National survey will capture how sustainability features in Scottish education

A national survey of educators in Scotland aims to capture how sustainability and the environment feature in Scottish educational settings.

Led by Professor Lizzie Rushton of the University of Stirling, the survey of Learning for Sustainability (LfS) practices aims to understand the diverse approaches to the topic and identify barriers which might persist.

The survey, launching this month, takes place after more than a decade of LfS being embedded in education in Scotland, as an entitlement for all children and young people.

The group behind the survey, which also includes the University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow and University College London, wants to hear from educators across a range of settings, including schools, teacher education, local authorities, informal education and community learning settings.

The survey follows the launch of a framework launched in April that, for the first time, takes a national approach to embedding LfS in Initial Teacher Education.

Important step

Professor Rushton, Head of the Education Division at the University of Stirling and Deputy Chair of the Scottish Council of Deans of Education, said: “Education plays a crucial role in responding to sustainability issues at local, national and global levels, and this survey is a hugely important step towards us understanding the full range of Learning for Sustainability practices across Scotland, from schools to teaching courses and beyond. We value the input of Scotland’s educators in building up a picture of how learning experiences are being shaped to take account of some of the most critical topics facing us today - climate change, the environment and sustainability.” 

Participants are asked to fill in the survey before October 27, 2025 at: https://qualtrics.ucl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_9Eqwij4UAm8vh1Y.