Episode 7 - Daniella Tilbury
Biography Prof. Dr. Daniella Tilbury
Prof. Dr. Daniella Tilbury is a globally recognized expert in sustainability education, leadership, and policy development. She has played a crucial role in shaping international frameworks for sustainability education, working with supranational institutions such as UNESCO, various governments, and higher education institutions around the world.
Tilbury's research and policy contributions focus on the transformation of education systems to foster sustainability, innovation, and future-oriented learning. Her work has been recognized with over 27 competitive grants and 18 awards. She has over 120 publications and is one of the most highly cited academics in the field of sustainability education.
Daniella was a member of the Board of the World Wide Fund for Nature WWF Australia that brought the Earth Hour to the World in 2007 and has been actively involved in international initiatives that inspire transitions towards sustainability and climate positive futures.
She is currently an Honorary Fellow of St. Catharine’s College, at the University of Cambridge, an adviser to the European Commission on learning for sustainability and the UK government’s focal point at the UN Economic Commission for Europe on matters of education and environment.
Daniella was University President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean, Director of Research and Chair at universities in UK, Australia, Hong Kong, and Gibraltar.
Her latest book published in 2025 is called Education and learning for sustainable futures: 50 years of learning for environment and change and is available open access.
Short Summary of the Interview
In this episode, Dr. Stefan T. Siegel speaks with Prof. Dr. Daniella Tilbury about the scope, challenges, and transformative potential of sustainability education. They discuss common myths, institutional barriers, and the need for systemic change in higher education.
Prof. Tilbury distinguishes between different forms of sustainability education, emphasizing that true education for sustainability goes beyond knowledge transfer to critically challenge societal structures and power dynamics. She highlights the risks of just rebranding or labeling sustainability-related educations without ensuring real reform.
She debunks widespread myths, including the belief that sustainability education is only about the environment, that knowledge leads to action, or that it is too complex for young learners. Furthermore, she also challenges the misconception that sustainability education is indoctrination, arguing that it fosters critical thinking rather than imposing beliefs.
She warns that superficial SDG integration and an overemphasis on individual responsibility can dilute sustainability education’s impact. Instead, she advocates for deep critical thinking, empowering learners, and institutional transformation.
Tilbury’s insights reinforce the urgency of rethinking sustainability education. She challenges educators to move beyond myths, integrate systemic perspectives, and embrace transformative pedagogies. The conversation underscores how sustainability education is not simply about “teaching sustainability” but about reshaping education itself to equip learners for a rapidly changing world.
(Selected) References, Resources, and Persons Mentioned During the Episode
- Daniella's Profile at St. Catherine's College at Cambridge University: https://www.caths.cam.ac.uk/directory/professor-daniella-tilbury
- Earth Hour: https://www.earthhour.org/about/the-biggest-hour-for-earth
- Hicks, D. (2003). Lessons for the Future. The Missing Dimension in Education. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203219331
- Huckle, J., & Wals, A. E. J. (2015). The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development: Business as usual in the end. Environmental Education Research, 21(3), 491–505. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2015.1011084
- Macintyre, T., Tilbury, D., & Wals, A. E. J. (2025). Education and learning for sustainable futures: 50 years of learning for environment and change. Routledge.
- Pepper, D. (1984/2019). The Roots of Modern Environmentalism (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367810191
- Tilbury, D. (1995). Environmental Education for Sustainability: Defining the new focus of environmental education in the 1990s. Environmental Education Research. 1 (2): 195–212. doi:10.1080/1350462950010206.
- Tilbury, D. (1997). Environmental Education: A Head, Heart and Hand Approach to Learning about Environmental Problems. New Horizons in Education. 38 (1): 13–30.
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