Teaching and learning
Sustainability in the curriculum
Education for Sustainable Development is fully embedded within our Creative Learning Strategy. For example, the ‘Positive Change’ theme highlights how creativity shapes a more ecologically and socially secure future by manifesting new possibilities for an equitable world. Read the full Creative Learning Strategy PDF.
Every unit of study includes Learning Outcomes that focus on students’ understanding and application of sustainable practices. Additionally, at least one project brief per unit explicitly addresses sustainability challenges to deepen community awareness and engagement.
Sustainability Awards
Sustainability Awards at Gradfest
In July 2025, the Sustainability Working Group presented the inaugural Sustainability Awards at Gradfest, celebrating graduating students who demonstrated outstanding commitment to sustainable and ethical practice. Winners from Textile Design, Graphic Communication, Architecture, and Interior Design were recognised for embedding sustainability at the heart of their creative work.
Find out more about our award-winning student work
Architecture and Interior Design Industry-Sponsored Awards
Alongside the university-wide awards, Architecture and Interior Design students are recognised annually through industry-sponsored prizes at Gradfest. These awards celebrate excellence in sustainable design, focusing on adaptive reuse, wellbeing, inclusivity, and low-impact materials. They encourage future-focused practice, strengthen industry connections, and support graduates in building sustainability-led portfolios.
Events
Sustainable Fashion Week
This September, Norwich University of the Arts proudly hosts the Norwich Hub for Sustainable Fashion Week 2025. Led by staff, students, and the Sustainability Working Group, the hub will showcase creative, ethical, and regenerative approaches to fashion. The programme includes workshops, talks, and community collaborations highlighting fashion as a force for positive change. With sustainability embedded across our courses and a campus rooted in Norwich’s textile heritage, we are excited to champion thoughtful, future-focused fashion in the heart of the city.
Student work
Explore examples of student projects engaging with sustainability: Creative Conscience Awards 2024.
Recent projects include:
- The Hospital Rooms Project
- Fibrebroads
- Fashion Zombies in collaboration with Jeremy Hutchison
-
Sustainability in campus and operations at Norwich
Learn more about the sustainability of our campus and operations, including energy and carbon management, and ethical banking and investment. -
Sustainability in our community at Norwich
Learn about community sustainability initiatives at Norwich. We believe creative education plays a vital role in tackling global challenges. -
Sustainability in research at Norwich
At Norwich University of the Arts, sustainability is integral to our research culture. Through creative practices, our researchers explore how we can live more sustainably and adapt to the rapidly changing world around us.
Latest News
-
Norwich University of the Arts Ranked UK’s Top Specialist Creative Arts University in National Student Awards
Norwich University of the Arts is the UK’s highest-ranked specialist creative arts university in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs) 2026, placing 14th overall among universities across the UK. -
BA Textile Design •In conversation with: Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux UK and Ireland
We caught up with Marianne, Dulux’s Creative Director, to discuss her work with Norwich's Textile Design students and her advice for breaking into the industry. -
Institution •Norwich hosts visit from the Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom
Norwich University of the Arts welcomed Ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki to tour the university’s creative technology facilities and explore ongoing research projects. -
MA Illustration •In conversation with: Rebecca Osborne, MA Illustration
Rebecca shares what life on our MA Illustration course is like and how she's building on her career as a live illustrator. -
East Gallery •‘A museum show with Francis Bacon? It is a dream come true!’ In conversation with: artist Olivia Sterling
Contemporary painter Olivia Sterling discusses her recent exhibition, Pity the Meat!, at Norwich University’s East Gallery – and shares her advice for students and future artists. -
BA Photography •In conversation with: Joe Coleman, BA (Hons) Photography graduate
Joe tells us about his current work and how the skills he learned at Norwich have helped shape his practice in computer generated imagery. -
Alumni •In conversation with: Carrie Clarke, MA Fine Art Graduate
MA Fine Art graduate Carrie Clarke reflects on her experience at Norwich University of the Arts, from exploring new materials to building confidence in her practice as a sculptor. -
BA Animation •Success for Norwich Graduates at Royal Television Society East Student Awards
Norwich students were nominated across seven categories, with Henry Schwind, a graduate from BA (Hons) Film and Moving Image Production, winning the Craft – Camerawork category. -
East Gallery •Culture in Norwich: East Gallery
Claire Allerton, East Gallery Curator, discusses everything our city-centre art space has to offer – and why a visit to Olivia Sterling’s Pity the Meat! exhibition is a must this spring. -
Alumni •Norwich ranked in QS World University Rankings for Art and Design
Norwich University of the Arts has been ranked in the 201–300 band globally for Art and Design in the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject, marking its first-ever inclusion in the internationally recognised ranking. -
MA Communication Design •In conversation with: Bevan Dolon, MA Communication Design
Bevan shares his design influences, creative practice and experience studying a postgraduate degree at Norwich University of the Arts. -
East Gallery •Sterling vs Bacon: Artists in dialogue in Olivia Sterling’s Pity the Meat! Exhibition
Pity the Meat! sees artist Olivia Sterling’s work in dialogue with the 1959 Francis Bacon painting, Two Figures in a Room. Eddy Frankel, art critic and former art and culture editor for Time Out, explores what brings them together – and sets them apart. -
BA Animation •Access and representation in a changing landscape: How women can shape the future of computer arts and technology
Access and representation remain central issues for the computer arts and technology industries. Helen Piercy, Animation Lecturer at Norwich, explores the opportunities emerging for graduates in a rapidly changing landscape. -
Institution •Director of Research Development collaborates with TED-Ed on new animation
Professor Alison Goodrum worked with the TED-Ed team to develop the short film which explores the history of hats. -
Institution •Norwich University of the Arts showcases institutional and research achievements to Research England
The University was delighted to welcome representatives from Research England, to share key institutional and research developments. -
Institution •Norwich appoints new Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Norwich University of the Arts is pleased to announce the appointment of Rebecca Wright as its new Deputy Vice-Chancellor.