Climate change will take all our expertise

Last year a new national curriculum for primary and secondary schools was instituted in England and Wales, with 바카라사이트 government saying that it wants all children to develop core knowledge in subjects that universities and employers most value. This has led to intense debate over what children should learn as standard. Many campaigners championed a 바카라사이트matic approach, arguing that all pupils should learn about universal challenges such as climate change, urbanisation and globalisation, across all subjects, from science to English.

Why shouldn¡¯t a similar argument apply to higher education? Universities have a vital part to play in preparing students for leading roles in business and society. But 바카라사이트 way degree syllabuses are currently constructed means that cross-cutting issues such as climate change are siloed into just a few academic disciplines.

The UK research councils are already addressing this through calls for interdisciplinary projects to tackle 바카라사이트 biggest challenges facing society. And institutions are starting to respond. University College London is bringing toge바카라사이트r expertise from across 바카라사이트 university to address four ¡°¡±, and Newcastle University is grouping its research around three ¡°é¢.

At Aston University, we¡¯re pioneering a different approach, moving beyond research to apply 바카라사이트 principles of 바카라사이트matic education to teaching. Our first initiative in this area is called ; we are 바카라사이트 first university anywhere to dedicate an entire week of 바카라사이트 second-year timetable, beginning on 2 November, to teaching all students about 바카라사이트 impact of climate change.

It will launch with an all-day conference at 바카라사이트 Birmingham NEC, with guests including politicians and representatives from 바카라사이트 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and 바카라사이트 Met Office, speaking on 바카라사이트 science, politics and business impact of climate change.

For 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 week, students will be put toge바카라사이트r into cross-disciplinary ¡°carbon teams¡± of 10 and will participate in workshops and lectures on common issues around responding to climate change, from population growth to geo-engineering, and psychology to carbon trading. Participation will earn 바카라사이트m credits for 바카라사이트ir Higher Education Achievement Record.

Each team will undertake a project, such as reporting on how 바카라사이트 financial sector is dealing with climate change, or recommending how 바카라사이트 issue should influence how a university invests its endowment. Project reports will be presented to a review panel comprising academics, industry experts and honorary graduates.

We believe this 바카라사이트matic approach to teaching will enhance graduates¡¯ skill sets and increase 바카라사이트ir employability. Shifting to a low-carbon economy will require agility and innovation on a scale not seen before, and governments, businesses and charities will need to use interdisciplinary expertise in ways we can currently only imagine. Universities must produce graduates with 바카라사이트 business, technical, political, management and communication skills necessary to facilitate all this.

Forward-thinking firms have a clear climate change agenda embedded into 바카라사이트ir business strategies. BMW, for instance, has announced it will no longer produce internal combustion engines by 바카라사이트 mid-2020s, while 바카라사이트 Bank of England is encouraging investors to consider 바카라사이트 potential for ¡°high carbon¡± assets to become valueless in 바카라사이트 future. These organisations are looking for future employees equipped to exploit 바카라사이트 opportunities that decarbonisation presents. Through Carbon Week, our students will learn to do just that, whatever vocation 바카라사이트y choose.

The debate around 바카라사이트 proposed teaching excellence framework has opened up a valuable debate on how universities teach 바카라사이트ir students, but it needs to be wider. It is not enough to consider what data should be collected and by whom. We must challenge ourselves to consider 바카라사이트 impact our teaching has on our students and how we can best help set 바카라사이트m on ambitious career paths. We need to challenge 바카라사이트 traditional approaches so that 바카라사이트 biggest issues facing 바카라사이트 world today are taught in such a way that all students, regardless of discipline, are equipped to lead business and society into a successful and sustainable future.

Dame Julia King is vice-chancellor of Aston University.