Sustainable Development Goal OERs
In line with the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Educational Resources we believe that OER can make a critical contribution to achieving the aims of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) which the University and Students Association are committed to through the SDG Accord.
On this page we have collected OERs from our showcase that are in line with specific SDG and listed them for ease of educators wishing to find SDG aligned resources. All OERs have also been tagged with the relevant SDG and number for searching or identifying purposes.
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Goal: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal2
SDG2 Food Production and Insects
This resource is a set of 5 lesson plans with slides, an experiment (with worksheets for analysing the results) and assessment items. The target audience for this resource is for learners aged between 14 and 16 years.
SDG2 Sustainable Global Food Systems
These videos and podcasts from our Sustainable Global Food Systems MOOC and ‘Food Future Podcast’ are open licensed and downloadable to be watched, listened, and used by anyone with interests in food and sustainability.
SDG2 SEBI – Mastitis in smallholder dairy cows
This series of 11 open licensed videos provides information on mastitis in smallholder dairy cows. The series has been created in three languages, English, Oromiya/Oromo, and Amharic.
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
Goal: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal3
Primary and Secondary level resources
SDG3 SuperCytes (Biology game)
SDG3 Germs Disease Vaccines and Chemical Reactions
SDG3 Clinical Psychology of children and young people
SDG3 Infectious Disease Outbreaks
Community level resources
SDG3 My Lungs My Life, community education
SDG3 Self-help 4 Stroke, community education
SDG3 Lasercut Face Shield 3D models
SDG3 Self-care and wellbeing MOOC videos
SDG3 Understanding brain health: preventing dementia MOOC videos
Higher Education resources
SDG3 UNCOVER Usher Netweork for Covid 19 evidence reviews
SDG3 Chronic Respiratory Diseases
SDG3 Covid 19 Critical Care Application and Understanding MOOC resources
SDG3 MentalHealth, A Global Priority podcast
SDG3 Cardiovascular disease information pack for students and teachers
SDG3 HIV/AIDS Online resource for teachers
SDG3 LGBT Healthcare 101, medicine students
SDG3 Introduction to patient centered care
SDG3 UNCOVER – Applied Evidence Synthesis Workshop recordings
SDG3 OPENspace Research Seminar – Environmental support for flourishing in older age
SDG3 Introducing the BlueHealth Toolbox: Linking environment, climate and health
SDG3 AVA Guidelines for Safer Anaesthesia
SDG3 Renal (Kidney) Medicine 2023
SDG 4 Quality Education
Goal: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4
We believe that all of our OERs are in line with SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. For the purpose of a usable distinction we’ve included under this tag OERs that specifically focus on improving educational quality.
A channel of open licensed videos on a range of educational topics supporting the Foundations for All refugee education project running in 2021-2022 in Kampala and Kiryandongo, Uganda.
SDG4 Making the most of Open Access resources
Open Access books and journal articles, the Centre for Research Collections, the University’s Journal Hosting Service, Open Access data sets, and Open Educational Resources, along with links to further advice and guidance.
SDG4 How to write programme level learning outcomes
This short “how to” guide walks you through the process of writing effective programme level learning outcomes. It covers inclusive design principles, classifying learning objectives with Bloom’s Taxonomy, expressing learning objectives with active verbs.
SDG4 Critical Thinking in Global Challenges
These videos formed part of a course which aimed to provide the opportunity to better understand what critical thinking is, and to practice and enhance critical thinking skills.
SDG4 Open Assessment Practices
A wide range of open assessment practices have been adopted by schools and colleges across the University, enabling students to demonstrate the relevance of their field of study and share their scholarship in real-world contexts, while at the same time contributing to the global pool of open knowledge.
SDG4 Introduction to Open Education Practice
These resources provide a broad overview of Open Education Practice. They introduce some of the key concepts of open education, including co-creation and networked participatory scholarship
SDG4 Digital Education Podcast
This open licensed podcast series was created by the MSc in Digital Education programme for its student and anyone with an interest in further developing their knowledge of digital in education.
