Sustainability Takes Centre Stage at Orientation Week
Sustainability was at the forefront of orientation week at TU Dublin as more than 6,000 incoming students at TU Dublin engaged in a programme of introductory sustainability and climate action activity.
Between 9 – 12 September 2025, as part of their orientation, students participated in interactive sustainability workshops and were invited to take a survey of their knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Of the 3,000 students surveyed, more than 70% of students said they had taken actions to address social and/or environmental sustainability in the past 5 years.
Looking ahead, 32% of students want to engage with TU Dublin clubs and societies on sustainability, while significant interest was also expressed in project-based learning with classmates (22%), attending events (21%), and integrating sustainability across all subjects (21%).
More than half of students surveyed (54%) said they have heard of the Sustainable Development Goals.
During orientation week, students were also invited to a series of Sustainability and Climate Action Challenges across all five campus locations. Some 1,400 students participated in challenges such as an escape room, Quest:SDG - a Mixed Reality (MR) experience designed to introduce first-year students to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). and a sustainable campus scavenger hunt. The events were delivered by the Sustainability Education team in partnership with Student Ambassadors and with Faculties & Schools.
Dr Brian Gormley, Head of Sustainability Education, said:
“It was heartening this year to see the increased engagement with sustainability activities during Orientation. This lays the groundwork for students as they learn how they can address global challenges through their discipline in a very practical and impactful manner.”
Anuoluwapo Dada, Student Sustainability Ambassador said:
“Working with the Sustainability Team gave me the opportunity to interact and present to hundreds of students, all trying to find their footing in a new environment. My role as a Student Sustainability Ambassador was simply to enlighten them on how we work for them and their new environment and ways they can get involved, excited and active.”
The Sustainability Orientation and programme of events was supported by the HEA National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education’s Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) fund.