#PlanetPartners: University enhancing learning opportunities for all

Offering specialist skills to support teachers in local schools, and a full range of free public events and online educational courses, are some of the ways the University of Reading is promoting quality education for people everywhere.

The University’s institutional and research efforts are underpinned by the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are aimed at tackling societal and environmental challenges across the planet and are closely aligned with the University’s own strategy.

This May, the University of Reading is running a new #PlanetPartners campaign, inviting its entire community to share examples of work towards all the SDGs.

SDG4: Quality Education includes work to make education inclusive and learning opportunities accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds.

“From exploring ancient Rome through virtual 3D models, to understanding anxiety, depression, microbes or the weather, and supporting successful learning in schools, the University’s Online Courses Programme offers accessible courses to engage learners from diverse backgrounds and all ages around the world." - Nicky Mcgirr, Online Courses Programme Manager, University of Reading

Examples of work by the University to address SDG4 include:

• Educating thousands of students from around the world every year on University degree programmes, as well as over a million people of all ages for free through our series of online open access courses.
• Holding a range of free public and online lectures and events that allow everyone to learn about the research led by University of Reading academics.
• Offering a full programme of outreach activities in schools, and teacher resources.
• Organising placements in local schools for students, to provide classroom support for teachers as well as specialist knowledge and language skills to help pupils of different backgrounds engage in their studies.
• Offering business education through Henley Business School, which works with organisations as a strategic partner.
• Providing accessible courses to African student cohorts, NGOs and government agencies through the Walker Academy platform.
• Making the main University Library on Whiteknights campus open to public, providing access to a wealth of educational materials.

Nicky Mcgirr, Online Courses Programme Manager at the University of Reading, said: “Lifelong learning is important for personal and professional development and offers many benefits in addition to helping us gain subject knowledge or master a new skill. It can help us keep our brains active, feel socially connected, and improve our sense of worth, wellbeing and confidence by exploring new ideas and ways of thinking with others to help us achieve our goals.

“From exploring ancient Rome through virtual 3D models, to understanding anxiety, depression, microbes or the weather, and supporting successful learning in schools, the University’s Online Courses Programme offers accessible courses to engage learners from diverse backgrounds and all ages around the world and share the important work we are doing to help tackle some of the major issues we face today.”

The UN’s SDGs incorporate themes across the ‘five Ps’: People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace and Partnership. These align with the University of Reading’s own strategic themes: Community, Excellence, Sustainability and Engagement.

This campaign follows the publication of the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021, in which Reading participated for the first time and ranked in the top 200 globally, which scored participating universities on their support of the individual SDGs.

#PlanetPartners

The University’s latest campaign is a continuation of the #PlanetPartners campaign launched by the University in October 2019, which is highlighting ways the University is working with global partners on projects that benefit the environment.

Follow the campaign and share your examples of work  on Twitter: @UniofReading | Facebook: /theuniversityofreading | Instagram: @uniofreading | LinkedIn: University of Reading | TikTok: @uniofreading using the hashtags #PlanetPartners and #sdgoals