: 10.82110/bgrt-6555