Publishing plays a key role in educating future generations on social and environmental issues, promoting critical thinking, and increasing the impact of research.

At 糖心VLOG Press, we publish for all ages, from children to adults, helping to build climate literacy and strengthen education at every stage of learning. Many of the titles and content we publish address some of the world鈥檚 most pressing sustainable development challenges, as well as inspire action.

As a signatory to the , we actively promote and acquire content that advocates for themes represented by the SDGs, such as equality, sustainability, justice, and safeguarding and strengthening the environment.

This , hear from some of our colleagues about how we鈥檙e supporting climate literacy and education in our publishing.

Alexandra Kanovsky

Acquisitions Editor

鈥�Oxford Intersections, an interdisciplinary resource aimed at addressing key global challenges, is proud to present several upcoming climate-focused topics including听,听,听, 补苍诲听.

鈥淭丑别蝉别 Intersections will publish timely and critical research from across humanities and social sciences disciplines to explore complex global issues, including how humanity and nature adapt and respond to climate change and other societally induced environmental challenges.

鈥滱n interdisciplinary approach to commissioning allows Oxford Intersections to explore concerns from a litany of perspectives, both throughout history and with a forward focus, such as in the sections 鈥淣ew Frontiers鈥� (Environmental Change and Human Experience), 鈥淲aste Futures鈥� (Cultures of Waste), and 鈥淣arratives of the Future鈥� (Climate Adaptation). These topics will provide an important outlet for researchers and practitioner experts to share their scholarship in concert, creating a kaleidoscopic resource of interlinked material that will be of interest to a variety of audiences.鈥�

Maxine Spence

Senior Product Manager,

鈥淥ur goal was simple, but ambitious: to introduce sustainability听to young readers听through engaging storytelling, rich non-fiction, 补苍诲听age鈥慳ppropriate concepts.听What makes this听series unique is听the alignment听of听its听42听carefully levelled books听with the听.听All the books are听dedicated to helping children understand and care about their world.

鈥滱t OUP, we have decades of experience听creating levelled readers that build reading confidence. With听Green Sparks, we wanted to harness that听expertise听to听address听one of the biggest themes in education today: sustainability.鈥�

Read more from Maxine

Lou John

Head of Children’s and Primary IP

鈥淭丑别 opens the door to big ideas for readers who are just beginning to explore the world around them. Each book distils complex topics into clear, engaging explanations that spark curiosity, helping young people build confidence as independent thinkers.

鈥� VSI is a particularly important example: it gives children the tools to understand not only what climate change is, but why it matters, and how their choices can shape a more sustainable future. Our hope is that climate literacy empowers young readers to feel informed rather than anxious, and to see themselves as part of a global story of care and responsibility. Across the series, that鈥檚 our aim鈥攖o nurture curiosity, inspire questions, and make knowledge feel accessible to every young mind.鈥�

Matt Davidson

Head of International Primary and Curriculum

鈥淎t every stage of creating the , we鈥檝e had to ask how learning can encourage active exploration and inspire learners to see how they can contribute to solutions鈥攍arge and small鈥攖hat make our planet more sustainable. This is an international curriculum, and we鈥檝e ensured place-based learning, which engages students in their community鈥攊ncluding their physical environment, local history, people, or culture.鈥�

Read more from Matt

Alicia Smith and Fiona Simmons

Portfolio Product Manager听补苍诲听Managing Editor

鈥淭丑别 central message of听 is that the young learners of today are the changemakers of tomorrow.

鈥淏y employing a concept-based inquiry methodology in conjunction with English language learning methodologies, we aim to develop students鈥� metacognitive skills to better understand the world around them. When students can see how conceptual ideas are transferable across different situations, they are better equipped to think critically and approach the challenges we all face in the context of how to deal with a rapidly changing climate.

