Curriculum enhancement and innovation

Major global challenges, such as climate change, food & energy security, deforestation and overpopulation are complex and interrelated. There are no easy solutions and making sense of these 'wicked' sustainability' problems can be daunting. However, they also offer a unique opportunity for curriculum innovation through interdisciplinary projects and experiential learning opportunities.

The Big Dilemmas Project

The Big Dilemmas Project is an exciting new interdisciplinary initiative that aims to come to a better understanding of sustainable futures and potential ways forward. It works towards solving complex sustainability problems, such as "How can we meet our energy needs without jeopardising the natural environment and future needs?".

Academics and students from across the University are working with stakeholders to investigate and tackle big dilemmas around energy demand, food and water security, health, biodiversity, and poverty and population.

The project is closely associated with the Climate change and Sustainable Futures research theme.

Campus as Living Laboratory

The Campus as Living Laboratory project provides innovative opportunities to inspire the formal curriculum and go beyond the theoretical topics that need to be ‘covered’ in lectures. The idea is that the campus serves as a community based living laboratory for identifying, evaluating and assessing indicators of progress toward greater sustainability. Campus staff, academics, students and stakeholders are collaborating on various projects. Two current examples are

• Birds & Bees Campaign - a collaboration with Devon Wildlife Trust and Exeter Wild City, that is looking to enhance biodiversity on the campus.
• Exeter Carbon Observatory (ExCO), a natural ecosystem field laboratory, that aims to explore the role that terrestrial ecosystems play in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and the effects of climate change on these systems. Email Dr Luiz Aragao for further details.