Higher education and sustainability – Roles for AI

Topics: Society, Third Level

Sources: University World News

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Higher education and sustainability – Roles for AI

19 December 2025

Education for Sustainable Development XII: Roles for AI

GLOBAL

Higher education and sustainability – Roles for AI

AI is advancing sustainability by helping researchers to analyse complex systems, personalising learning, expanding education access through new tools, and generating insights for decision-making around sustainability. In this 12th in a series of special reports, University World News explores the growing roles for AI in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals.

GLOBAL

Will we use AI to widen ecological knowledge or narrow it?

James Yoonil Auh

AI is becoming part of the cognitive and environmental infrastructure of education for sustainable development. Universities now face a critical choice: whether to let AI narrow sustainability learning to data and dashboards or to use it to deepen global, ethical and ecological understanding.

GLOBAL

AI-enhanced ESD – Advancing sustainability learning in HE

Patrick Blessinger

The greatest potential of AI lies in its ability to help students become more aware of the world’s interconnectedness, make more sound ethical decisions, and be dedicated to sustainability. AI-based Education for Sustainable Development, or ESD, can empower students to tackle the sustainability challenges of our time.

GLOBAL