鈥漇tudents using听Blue Dot will explore a rich variety of content that is aligned to concepts such as sustainability, energy, and cooperation. Through this, they will discuss and debate the challenges and potential solutions to some of our biggest environmental issues both today and in the future. We hope students using Blue Dot feel as inspired using it as we felt making it.鈥�

Our book recommendations for Earth Day

The Wild

by Yuval Zommer

Stella and the Seagull

by Georgina Stevens and Izzy Burton

Who Ate All the Bugs?

by Matty Long

Into The Wild

by Thomas Docherty

Maya’s Walk

by Moira Butterfield and Kim Geyer

Marv and the Killer Plants

by Alex Falase-Koya and Paula Bowles

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The are making a meaningful change: drastically reducing plastic in our book covers to be more environmentally friendly.

For over four decades, the series has set the standard for trusted, accessible medical handbooks. Read, relied upon, and respected by students, resident doctors, consultants, GPs, nurses, dentists, and allied healthcare professionals alike, this market-leading series continues to evolve towards a more sustainable future for medical books.

The series began with the publication of the 听in 1985. Starting life as handwritten notes to help the authors get through their junior doctor years, it is now the world’s best-selling medical handbook.

Since then, the听Oxford Medical Handbook (OMH) has grown with almost 70 books now available in print and digital formats, covering medical specialties from paediatrics to geriatric medicine, and more. Titles fall into two broad categories: those for medical students and newly qualified doctors, and those for specialist trainees.

Reputation for quality

“The听Oxford Medical Handbooks‘ reputation is built on including only the best quality, clinically relevant information,” explains Elizabeth Reeve, Senior Acquisition Editor.

Elizabeth has worked on the series in various editorial roles for 20 years, first as a Development Editor, then Managing Editor, and later becoming the series Commissioning Editor.

“Professionals and students who fit the profile of the intended readers review each book, and the content is also checked by subject experts. In addition, we undertake extensive market research to make sure that the books feature the most applicable information about medical training and practice, and they are designed around what matters most to the reader. That means that every handbook in the series delivers exactly what users need. Where relevant, trainee doctor co-authors ensure the content is kept relevant to the core readership, reflecting the reality of day-to-day medical practice.”

Used in hospitals, clinics, general practice and dental surgeries, healthcare centres, and out in the community, and known throughout the world, the听Oxford Medical Handbooks听series continues to develop, expand, and provide a practical and trustworthy resource for medics, nurses, dentists, and allied healthcare professionals everywhere.

What’s next for the series

As we reflect on four decades of the series, we want to make sure it is sustainable for the future, whilst continuing to provide the expert content in the easily accessible and handy format which clinicians have come to rely on and trust.

We will be replacing the handbooks’ PVC plastic covers with a flexible coverboard, which will have an anti-scuff matt lamination and rounded corners to continue to protect the inside pages. The paper continues to be lightweight yet durable, and we’re pleased that this is now fully from certified sustainable sources.

Zo毛 Cokeliss Barsley

Director of Sustainability

“Reducing emissions from our print publications is crucial as we work towards achieving Net Zero by 2050. Reducing plastic from the iconic Oxford Medical Handbook series is a small step on this journey, but nonetheless an important one. The change will help preserve the longevity of these essential books without the lasting impact that PVC has on the environment.鈥�

In 2024, the total weight of printed units of the听Oxford Medical Handbooks听using the old PVC style was 842kg. By comparison, printing the same volume using the new PVC-free specification would result in just 30kg of lamination weight.

We serve the diverse and changing research and reference needs of our communities, and so as well as print, the听Oxford Medical Handbooks are available online, and in eBook format too, which has a lower environmental impact. Many handbooks have their own app versions via , and all are available for purchase by libraries and institutions via .

You can explore further information on the OMH series and our other medical content .

If you would like to get in touch, you can do so via .

If you would like to be one of our reviewers, please contact us here to register interest and find out more.

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Last year, we launched Oxford Revise鈥攁 brand new series of revision guides for GCSE and A Level students developed by our team in the UK.

