Today I continue with an introduction to a member of the impact network for regenerative futures (IN4RF), the wonderfully warm hearted Dr. Paulina Navrouzoglou. Her fanatastic proactive leadership helped kick-off the impact networks’ next steps towards including student voices. Following last week’s introduction to one of Paulina’s students, I had the great opportunity to talk with Paulina about the great work Glasgow university is conducting towards transforming higher education.
Dr. Paulina Navrouzoglou is a Lecturer in Economics and the Director of the Undergraduate Economics program at the University of Glasgow. Her research focus has recently extended from environmental economics to the field of Education for Sustainable Development, a synergy that brings her a sense of excitement and purpose. However, what truly fills Paulina with fulfilment and joy is to ignite the dreams and unlock the potential of young people. The core values that lead Paulina are: compassion, justice, honour, dedication, and growth.
I am enthusiastic about the prospect of collaborating with each of you. Together, we have a remarkable opportunity to make meaningful contributions by empowering one another and others on our sustainable journeys. I’d like to share this inspiring project: https://sustainablefuturesglobal.org/
Paulina is involved with several projects along side several of her colleagues, Dr. Geethanjali Selvaretnam and Dr. Lovleen Kushwah. She has plans for a new seed project for regenerative futures. The “UofG Global Challenges Studio” will be part of the transformative Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) initiatives. Along with her colleagues Paulina will invite students from diverse disciplines and backgrounds to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering a rich exchange of perspectives to co-create the next generation of UofG graduates. These graduates—our “world changers”—will be equipped and intrinsically motivated to drive sustainable and equitable change in society.
Through this studio, the aim is to create transformative learning experiences that inspire and empower students to take the lead in regenerative and sustainable initiatives. Key elements of student engagement are:
- Immersive problem-solving: Students will explore the critical trends and challenges in ESD through hands-on, immersive experiences. They’ll engage in reflective activities that challenge them to consider their educational journey and its broader societal implications.
- Collaborative and creative exploration: The studio will offer a variety of student activities such as role-playing, using thinking hats, group sketching, the wishing game, and object relation exercises. These activities will be designed to encourage creative thinking and deep reflection.
- Dialogue and practical application: Students will work closely with educators throughout the term, discussing how their innovative ideas can be practical, scalable, and seamlessly integrated into existing systems. This ongoing dialogue ensures that ideas are actionable and impactful.
- Student-led showcase: The studio experience will culminate in a dynamic, student-led showcase, where participants will design and present their innovative approaches to our community. This event will shine a spotlight on how their ideas can inspire and prepare a generation to lead the way toward sustainable and regenerative futures, adaptable to diverse contexts.
Want to join us in the UofG Global Challenges Studio? We’d love to hear from you—get in touch!
I aim to contribute to this vision by the following actions: 1) Exploring innovative teaching and learning approaches to cultivate changemakers among learners. 2) Seeking additional research collaborations to expand our impact and knowledge base. 3) Involving myself in our activities with students, indigenous communities, and stakeholders to foster inclusive participation and collaboration.
Thank you for your hard work and support in creating a great kick-off event and for your ongoing support with IN4RF members. More importantly, some of the IN4RF members live in Valencia, and thankfully everyone is doing ok. Dr. Guillermo Palau Salvador at Universitat Politècnica de València shared a crowdfunding initiative that is trying to raise funds to help the community. Are hearts, heads and hands reach out to everyone.
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