What should Higher Education Institutions do about the planetary crisis?: A participatory workshop on transforming teaching and learning

What can those working within higher education institutions (HEI’s) do in response to the climate and ecological crisis? Given the planetary crises are linked to other gender, racial, social and economic injustices, what we are facing are multiple and interlinked crises – which together constitute a ‘polycrisis’.

.

This one-day participatory event stems from a successful first meeting in Galway, November 2023, on the topic ‘What should Higher Education Institutions do about the planetary crisis?’

.

The need for cross-departmental, interdisciplinary and critical education emerged as a major concern for participants in Galway. This follow-up event at Queen’s University Belfast is being led by those concerns.

.

Hosted by the Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action (SECA) at Queen’s, this event is an opportunity for those who study and work within universities across the island of Ireland (researchers, cleaners, management, estates, procurement, HR, etc.), as well as those who have a stake or interest in the knowledge, research and other activitieis of higher education (local citizens, farmers, communities, activists, civil society organisations), to come together to discuss and begin the process of co-designing a mandatory planetary crisis module that can be delivered to all undergraduate university students.

.

Key outcomes:

Create action groups to work on an education system that is fit for purpose e.g. co-designing a mandatory planetary crisis module for universities
Build and nurture relationships between students, staff and the wider community across the island of Ireland on these issues
Feed into the next series of meetings, currently planned for Dublin and Cork

Location: Whitla Hall, Queen’s University Belfast University Rd, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK