Signatory Spotlight: Munster Technological University (MTU), Ireland

At Munster Technological University (MTU), Ireland, the PRME team is bringing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to life through three creative, cross-campus, interdisciplinary initiatives. With over 18,000 students across six campuses in Cork and Kerry, MTU is committed to embedding sustainability into both learning and everyday university life. By connecting academic study with real-world challenges in informal, engaging ways outside the classroom, PRME outreach projects encourage students to think critically, act responsibly, and participate in shaping a sustainable future.

Central to our approach is a belief in experiential and participatory learning, shown to enhance motivation, critical thinking, and transformative action (Brundiers et al., 2021; UNESCO, 2017; Wiek et al., 2011). Through fun interaction, students do more than learn about sustainability, they explore why it matters for themselves, their communities, and the planet. This hands-on approach builds environmental literacy, civic responsibility, and systems thinking, while advancing MTU’s sustainability and commitments to the Principles of PRME.

Our interactive “Spin for Sustainability” game was created to make the SDGs memorable, accessible, and relatable. Students spin a colourful wheel to land on one of the 17 Global Goals, then select a corresponding card from a 53-card set developed by the university-based PRME team. Cards contain a fact, a quiz question, and an achievable “sustainability mission.” To encourage sustainability habits, students can earn eco-friendly prizes such as reusable coffee cups and water bottles.

During six lively days of welcoming new students in September 2025, including Global Goals Week, we brought “Spin for Sustainability” to MTU’s Cork campuses in Bishopstown, Crawford College of Art and Design, the School of Music, and the National Maritime College of Ireland, and to our Kerry campus in Tralee. Over 400 students participated, engaging in enthusiastic discussions about sustainability. Some had prior SDG knowledge, often inspired by a teacher or lecturer, but many were encountering the Goals for the first time.

Two additional initiatives, Chat Bench – Real Talk, Real Change and the GenGreen Collective (GGC), build on this momentum. The Chat Bench project transforms ordinary campus benches into visible sustainability hubs by painting them in SDG colours. Two benches have been installed on the Bishopstown campus, with a third planned for Tralee. Each bench includes signage and a QR code linking to a short anonymous survey, inviting students and staff to share sustainability ideas and feedback. These benches act as friendly, visible reminders that change often begins with open conversation.

Launched in November 2025, the PRME GenGreen Collective will establish a student–staff network co-creating events, workshops, and campaigns to embed sustainability across academic and social life. Its goals include fostering green skills, promoting sustainability literacy, empowering student leadership, and supporting sustainability innovation in teaching and learning. The GGC also aims to introduce recognition pathways for sustainability leadership, further supporting MTU’s institutional sustainability strategy.

Together, “Spin for Sustainability”, Chat Bench, and the GenGreen Collective make sustainability visible, accessible, and actionable across our campuses. By linking the local to the SDGs, these initiatives demonstrate MTU’s commitment to responsible management, research, and leadership for a sustainable future. They strengthen a culture of collaboration and innovation, showing how student engagement and outreach can contribute to advancing both the Principles of PRME and MTU’s sustainability vision.

These outreach experiences further underscore that passionate educators are key drivers of sustainability awareness, yet broader, system-wide integration across all disciplines remains essential. This finding, though anecdotal, reinforces the role of PRME and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiatives in cultivating sustainability-minded graduates.

The MTU PRME team welcomes contact at prme@mtu.ie, LinkedIn or Instagram and is happy to share its outreach resources with other Signatories.

Acknowledgements

PRME at MTU is funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) through the Teaching and Learning Support and Advancement Fund (TSAF). The GenGreen Collective launch is an AnSEO Transitions at MTU Funded work sponsored by AnSEO - The Student Engagement Office.