SDG4 E-learning and Digital Cultures MOOC
These videos formed part of the E-learning and Digital Cultures MOOC, an influential MOOC from the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Research in Digital Education that launched on Coursera in 2012.
SDG4 ELDeR – Edinburgh Learning Design Roadmap
The Edinburgh Learning Design Roadmap (ELDeR), created in 2016, is a practical, team-based approach to learning design, based on the University of Northampton’s CAIeRO approach. ELDeR also incorporates elements of other learning design tools and approaches, including the Open University’s Curriculum Feature cards, the University of Ulster’s Viewpoints toolkit, and University College London’s ABC method.
Resources in this collection include; examples and case studies of OER in the curriculum, experiential design, insightful and reflective materials from our Institute for Academic Development, marking criteria guidance, technology integration, blended learning techniques, and diversity and inclusion resources.
SDG4 Open Policies for Learning and Teaching
The University of Edinburgh shares a number of its Learning and Teaching policies and associated guidance under Creative Commons licence to enable them to be reused by other institutions.
This collection of open policies won the 2021 Open Education Awards for Excellence Open Policy Award.
SDG4 Open for Good: 10 years of open course development at Edinburgh University
This open licensed recording of a webinar for Open Education Week 2023 from Educational Design and Engagement shares the story of how the University of Edinburgh has developed an open course creation workflow that has enabled us to share 100 free short open course and over 1000 OERs over the last 10 years.
SDG4 Learning and Teaching Guidance for (HE) Staff from the IAD
SDG4 Lothian Equal Access Programme for Schools Academic skill films
SDG4 How to Create Video for Online Courses
SDG4 Wikipeda editing video tutorials
SDG4 Updated How to edit Wikipedia video tutorial playlist
SDG4 Wikimedia in Education case studies
SDG4 Wikipedia training lesson plan
SDG4 3 case studies of Wikipedia in the curriculum
SDG 5: Gender Equality
Goal: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal5
SDG5 ISG International Women’s day 2021 resource list
SDG5 Renaissance Feminism lectures
SDG5 Survey of Scottish Witchcraft visualisations
SDG5 Prejudice reduction strategies, psychology resource
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Goal: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal9
Higher Education resources
SDG9 The border as a platform: Jamie Duncan in Discussion with Gavin Sullivan
SDG9 Harnessing the Power of Cultural Ecosystem Services in Landscape Planning
SDG9 Data Ethics, AI and Responsible Innovation
SDG9 Landscape Architecture PhD Seminars 2022-23
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Goal: Reduce inequality within and among countries. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal10
Primary and Secondary resources
SDG10 Prejudice reduction strategies, psychology resource
Higher Education resources
SDG10 Christian Muslim relations, MOOC videos
SDG10 ISG International Womens day 2021 resource list
SDG10 ISG Antiracist reading list
SDG10 Decolonising and diversifying the curriculum with OER
SDG10 HIV/AIDS online resources for teachers
SDG10 Openness Equality and Inclusion OERs
SDG10 Mental Health a global priority podcast
SDG10 Can architecture be decolonised? Lecture and discussion
SDG10 Legal for 40 years: A snapshot from someone who was there – Staff Pride Network
SDG10 How to be a good (LGBTQ) ally
SDG10 Black LGBTQ+ Lives around the world
SDG10 OER for Disability Pride Month
SDG10 Decolonising and Diversifying the Library
SDG10 LGBT+ History Month 2023
SDG10 Synesthesia, neurodiversity & identity
SDG10 Cisinformed: Disinformation and the Media War on Transgender Rights
SDG10 Life in the UK as a migrant
SDG10 Archiving Gaps: Reading Zimbabwe and The Internet
SDG10 Scotland, Slavery and Black History – Wikipedia in the Classroom
SDG10 ConveRACEions with EUSA Liberation Officers