Becki Bradshaw, Head of Revision and Test Practice, explains how a strong focus on understanding how students learn has helped Oxford Revise bring a revision revolution to the UK.

Why does strong support for students during exams matter?

No matter how long ago in our memory, most of us are still able to recall that period in our lives when we sat our GCSE or high school exams. Over 30 years later, I can still remember frenetic revising, the creation of endless revision cards and revision notes, a carefully mapped-out planner (perfectly drawn) of all the revision that I needed to do, all building up to the day of my first exam. And the nervous anxiety about whether I had done enough and would remember anything when we turned over the paper.

For every generation, this is a familiar experience and ritual of wondering what questions are going to come up and the nerves building up.

What learners really need in that moment is confidence: confidence in their knowledge, confidence in the tools and strategies that recall that knowledge, and confidence that the practice in the run-up to the exam itself has been enough.

So, we saw an opportunity to build on the strong foundations of our Science Oxford Revise titles with a fresh brand and new titles published across a range of core subjects for all the major exam boards. This includes brand new guides in English Language, Maths, Computer Science, Religious Studies, Psychology, Geography, and History, as well as a rebrand of the existing Science titles.

How did you develop the Oxford approach?

Each guide is centred on a three-step Knowledge, Retrieval, Practice approach to help students master the knowledge and skills essential for success. We have harnessed research from cognitive science alongside the practical knowledge of experienced subject teachers to develop this approach so that students know how to revise effectively and make revision stick.

Whatever subject they are studying, students can open up the book and revise with confidence, knowing that they are following the same approach for every subject. So, learners can always expect to find these three simple steps:

• Knowledge: start your revision session with a Knowledge Organiser, which presents and explains all the key information you need.
• Retrieval: check how much you have really learned with some quick-fire recall questions on the Knowledge Organiser. Test your knowledge of previous chapters to make sure that your revision sticks.
• Practice: give yourself loads of practice with exam-style questions so that you are exam ready!听

How does your approach to revision support equality and sustainability?

Revision equity is something that we care passionately about. It is particularly troubling that just 52% of disadvantaged young people achieve a minimum grade 4 at GCSE English and Maths鈥攖he standard pass level in these key subjects鈥攃ompared to 72% of non-disadvantaged students.

So, to help we are donating 20% of all English Language and Maths Oxford Revise guide orders for free to any school in England that places an order directly from OUP, so teachers can donate them to students who otherwise couldn鈥檛 afford them. The 20% figure reflects the national average of students on free school meals, a widely used measure in the UK for those students who need extra support. This is on top of existing discounts for schools.

Learners also care passionately about the environment and the climate. To reduce our footprint, we print all Oxford Revise book titles in the UK on FSC sustainable paper using vegetable-based inks.

Find out more about how to supercharge your revision with .

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In our ongoing commitment to operating sustainably, we are on a journey to incorporate more eco-friendly materials in our production. This transformative journey is a result of collaborative initiatives across all our teams contributing innovative solutions and adopting sustainable practices.

We highlight some key changes and advancements we鈥檝e made across teams around the Press.

Oxford Revise

We launched a new revision series with a bold, exciting new brand鈥�Oxford Revise鈥攄esigned for learners preparing for Key Stage 3, GCSE, and A-Level in the UK.听This is driven by our belief that all students should be able to revise effectively and sit exams with confidence. We are determined to make revision fairer.听

We know that students demand that the resources they use protect the planet, and we agree.听Whilst there is still much to do, we are always looking to improve and are confident that we are taking the right steps towards sustainable revision.听

A survey by Natural England revealed that nearly 8 in 10 8鈥�15 year-olds (78%) agreed that looking after the environment was important to them, and more than 8 in 10 (81%) said they .

Oxford Revise is printed in the UK, on Forest Stewardship Council certified sustainable paper, and using vegetable-based inks. The series is produced at our headquarters office in Oxford, which sources zero-carbon electricity and sends zero waste to landfill.

Read more about our .

