Creative Education Meets Climate Action at IADT

This question sat at the heart of a new Climate Action Module delivered this year to first-year students at IADT. The initiative engaged 434 students across twelve undergraduate courses, establishing a shared foundation in climate literacy while encouraging students to explore how their own creative disciplines can contribute to positive environmental and social change.

Developed under the leadership of Rónán Ó Muirthile, and co-led by Clyde Doyle and Justyna Doherty, with module co-ordination by Louise Glynn, the programme combined climate literacy, futures literacy, critical thinking, nature connection, emotional resilience, sustainability, agency and leadership through creative and participatory learning.

Rather than approaching climate change solely as an environmental challenge, the module invited students to explore its cultural, social, technological and ethical dimensions. Through lectures, creative workshops, guest speakers, reflective practice and programme-specific projects, students examined how imagination, creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration can help shape more sustainable futures.

The first six weeks provided a shared learning experience for all first-year students, introducing themes including climate emotions, futures thinking, renewable energy, systems thinking, critical media literacy and ecological imagination. During the second phase, academic staff embedded these ideas within their own programmes, enabling students to respond through animation, game design, photography, immersive media, film, music, art, design, psychology and creative computing.

The initiative was enriched through contributions from Dr Elaine McGoff (An Taisce), Niall Barrett (Future Energy Ireland), Padraig Flattery (Met Éireann) and Professor Michelle Henning (University of Liverpool), alongside the expertise and commitment of academic colleagues from across IADT.

Reflecting on the experience, one student wrote: “The course has taught me how to think, imagine and work differently. I leave this experience feeling more empowered, more connected and more hopeful.”

This feedback reflects the wider ambition of the module- to move beyond awareness of climate change towards developing the imagination, confidence and capacity to act. By bringing together climate literacy, futures literacy and creative practice, the initiative demonstrates how education for the creative industries can equip graduates not only to respond to complex environmental challenges, but also to help shape more sustainable and regenerative futures.

Thanks to all IADT colleagues who contributed to the initiative, including Dr Siobhán O’Gorman, Dr Jeremiah Ambrose, Dr Andrew Errity, Dr Maeve Connolly, Clare Barman, Fiona Snow, Gerard Fox, Aoife Giles, Jean Rice, Dr Grainne Carroll, Eva Garcia-Albarran, Joachim Pietsch, Aoife Balfe, Ross Ryder, Dr Sivakumar Ramachandran, Peter Jones and Louise Glynn, together with the 434 first-year students whose creativity, curiosity and engagement made the first year of the Climate Action Module such a success.