As the midsummer approaches, we would like to express our thanks to all our collaborators, partners, educators, and students for their incredible contributions to sustainability education activities this academic year. We have discussed opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations across campus at Umeå university, in natural science, social science, and the arts, and with educators at the Baltic University Program, HAW Hamburg University, University of Gdansk, Mittuniversitet, Gothenburg University, Liverpool John Moores, and ETH Zurich. Your dedication and passion have made this semester truly wonderful, and we are deeply thankful for your unwavering support.
We would like to thank Professor Walter Leal and Bianca Rebelatto for their support in creating a wonderful symposium event at the beginning of the spring semester. We would also like to thank Professor Nick McGuigan for his wonderful support and collaborations at the workshop we held at the symposium and in our collaborations soon to be detailed in a new book (watch this space). Together, we have achieved so much, and we look forward to continuing this inspiring journey towards a sustainable future. Thank you all for your hard work and commitment!
We have met with educators from across the world and learned about the opportunities that have been created to build capacity for educators and students to delve deeper into their sustainability mindset. In the next academic year, we will build on this community with HEDs in Sweden. In the last couple of weeks, we have been talking with the Alumni of HEDS to help create a space for continued creative support and inspiration for collaboration with sustainability education. I also talked with Erik Månsson, a teacher at the business school at Karlstad University and facilitator on the HEDS course. The creativity he applies to class activities enables active learning environments through inspirational workshops (soon to be shared here on the platform).
We will also tackle the transdisciplinary science approach with Dr. Jos Eussen’s Hyperion and the Opeduca project at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Several educators at Umeå University will join us on the student exchange program to inspire theme-based learning for sustainability and create international communities between academia and practitioners across industries. The exchange program aims to foster a rich exchange of ideas and experiences, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of sustainable practices in different educational and professional contexts.
Through collaboration with a large group of educators across the world, I will be creating opportunities to inspire action through sustainability education in a new network called Transdisciplinary Network for Impact Research and Practice, recently funded by the SSHRC Grant. We intend to facilitate the development of innovative teaching methods that integrate sustainability into the core of education. Additionally, our partnership with academic and industry experts will provide a platform for students and educators to engage in impactful research, enabling them to address real-world sustainability challenges with a holistic approach. This initiative will not only enhance the learning experience for the participants but also contribute to the global effort towards a more sustainable future. We would like to thank Dr. Kent Williams at Dalhousie univeristy, Canada, for his leadership in this network and continued support for so many sustainability educators.
We welcome the newly joined collaborator, Dr. Sonja Kuzich at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. Her work as director of teaching and learning includes facilitating an interdisciplinary sustainability challenge opportunity for students, educators, and practitioners to work with real-world sustainability challenges. We look forward to learning more from this great experience and to future collaborations with the use of our sustainability competence mindset map tool.
None of this work would be possible without the support from collaborative natured educators at universities that we have worked with throughout Europe and the growing communities across continents. Together, we have exchanged valuable insights and best practices that have contributed to the development of an engaging and encouraging atmosphere. As we look forward to the future, we eagerly anticipate meeting you all again soon, continuing our shared journey of sustainability education. We also look forward to meeting new educators and partners interested in joining the project for transdisciplinary learning. Thank you again to all, and happy summer!
p.s. As we discuss the use of great fiction literature in education across disciplines, this summer’s read will be Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. What are you reading this summer? Any captivating books on your list that you’re looking forward to? Where do you like best to read? On a beach, in the garden, or on the rooftop?
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