Sustainable Marketing Working Group

The OUP Sustainable Marketing Working Group was created in 2022 with representatives from all OUP divisions.听

One of the group鈥檚 first projects was drafting a Sustainable Marketing Toolkit, with guidance about more sustainable choices for the following marketing areas:听Using print collateral, Marketing merchandise, Gratis鈥攑rint and digital, Events鈥攊n person, remote, and hybrid, and Avoiding greenwashing.

The toolkit also contains information about OUP鈥檚 Commitment to Sustainability, OUP and the UN Development Goals and approved messaging, OUP Sustainable Marketing Charter, Case studies, and next steps on how to get involved.

The toolkit has been made available to colleagues in marketing teams OUP-wide, and feedback about it has been collected. While feedback has been very positive, indicating an appetite for a switch to more sustainable activities, some of the barriers mentioned were:听

• Markets can vary in their access to digital resources, and many places are not ready for a switch to receiving information only in digital form听
• Expectations from markets and sales teams also vary, with printed catalogues still the norm in some regions.

Marketing initiatives shaping the future of sustainability at OUP

These are some of the initiatives already in place with different marketing and marketing support teams in OUP:

Marketing Shared Services and Operations

The Marketing Shared Services and Operations (MSS&O) have selected alternatives to produce print materials and exhibition display items for the Academic Marketing Tower teams:

• All paper products are produced using FSC-certified paper for large format displays (such as show cards, floor鈥搒tanding, and hanging banners), fully recyclable materials are used for all UK produced products, and for nearly all but one of USA produced products.
• In-person event attendance has reduced, cutting transport emissions, and the quantity of printed display books and journals has also been reduced.

Sustainability in Library Conferences Working Group

The Sustainability in Library Conferences Working Group has also developed digital resources to:

• Move away from unsustainable conference giveaways
• Move towards interactions and sustainable content 鈥� including games and downloadables, with only limited print materials at the stand
• Capture leads and cultivate potential customers.

International Education Marketing

By reformulating their catalogue, the International Education Marketing team has managed to:

• Reduce in print by 80,000 catalogues (nearly 4 million pages)
• Reduce in carbon emissions by not shipping to over 180 countries
• Increase in landing page views by 35%
• Increase in Catalogue engagement
• Views increased by 18%
• Page views increased by 20%
• Link clicks increased by 167%
• Average reading time increased by 12%.

Design and Media team

Our Director of Sustainability brought together manufacturing teams and the Design and Media teams to change various finishes on our children鈥檚 books to more sustainable materials.听

Designers across the team attended a briefing and training session to raise awareness of non-sustainable materials used in cover and book production. From this, we managed to compile a checklist of dos and don鈥檛s.

We identified the top-selling children鈥檚 fiction series鈥�Isadora Moon, Mirabelle and Emerald and we replaced the Glitter on the covers with a reduced amount of Foil.

We have also modified our designs across the children鈥檚 list, so that we are using less foil on our covers in general, most of our latest titles have spot UV and Embossed finishes.

While it was a challenge for the designers to produce standout designs without special non-sustainable finishes, they all agree they can still achieve design excellence without them.

Oxford Mini Dictionary cover

Our Mini Dictionary is one of the highest selling products in the dictionary segment of OUP India. Previously, it had a PVC jacket, creating manufacturing challenges鈥攂oth in sourcing the PVC material and in achieving high print quality.

Our manufacturing team explored different sustainable materials to improve the overall product quality.

With previous editions, the printing of PVC jackets was done through a screen-printing process. The jacket design had its limitations because the printing substrate was PVC material. The new flexi-bound cover is printed through an offset printing process and the substrate used is card-cover.

Different stakeholders appreciated the change because the flexi-bound cover material is more sustainable and it reduces the manufacturing challenges and print quality of the product. Making this move from PVC to card cover eliminates 15 to 20 metric tonnes of plastics annually.

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As part of our commitment to climate education, we have been proud to support the inaugural Climate Change Challenge in partnership with the Sa茂d Business School of the University of Oxford and Burjeel Holdings.

