About

SHEAC emerged from a seed of thought in late fall 2022 among collaborators within Simon Fraser University’s sustainability program, quickly branching out to like-minded professionals across Canadian universities. This cross-Canada initiative was born out of discussions to understand and share diverse approaches to integrating sustainability into higher education. Officially founded in January 2023, SHEAC united faculty, educational developers, and sustainability experts from various Canadian post-secondary institutions with a shared goal: to support, learn from each other, and possibly engage in collaborative sustainability projects tailored for educational contexts. This vibrant community has grown significantly, now including more than 100 members from at least 40 institutions nationwide, focused on advancing climate action through monthly meetings and continuous knowledge exchange.

SHEAC's mission revolves around four core areas that underline the practice and teaching of sustainability within the academic sector: developing student-focused climate action hubs, creating and integrating climate action curricula, fostering institutional net-zero actions to diminish carbon emissions, and advancing climate action research and mobilization of knowledge. Through SHEAC, Canadian educational institutions envision a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach towards embedding sustainability at every level of higher education, making it a beacon of hope and a model for sustainable practices worldwide.