SDG 11 - Teaching
Education empowers students to shape sustainable communities. At Ulster University, teaching equips students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to support resilient urban development, inclusive infrastructure, and thriving communities.
Undergraduate Courses
Postgraduate Courses
SDG 11 - Research
Research drives the creation of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive communities. At Ulster University, research explores urban planning, sustainable infrastructure, and community development, generating evidence that informs policy, practice, and innovation for thriving cities and communities.
Research Stories
- How can cities accelerate, support and evaluate actions for active movement for health: protocol for CITY-MOVE, a multicase implementation research study in six cities in three continents
- Can Creative Community Engagement Inspire Hope? Exploring Sustainability Challenges with Young People in Youth Settings Through a Design Thinking Lens
- Walkable and Sustainable City Centre Greenway Planning
- Assessing urbanization and climate change impacts on environmental sustainability in Gilgit city, Pakistan: a driver-pressure-state-impact-response framework approach
Centre for Research in Property and Planning
Ulster University’s Centre for Research on Property and Planning (RPP) is a globally recognised leader in examining how property, planning, regeneration, housing, and urban development shape equitable and sustainable places. RPP produces high-impact research, ranging from econometric analyses of housing markets and real estate valuation to planning policy reform, GIS-based spatial planning, infrastructure resilience, and community-led urban regeneration.
SDG 11 - Partnerships
Delivering sustainable, resilient, and inclusive communities requires strong partnerships. At Ulster University, collaborations with local authorities, industry, community organisations, and research networks support urban innovation, inclusive infrastructure, and thriving communities.
Partnership Stories
SDG 11 - Operations
Operational practices are central to creating sustainable and inclusive communities. At Ulster University, we implement sustainable campus infrastructure, efficient resource management, and accessible facilities, ensuring our campuses and activities contribute to resilient, safe, and inclusive environments.
Sustainable Travel Plan
Ulster University’s Sustainable Travel Plan outlines a clear commitment to reducing single-occupancy car journeys and encouraging more sustainable, healthier travel to and from campus. The plan promotes alternatives such as walking, cycling, public transport, and car-sharing.
A range of supportive measures have been introduced, including secure cycle hubs with lockers and showers, electric vehicle charging points, and a car-share scheme. By shifting towards more sustainable transport, the University is reducing its environmental impact, supporting health and wellbeing, and contributing to wider regional sustainability goals.
Active Travel Challenge
Ulster University takes part in the annual Active Travel Challenge, a month-long initiative in June designed to encourage staff and students to swap car journeys for walking, cycling, or public transport.
In 2024, Ulster University was recognised as the top-performing higher education provider across Northern Ireland, contributing to collective savings of approximately £16,000 and nearly 13 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. This active travel push aligns with the University’s broader sustainability goals, reducing single-occupancy car travel and Scope 3 emissions by promoting healthier, eco-friendly commuting habits.
Translink 'Better on Board' Charter
Ulster University is signed up to Translink’s Better on Board Charter, a commitment aimed at increasing the use of public transport among staff and students. As a key partner, Ulster University has pledged to promote bus and rail travel, helping ease congestion, improve air quality, and support Northern Ireland’s shift toward greener, more sustainable transport options.
Cycle Friendly Employer
Ulster University achieved gold status as an accredited Cycle Friendly Employer. The accreditation was carried out by Cycling UK, who audited Ulster University on efforts to make the university campuses cycle friendly. Ulster scored highly on the cycle hub facilities, which include secure bicycle parking, lockers, showers, and bike repair services, alongside active travel information, communication, and incentives for employees.
Travel Survey
A biennial Travel Survey is completed by staff and students; recent results showcased the impact of sustainable travel initiatives at the Belfast Campus, with only 18% of students and 31% of staff commuting by car. In 2025, for the first time, business travel questions were included within the survey to provide insight into the frequency, mode, and purpose of work-related travel. This data will help inform future strategies to reduce emissions and support the University’s wider sustainability and net-zero commitments.
Business Travel
Business travel has been identified as one of the University’s main environmental impacts. The Ulster University Travel, Expenses and Hospitality Policy requires all staff to consider the associated environmental impacts of travel related carbon emissions and consider if journeys are necessary before booking travel.
Staff are also encouraged to prioritise low-carbon travel options through sharing car journeys with colleagues attending the same meetings and scheduling more than one meeting on the day of travel to reduce the number of journeys undertaken.
Electric Vehicles
Ulster University is actively supporting the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) through a combination of on-campus charging facilities and a staff Salary Sacrifice scheme. EV charging points are available across all campuses, providing staff with convenient access to sustainable transport options during the working day.
The EV Salary Sacrifice scheme allows eligible staff to lease a brand-new electric vehicle, making EVs more financially accessible and supporting the University’s broader sustainability goals by reducing emissions associated with staff commuting. Alongside this, Ulster University Estates Patrol vehicles alongside the Direct Works fleet have been transitioned from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric.
Public Access to Campus
Ulster University provides public access to facilities across its campuses, including reception areas, libraries, cafés, restaurants, sports facilities, grounds and shops.