Fresh from their win at COP28, the three winning teams of the Climate Change Challenge will be heading to Oxford to attend a special summer school programme focused on exploring the challenges and design solutions to the climate crisis.

This worldwide competition gave teams of school students aged 15-18 the opportunity to present their proposals for addressing the climate crisis. Educators from around the world also presented their lesson plans aimed at inspiring students to think creatively about tackling one of our society鈥檚 most pressing concerns.

We had an overwhelming response to the competition, with over 600 entries representing 43 countries across the student and teacher categories鈥攎any of them from schools that use 糖心VLOG Press learning resources.

The finalists of the Climate Change Challenge鈥攆ive teams from each category鈥攁ttended a ceremony during COP28 in Dubai to present their solutions to an international audience.

The judges were impressed by the talent and dedication of the finalists but finally selected three: a winner, and two runners up. These successful teams presented creative and varied solutions, including sustainable systems for drip irrigation and mosquito repression, as well as affordable fertilizers. As a result, they earned a spot on a bespoke programme at , alongside access to a vibrant global community of entrepreneurs and thought leaders in innovation and social impact.

The curriculum will cover a wide range of topics delivered through lectures, workshops, and hands-on projects, offering a holistic view of the current climate challenges and solutions.

As the winning teams prepare to travel from India, Indonesia, the UAE, South Korea, and the United States to attend the Summer School, we caught up with the students to find out what participating in the Challenge meant to them.

The winning team, Acquifier Guardians from India, caught the judges’ attention with their solution to mitigate the effects of water scarcity by actively involving others in a collective initiative to reduce our water footprint. The team commented: 鈥淲e鈥檙e absolutely thrilled at the opportunity and eager to learn from world-renowned experts. We understand how important climate change is in today鈥檚 world and to be a part of this life saving campaign is a great opportunity, we take real pride in this accomplishment. Our focus will be on finding innovative solutions to address climate change in India and beyond. We’re also excited to make lasting friendships and create unforgettable memories during our time at Oxford.鈥�

Runners up, Entofarm, set out how we could revolutionize farming to tackle diseases carried by insects. A member of their team added: 鈥淚 aspire to move beyond mere knowledge, theories, and proposals, learning how to integrate advanced bioengineering technology to the benefit of climate stewardship. I also look forward to connecting with bright individuals from all over the world with a shared passion for innovating climate change.鈥�

The ECO2 team, based in the UAE and also chosen as runner-up, proposed a new product BioGrow to transform lives and clean air by converting CO2 and ammonia directly into fertilizers. They shared their excitement: 鈥淪tudying climate change at Oxford is beyond exciting! We are thrilled about this amazing opportunity鈥攊t’s like a dream come true. The chance to learn and contribute to tackling climate issues fills us with genuine happiness and pride. We are counting the days!鈥�

Juliane Reinecke, Professor of Management Studies at Oxford Sa茂d and the academic lead for the summer school, has told us how much she is looking forward to the Summer School鈥攁nd creating a new worldwide network of future climate innovators.

We’re excited to catch up with them after the summer school!

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Young people from across the UK have selected climate change as our Children’s Word of the Year for 2023.

This year marks a decade of our Children’s Word of the Year, as experts and academic researchers in our Children’s Languages department have analyzed the evolution of children’s language and how it is used to reflect their emotions and experiences. In research with over 5,000 children aged 6-14 years old, we asked for their suggestions and opinions about possible words of the year. Based on the most common responses and themes, we shortlisted three words鈥�climate change, war, and 肠辞谤辞苍补迟颈辞苍鈥�and asked children across the UK to vote for their preferred word. In a close contest, a third of children chose climate change as the word of the year (33%), narrowly followed by war (31%), whilst nearly a quarter of children chose coronation (24%).

Why did young people choose climate change?

