Sustainability challenges don’t just call for environmental scientists – they require expertise from many academic fields. Thanks to the new Local Actions initiative by Leiden University lecturers Thijs Bosker and Paul Behrens, university teachers across disciplines now have the tools to embed sustainability into their courses without having to start from scratch.
The initiative provides ready-made teaching materials that allow lecturers to easily integrate sustainability content into any subject. But it goes beyond theory. Local Actions encourages students to engage with small, practical sustainability projects, helping them feel a sense of agency in tackling today’s global challenges.
Environmental problems can feel overwhelming and distant. By letting students focus on local, actionable change, we help them realise they can make a difference.
The materials are freely available and designed for flexibility. They are suitable for fields as diverse as law, economics, history, and beyond. The goal is to inspire a new generation of students who don’t just learn about sustainability, but actively participate in it.
Bosker and Behrens hope the initiative will support lecturers in taking the first step and spark broader change within academic education.