DCU-ETBI Project on Climate Justice Education secures New Foundations Funding Award

We are delighted to congratulate our School colleagues Dr Anne Marie Kavanagh and Prof Audrey Bryan who have been awarded Research Ireland’s prestigious New Foundations funding. ‘Le chéile atáimid’, a collaboration between DCU and Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) focuses on building ETB teachers’ capacity to teach for climate justice and sustainability.

The project has three interconnected components, each designed to deepen understanding and strengthen practice across Ireland’s ETB primary, post-primary and special schools. First, an empirical study will explore teachers’ existing knowledge, perspectives and classroom practices related to CCE, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate justice. This research will provide an important national insight into both current strengths and areas where further support is needed.

Second, the team will engage in the co-creation of high-quality, curriculum-linked teaching resources for use with children and young people aged 4–16. These resources will centre climate justice, ensuring that climate change education moves beyond environmental facts to embrace the social, ethical and political dimensions of the climate crisis. This emphasis on co-creation ensures that teachers’ voices and needs are embedded throughout the process.

Finally, the project includes two national webinars designed to promote the new resources and build teachers’ capacity to teach in, through and for climate justice. These professional learning opportunities will support teachers in translating research into practice and help foster a growing community committed to transformative climate justice education.

We warmly congratulate Anne Marie and Audrey on receiving this significant award. Their work embodies the values of collaboration, innovation and social responsibility that define our School. We look forward to seeing the impact of this important project in classrooms and communities across Ireland.