Our survey of young people in the UK revealed their desire for climate action, with emotive words such as ‘need’ and ‘important’ occurring frequently in their statements. The impact of climate change on the wider world, their current lives, and the future were cited as the main reason for their choice, and when we asked how the word makes them feel, the most common responses were ‘sad’, ‘scared’, and ‘worried’.

Analysis of the Oxford Children’s Corpus, the largest children’s English language database in the world containing over half a billion words, showed that the topic of climate change is regularly written about by children. Studying the most recent addition to the Children’s Corpus鈥攖he stories submitted for the 鈥�’stop’ is revealed as the most common word used in a climate context, underlining children’s resolve to change the course of climate change.

The impact of current affairs on children’s language

The results also demonstrated the impact of current affairs on children’s language. When we asked those who selected war why they had done so, more than one in ten (13%) mentioned the ‘news’. Almost a quarter (23%) referenced the conflict in the Middle-East or the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The coronation of King Charles III was another key event in 2023 which impacted children, with many who selected coronation also citing words such as ‘celebration’.

Bro revealed as the top slang word amongst children

Other findings from our research revealed the top slang words used by children, with bro being voted the most popular term by 42% of children, followed by lol (24%) and slay (17%). Along with bro being used as an informal term to address friends, our research found that children also used it as a ‘positive politeness’ strategy to confirm solidarity with another person whilst expressing admonishment.

A selection of our books for children on the topic of climate change:

• by Clive Gifford
• by Yuval Zommer
• by Georgina Stevens, illustrated by Izzy Burton
• by Tim Allman, illustrated by Nick Shepherd
• by Helen Mortimer, illustrated by Cristina Trapanese
• by Rod Hunt, illustrated by Alex Brychta, Kate Ruttle, and Annemarie Young
• by Sheryl Webster, illustrated by Helen Shoesmith

Speaking about the results of the 2023 Children’s Word of the Year, Helen Freeman, Director of Oxford Children’s, said:

“This year marks the tenth year of Children’s Word of the Year, and over the decade we have seen the significant role current affairs plays for children’s language development. The choice of ‘climate change’ not only demonstrates how attuned children are to the news and their environment, but the research also reveals their willingness to engage with meaningful change. Whether it’s understanding how children use slang phrases or what word reflects the past year, it’s imperative we continue to support children’s language development so they have the means and vocabulary to express themselves.”

Given the choice of word, we were keen to hear directly from children on the topic. is a charity founded by children for children, who are all passionate about looking after our environment. Amy Meeks, CEO and co-founder of the charity, said:

“Through our work with young people, we’ve seen first-hand how willing children are to learn and engage with topics like climate change, so we’re not surprised to see it selected as Children’s Word of the Year. Sometimes we greatly underestimate children’s abilities to understand complex issues, so it’s encouraging that this research shows children are engaged and understand the impacts of climate change. We also mustn’t ignore the findings from the language research which demonstrate young people’s desire for action. Young people not only recognize that climate change is an issue, but they’re also seeing the importance of tackling it. No-one will feel the negative effects of climate change more than the next generation – or the positive effects of the action we take against it now.”

In response to the latest findings, our children’s language experts have published the , which is available to read now.

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What does the PISA 2025 Science Framework tell us about the future of science education?

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and OUP held a virtual panel discussion to commemorate the launch of the revised Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 Science Framework.

Learn from the expert panel:

Success in a world where 鈥淕oogle knows everything鈥�

, Director for Education and Skills at the OECD, .

In a world where 鈥淕oogle knows everything,鈥� success is about resilience and sustainability. The future of work will require skills to think critically, manage complex problems, and navigate ambiguity. Science education is key to enabling young people to thrive in the digital world, and helps distinguish scientific evidence from misinformation.

The possible impact of technological advances

, Kamalachari Professor of Science Education, Emeritus at Stanford University and Chair of the Science Expert Group which helped inform the Framework shared his thoughts on the potential impact of AI on science education.

