Fellowship embeds sustainability in college educators and students

Derby College Group has been reflecting on the success of a programme which has helped embed sustainability in its educators and students.

Through an innovative Education for Sustainable Development Fellowship, the college has successfully supported a cultural shift, moving sustainability away from being a ‘bolt-on’ topic and instead integrating it naturally within vocational and technical education.

Led by advanced teacher practitioner Sophie Harris, the fellowship focused on “contextualisation”, aligning sustainability learning with subjects educators already specialise in, and careers students aspire to.

Over the course of the programme, 88 educators took part in tailored professional development sessions, while 87 students and 58 educators contributed to student and educator voice research.

As a result, sustainability confidence among educators rose significantly, with 93% agreeing it now feels relevant to their subject, while student recognition of sustainability in creative media increased from 18.2% to 100% in just eight weeks.

The fellowship has supported a wide range of curriculum areas, including Engineering, Fashion Business & Retail, T-Level Science, Creative Media, Business and Inclusion Pathways.

Employer-led projects played a key role, with students working on live briefs, pitching sustainable product ideas, attending London Fashion Week, producing podcasts and exhibitions, and presenting to employer panels.

Sophie said: “We know that sustainability can feel daunting when it’s treated as a standalone concept or reduced to a tick-box exercise.

“What this work has shown is that when sustainability is framed through the lens of subjects educators already master, and careers learners have chosen, it becomes accessible, meaningful and powerful.

“Contextualisation demystifies sustainability. It allows educators to teach it with confidence and helps students see how they can actively contribute to a more resilient, fair and sustainable future through their chosen profession.”

The fellowship has also had a wider sector impact, with findings shared through national webinars, external showcases, employer engagement, and forthcoming sector publications, helping to influence how sustainability is approached across Further Education nationally.