This week we have been creating space for follow-up discussions and workshops to create inspiration for the next steps of the Sustainability Competence Mindset Mapping tool progress. First, we caught up with Jennifer Pohlmann, deputy head of FTZ NK, at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences. As we listened to the experience Jennifer has had at the university, it is apparent that lecturers feel a need for support at an individual module level. We discussed how our tool’s adaptability allows lecturers to use the tool for their singular class needs, as well as with a team of lecturers across the semester and/or the whole program. The tool works in different contexts to help support the needs of lecturers.
It was also our pleasure to catch up with Docent Tom Korsman at Umeå university, who has been using the tool in the master program Environmental Science with a focus on Sustainble Development. Listening to Tom’s experience to design the program and create opportunities at the university, several different activities were shared. For example, in the first introductory module the students delve into research about sustainability on different scales, personally, locally and globally. The students also take part in activities across the program, such as backcasting, futuring, life-cycle-analysis, and more.
We dialogued about how to communicate the sustainability competencies with the students. To create awareness about how the assignments and activities help the students to develop their sustainability competencies, the Sustainability Competence Mindset Map applies a student-centred approach to build capacity for sustainability action.
We have also caught up with Dr. Krzysztof Szczepaniak at the university of Gdańsk, Poland to discuss our collaboration to continue to diffuse the sustainability competence mindset map with international students. We are in the process of creating a translation of the tool into several different languages to help facilitate an all-inclusive tool. After listening to Krzysztof’s experience as director of the centre for sustainable development at the university, it was apparent how well the university is able to develop their work from the ground up. The students show a great interest in sustainability indicating a demand for education for sustainability.
Dr. Krzysztof Szczepaniak and colleagues are collaborating in our project to help support their students and lecturers in their work to develop the students’ sustainability competencies and inspire others in the region to join the project. There is a great open mindset that we have recognised in the Baltic region, where many are delighted to collaborate and discuss how to best advance their education for sustainability. We look forward to our work together and to meeting new enthusiastic engagements soon.
It was also our great pleasure to catch up with Cecilia Lundberg, education planner at the Centre for Life-Long Learning at Åbo Akademi University, Finland. Cecilia has been a great support since Gert-Olof and I began this project, including our work in activities with the Baltic University Program (BUP) project. This week we discussed how we can develop our collaborations further to help support this work and to provide new opportunities in the region.
It has been greatly inspiring listening to others experience, sharing ideas and creating new opportunities. This week we ask you to reflect on: What new collaborations have inspired you to create opportunities? What existing collaborations have reinvigorated your drive to support others? Who have you been listening to that has helped your personal, local or regional sustainability competency?
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