He warned that AI might confuse people into thinking that they are 鈥渕asters of their own knowledge,鈥� whereas 鈥渒nowledge is quite different from information.鈥� The primary goal of science is to achieve consensus while education should show how science is a 鈥渕oral community鈥� where all claims are cross-checked.

Education for sustainability

, Associate Professor in Science and Environmental Education at Deakin University, who led the work on the , the foundation for environmental education and education for sustainability in PISA.

The paper focuses on the concept of learners having agency in what is known as the 鈥楢nthropocene geological epoch鈥欌�攚here humans have a significant impact on the planet鈥檚 ecosystems. Peta called for 鈥渃urriculum writers around the world to be bold and brave as they implement change in education systems and curricula鈥nabling us all to develop agency for better decision-making and action taking.鈥�

Celebrating teachers

, Professor of Astrophysics at 糖心VLOG and leader of the , provided examples of how science education can help shape science citizens.

Science and astrophysics, can 鈥済ive a perspective to the problems that we face on this planet. That context is everything for developing a firm and secure knowledge base for building those important foundations.鈥� She celebrated teachers by acknowledging their responsibility 鈥渢o share their knowledge, their skills, and their ability to learn new things with their students.鈥�

Watch a recording of the event .

In 2019, OUP  building on our extensive experience of producing science resources around the world, and . Visit our  site to read more about the Framework and OUP鈥檚 science education resources.

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Thousands around the world joined 糖心VLOG Press to discuss Steps to a Sustainable Future at the 2023 Oxford Forum on Tuesday 25 April.

The three expert panel conversations brought together the greatest minds and bravest thinkers from our global community as we explored some of the issues at the heart of imagining a more sustainable future.

The Oxford Forum aligned with our commitment to the  as we discussed the practical steps we can all take towards Quality Education, Climate Action, and Reduced Inequalities.

The conversation isn鈥檛 over yet; you can watch the recordings of each session here:

Ten things we learned

To give you a flavour of the discussion, here鈥檚 ten things we learned across the three sessions:

1. Key to making the best use of digital technology and AI in education, is to focus on the purpose. It is not a cure all.  Wayne Press highlighted, in an example of designing assessment, the focus should be on 鈥渨hat will the impact be on learning and the life of the learner.”  AI also offers potential to assess things that we’ve not been able to assess before; for example discussion group forums.

2. Evaluation is key: 鈥渨ith these early experiments [into AI], the more that educators can do – to see whether they are making a difference – and sharing that knowledge the better鈥� Professor Vicki Nash, Oxford Internet Institute

3. Why be cautious about AI? Because people said the same things about the internet.  鈥淚magine you are in 1999, everyone is going to have a thing like [the internet] and you ask an economist what it will do to productivity. Like they do now [about AI] they will say it will be off the charts, but actually, productivity has not increased. Some things work better, but we also have all these distractions.鈥� Ignatz Heinz, President and Co-Founder, Avallain

4. The Digital Divide affects millions of learners around the world. However, digital connectivity isn鈥檛 always a benefit because of these distractions. It can be a hindrance because it affects concentration. Some learners seek out places without WiFi to avoid notifications.
 
5. Focus on the basics and empower teachers and learners. There are many teachers who have very limited or no experience with computers and digital technology which charities like Computer Aid can help with. 

Technology can also provide digital experiences for learners to help inspire action on topics such as climate change. For example, a virtual field trip to create connections with communities that might be more affected by global warming than your own.

6. Research the full context that learners are in. Looking at the relationship between people, place and technology and how it forms an “assemblage all around the child and the teacher” and this is key to the work of Delecia Davids, Lecturer at Stellenbosch University.

7. Gender can play a role in the classroom. In some parts of the world, this is linked to cultural and economic factors that can give some groups more of a voice and others less. 鈥淲e have to be mindful of exactly what opportunities we are giving to girls in the classroom, to give equity.鈥� Zarina Subhan, Consultant teacher educator, speaker, and writer

8. To support climate action and reduce misinformation, understanding mindset of learners is key. “鈥he more you focus on the problems and the threats, the more you reinforce [existing] thinking鈥� if you have people who are not thinking well, you’re not going to have an interesting conversation or make any change.” Jaimie Cloud, Founder and President – Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education.