Through its Civic Access Borrowers Scheme, members of the public can access University library services, extending opportunities for lifelong learning and access to educational resources beyond the University community.
The University also promotes public engagement with art, history and cultural heritage through exhibitions and collections. The Belfast campus Art Gallery hosts free exhibitions featuring contemporary art, textiles and cultural themes.
Non-university visitors can also consult Special Collections at Coleraine and Magee, subject to access arrangements, providing opportunities to explore historical and cultural research materials.
The annual Belfast School of Art Graduate Showcase is open to the public, offering free access to a diverse range of creative work across fine art, photography, textiles, ceramics and design. Alongside this, the public can attend the Graduate Fashion Show, which celebrates emerging talent and showcases innovative fashion design by the University’s graduating students.
In addition, the University has hosted free public exhibitions at its Derry~Londonderry campus exploring significant aspects of Northern Ireland’s cultural and political heritage, including John Hume’s contribution to the peace process.
The University’s campuses also provide access to outdoor spaces and recreational facilities for the wider community. The grounds at Coleraine and Derry~Londonderry are used by members of the public for walking and running. The Woodland Walk at Coleraine is particularly popular with local dog walkers and running clubs, providing opportunities for outdoor recreation and connection with nature. The University’s outdoor sports facilities are also regularly used by local church groups, children’s sports teams and clubs, as well as Easter and summer schemes, supporting community participation in physical activity and access to recreational spaces.
Through these facilities and initiatives, Ulster University helps make educational, artistic, historical and outdoor resources accessible to the wider public, supporting cultural participation, lifelong learning, community wellbeing and engagement with Northern Ireland’s heritage and natural environment.
Arts and Heritage Contribution
In 2024/25, Ulster University provided extensive opportunities for public engagement through free and paid events. Free activities included 36,268 public lectures, 24,671 performing arts performances (including music, dance and drama), 3,452 exhibitions in galleries and museums, 1,272 museum education events and 169,557 other free events. In addition, the University hosted 1,259 charged public lectures, 280 charged performing arts performances, 1,836 exhibitions with an admission charge, 120 charged museum education events and 27,840 other charged events. These activities demonstrate the University's contribution to cultural, educational and community engagement, providing opportunities for the public to access learning, arts and cultural experiences.
- Source: HESA
Recording and Preserving Cultural Heritage
Ulster University delivers projects to record, preserve and share intangible cultural heritage, including local folklore, language, traditions and community experiences.
The Ulster Irish Digital Corpus preserves recordings of spoken Ulster Irish and regional dialects, while the Supernatural in Ulster Scots Literature and Folklore project documents historical beliefs, songs, poetry and folklore through an online resource. The Rathlin Island oral histories project records community stories, traditional knowledge and island life, while the Digitising Maritime Heritage of Portbraddan project uses digital technologies to preserve knowledge of traditional salmon fishing and coastal heritage.
The University also maintains archival resources documenting Irish Traveller history, customs, language and music. Additionally, its CAIN Archive supports research into migration, displacement and community experiences associated with the Northern Ireland conflict, helping preserve diverse historical narratives for future generations.
Ulster University supports the preservation and celebration of Irish traditional culture through its annual Belfast TradFest Summer School, established in 2017, which offers traditional music, song and dance tuition, workshops and masterclasses, helping pass cultural skills between generations. In August 2026, the University also supported Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, hosting educational activities and traditional music and dance tuition through Scoil Éigse. These initiatives provide opportunities for communities and visitors to experience, learn and participate in Ireland’s living cultural heritage.
Affordable Housing
Ulster University provides affordable accommodation options for students and PhD research staff, with utilities included in the rent to help residents manage their budgets. The University also offers an Accommodation Voucher to eligible new students, converting an Access Bursary of approximately £475 into a £1,000 contribution towards accommodation costs, helping reduce the financial barrier to university housing.
Prioritising Pedestrian Access On-Campus
Ulster University prioritises safe, accessible and well-connected pedestrian movement across its campuses and the surrounding areas. The University has worked closely with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) over a number of years to improve pedestrian infrastructure and prioritise pedestrian safety and access. Improvements include:
- Upgrading the pedestrian crossing at Frederick Street.
- Improving lighting along York Street.
- Ongoing pedestrianisation of York Lane.
- Securing a new pedestrian crossing on Strand Road, which is currently being installed.
- Improving the York Street/Great Patrick Street/Frederick Street junction through widened pedestrian islands, removal of the left-turn slipway from Great Frederick Street and changes to lighting phasing to give greater priority to pedestrians.
- Relocating the York Street bus stop and widening the pavement outside Blocks BC and BD to improve pedestrian movement.
- Improving wayfinding and signage between the Belfast campus, student accommodation and York Street railway station.
Within its campuses, the University also takes measures to support pedestrian safety and improve the separation of pedestrians and vehicles. These include regular car park risk assessments; improved barriers, lining and signage; installation and maintenance of traffic-calming ramps; and ongoing maintenance of paving, lighting and pedestrian crossings.
A wider staff and student safety initiative is also being developed, with a focus on personal safety across campus and potential opportunities to further strengthen pedestrian safety and accessibility.
