Creating sustainable cities and communities requires professionals who can design places that are environmentally responsible, resilient, inclusive and responsive to people's changing needs.
At ARU, students develop these capabilities across architecture, town planning, civil engineering, construction and surveying, combining technical knowledge with practical and professionally relevant learning.
Our School of Architecture and Planning explicitly focuses on designing the built environment for a sustainable future, while the RTPI-accredited MSc Town Planning explores how planners can balance development with sustainability and competing community priorities. Across the wider built environment curriculum, students engage with sustainable construction, renewable energy and resilient infrastructure, preparing graduates to help shape the cities and communities of the future.
Creating opportunities through higher and degree apprenticeships
ARU is a leading provider of degree apprenticeships, having supported up to 6,000 apprenticeships to date across 27 degree pathways. Our apprenticeship programme enables learners to remain in their local communities while gaining university qualifications and professional experience. By combining academic learning with paid employment, apprenticeships help address regional skills shortages while opening higher education to learners who may not otherwise be able to access traditional routes into university study.
Working closely with employers across sectors including healthcare, construction, digital technologies, policing and public services, ARU is helping to build the skilled workforce needed to support sustainable local economies and resilient communities. This approach strengthens links between education, employment and regional development while supporting social mobility and lifelong learning.
Supporting regional regeneration through ARU Peterborough
ARU Peterborough was established to increase access to higher education and support economic growth in a known education ‘cold spot’ – a community with historically low levels of university participation. Developed in partnership with local authorities, employers and regional stakeholders, the campus has been designed to address local skills needs and provide pathways into professional careers without requiring students to leave the area. Programmes have been developed around priorities identified by local employers, helping to strengthen the local workforce while contributing to regeneration and long-term economic resilience. By expanding educational opportunity and supporting local talent, ARU Peterborough demonstrates how higher education can contribute directly to the development of sustainable communities and inclusive growth. In 2026, ARU Peterborough received the Regional Impact Award at the Alliance Awards, recognising our regional impact.
Supporting community leadership through SHoKE
The SHoKE (Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange) initiative brings together academics, students, practitioners and community partners, such as local councils, charities and the NHS, to address real-world challenges facing local communities. Through collaborative projects, students apply their learning to issues such as housing, community development, social inclusion and neighbourhood resilience. This approach provides students with practical experience while generating benefits for local organisations and communities. By encouraging collaboration between universities and communities, SHoKE helps develop graduates who understand the importance of civic engagement and community partnership working, while contributing to solutions that improve quality of life and strengthen local places.
Empowering students to strengthen communities
Our award-winning Ruskin Modules encourage students from different disciplines to tackle complex societal challenges relating to sustainability, inclusion and community wellbeing. Modules such as Can I really make a difference in a community? introduce students to community organising and civic participation, helping them understand how collective action can create positive change. In 2024, the Ruskin Modules programme received a Highly Commended award at the International Green Gown Awards, recognising an initiative that has engaged more than 11,000 students in interdisciplinary learning linked to real-world social and environmental challenges.
Last updated: October 2026
To request additions, corrections or changes to the information in these pages, please contact: Dr Zareen Bharucha: [email protected]. Please use the subject line ‘ARU SDG’.