9. To build trust, show where your facts come from. For Carbon Brief, Leo Hickman said that this is at the heart of their approach:  “A show-your-working philosophy is really helpful at building up trust with your audience.”

10. Sustainability will not be achieved in a single jump. We need to take steps towards a sustainable future. When thinking about climate, there are many levels of activism and all are important. 鈥淵ou don’t have to do your activism perfectly.” Ally Micklem, Vice-President, Parents Association and Co-Secretary, InterParents.

Explore these topics and more .

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Learn about our commitment to operating responsibly, how we are supporting our people and communities, and the progress we have made against our targets.

We have published our  which demonstrates how鈥攁s a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Publishers Compact鈥攚e are aligning many of our operational and publishing activities with the SDGs, with a particular focus on promoting access to quality education, ethics, diversity and inclusion, and environmental sustainability.

Notably, the report shares progress against our three sustainability targets, including a 59% reduction in operational carbon footprint and a 70% total reduction in waste. 91% of the paper used by our strategic print suppliers is now certified sustainable, up from 75% the prior year.

Highlights from the report:

• Donating thousands of books to support educational initiatives worldwide, including to long-standing charity partner Book Aid International and to schools affected by the earthquakes in southern T眉rkiye and Syria.

• Increasing women鈥檚 representation at leadership level to 45% in December 2022, against a target of 50% representation by 2024.

• Sending zero waste to landfill from our two largest offices, representing 40% of our workforce.

• Conducting a climate risk assessment to embed climate risk more deeply into our risk management process.

• Developing a Sustainable Marketing Charter, with the aim of using sustainable paper for 100% of our marketing collateral by 2025, as well as reducing the amount of marketing print produced overall.

• Providing employees and their family members with access to the global Employee Assistance Programme, available in regional languages, including in multiple local dialects in India. There is also an on-site counsellor based at our largest office, Oxford.

• Aligning with the South African government鈥檚 initiative to address low levels of literacy and numeracy across the country, with our Road to Literacy campaign.

Introducing a new section: Publishing with Purpose

This year鈥檚 report includes a new section, Publishing with Purpose, which acknowledges the role publishing plays in educating future generations on social and environmental issues, promoting critical thinking, and increasing the impact of research. It details how many of the titles and content published by OUP address some of the world鈥檚 most pressing sustainable development challenges and inspire action.

Examples include:

• Raising awareness about the SDG topics through our titles.  for Spain was the first course to collaborate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to educate learners on the challenges faced by child refugees.

• Publishing a wide spectrum of content which reflects the communities we serve. For example, the  is in development with Harvard University鈥檚 Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, and we have published hundreds of Academic titles to increase the visibility of underrepresented groups.

• Making impactful open access research on key topics relating to sustainability available through our , including Oxford Open Climate Change and Oxford Open Energy.

• Improving our processes and policies to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of our content. The 鈥楤ring Your Voice to Primary Literacy Publishing鈥� initiative was introduced to attract authors from underrepresented backgrounds to write for our Primary Literacy list鈥攁nd has already commissioned 15 authors.

Nigel Portwood, CEO of 糖心VLOG Press, said:

鈥業 am extremely proud of the progress we have made this year, much of which can be attributed to the continued focus and hard work of our colleagues worldwide. Through collaboration, and a commitment to our mission鈥攆urthering the university鈥檚 objectives of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide鈥攚e have pursued initiatives and activities that make a real difference, both within OUP, and among the communities we serve. But our work doesn鈥檛 stop there; we will continue to review and enhance our processes wherever possible, so that our publishing remains purposeful, challenges minds, and drives positive, long-lasting change in line with the UN鈥檚 Sustainable Development Goals.鈥�

Read our full report .

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