SDG10 Equality, Diversity, Inclusion training for staff
SDG10 Geographies of Impulse: Tourette Syndrome and the embodied experience of public space(s)’
SDG10 World AIDS Day 2022: Sam Moore, The Farewell Symphony
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Goal: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11
Primary and Secondary resources
SDG11 Sustainable Schools, and interdisciplinary STEM challenge
SDG11 Kind Clothing and Sustainable Fashion
SDG11 Thinking Detectives game: The Alps and Climate Change
SDG11 Food production and insects
SDG11 Sustainability and conservation
Community resources
SDG11 Urban Ecosystem Lichen Walk
Higher Education resources
SDG11 Sustainable global food systems MOOC videos
SDG11 Sustainable Champions Gathering 2021 video
SDG11 Learning for a Sustainable Future MOOC videos
SDG11 Learning for a Sustainable Future: Live at COP26 videos
SDG11 Learning for a Sustainable Future: Live at COP28 videos
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Goal: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal12
Primary and Secondary resources
SDG12 Kind clothing and sustainable fashion
SDG12 Sustainable Schools, and interdisciplinary STEM challenge
SDG12 Food production and insects
SDG12 Sow it, grow it, taste it
Higher Education resources
SDG12 Sustainable global food systems MOOC videos
SDG12 Sustainable Laboratories video
SDG12 Sustainable Champions Gathering 2021 video
SDG12 Using Climate Data in Financial Decision Making – seminar
SDG12 Learning for a Sustainable Future MOOC videos
SDG12 Learning for a Sustainable Future: Live at COP26 videos
SDG 13: Climate Action
Goal: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.*
https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal13
Primary and Secondary Resources
SDG13 Environment and Sustainability Resources COP26
SDG13 Food production and insects
SDG13 Thinking Detectives game: The Alps and Climate Change
SDG13 Sustainable Schools, and interdisciplinary STEM challenge
SDG13 Climate Change interdisciplinary STEM challenge
SDG13 SATSchool Hands on with Climate Data module
SDG13 SATSchool – Cryosphere module
SDG13 SATSchool – Atmosphere module
Higher Education resources
SDG13 Sustainable global food systems MOOC videos
SDG13 Learning for a Sustainable Future MOOC videos
SDG13 Learning for a Sustainable Future: Live at COP26 videos
SDG13 Climate Solutions: India MOOC
SDG13 Climate Solutions: UAE (English) MOOC
SDG13 Climate Solutions Mexico (English) MOOC videos
SDG13 Climate Solutions Mexico (Spanish) MOOC Videos
SDG13 Re-thinking Cultural Heritage and Climate Change Adaption (MOOC videos)
SDG13 Climate Solutions Malawi MOOC Videos
SDG 14: Life Below Water
Goal: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal14
Primary and Secondary resources
SDG14 Ocean biodiversity, food webs and habitats
SDG14 The Sea Level Story – Geoscience
SDG14 SATSchool – Oceans module
SDG 15: Life on Land
Goal: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal15
Primary and Secondary resources
SDG15 Local biodiversity outside your window
SDG15 Sustainability and conservation
SDG15 Nothing goes to waste in nature
SDG15 Sow it, grow it, taste it
SDG15 Bees and biodiversity (multidisciplinary learning)
SDG15 Plants, what they need to grow and why we need them
SDG15 Fertilisers in food production, the baked beans project
SDG15 SATSchool – Biosphere module
SDG15 Rewilding the environment: Art, Geography, and Community
SDG15 Identifying Trees & Their Benefits with Card Games
SDG15 Birds of Midlothian Open Textbook
Higher Education resources
SDG15 Sustainable global food systems MOOC videos
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Goal: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal16
Higher Education Resources
SDG16 The making of the US President – MOOC videos
SDG16 Towards Scottish Independence: Understanding the Referendum – MOOC videos
SDG16 Democracy in Theory and Practice
SDG16 Edinburgh Open Research Conference 2022 (presentations & posters)
SDG16 Open for Good: OER at the University of Edinburgh