Category Archives: Uncategorized

Ireland is in the news again!

But it’s not only about the ongoing border dispute over Brexit this time, important though this is. It is about the future of universities, and the impact of marketisation.  Headlined- Irish president: ‘market-driven’ universities face ‘ruination’. Michael Higgins warned last week  that universities ‘have suffered attrition of range and depth, loss of interdisciplinary exchange, leadingContinue reading “Ireland is in the news again!“

Some Thoughts on Nature

I have been on a great WEA course for the past 6 weeks exploring the work of the Welsh novelist, critic, and academic Raymond Williams. He is also noted for his exploration of Key Words. Our WEA tutor framed the course thus: Using the work of cultural theorist, novelist and WEA tutor, Raymond Williams, togetherContinue reading “Some Thoughts on Nature”

PREFACE TO THE DAS GUPTA REVIEW ON THE ECONOMICS OF BIODIVERSITY

We are facing a global crisis. We are totally dependent upon the natural world. It supplies us with every oxygen-laden breath we take and every mouthful of food we eat. But we are currently damaging it so profoundly that many of its natural systems are now on the verge of breakdown. Every other animal livingContinue reading “PREFACE TO THE DAS GUPTA REVIEW ON THE ECONOMICS OF BIODIVERSITY”

The Coming of the Ecological University

“Universities have been with us on this Earth for at least one thousand years and will surely be with us in the future; perhaps so long as there is life on this planet that has any well-being. There is now something in not just the name of the institution but in the idea of theContinue reading “The Coming of the Ecological University”

Michael Crow and the New Realms of Learning at Arizona State University

I have just watched a short video(made in June 2020) of Michael Crow-President of Arizona State University articulating clearly and convincingly this university’s approach to learning post Covid. I would describe it as visionary, comprehensive and accessible, along with many new features; one in particular called by the extraordinary name “Alien Zoo” which they areContinue reading “Michael Crow and the New Realms of Learning at Arizona State University”

WHAT IS A UNIVERSITY EDUCATION FOR? ARE WE EDUCATING EARTH LITERATE LEADERS?

Is there a Case for Re-Purposing our Universities? We are now citizens of the Earth joined in a common enterprise with many variations. We have every right to insist that those who purport to lead us be worthy of the task. Imagine such a time! (Orr, 2003)Hundreds of delegates met late last year in Madrid(Cop25)Continue reading “WHAT IS A UNIVERSITY EDUCATION FOR? ARE WE EDUCATING EARTH LITERATE LEADERS?”

Policy Coherence and the Sustainable Development Goals

POLICY COHERENCE, SHOEHORNING and the SDGs Since the early 1990s, the OECD has been at the forefront of international efforts to promote policy coherence for development (PCD). The OECD has a strong track record in monitoring policy coherence efforts in its Member countries through peer reviews. While PCD has traditionally beenseen as the main responsibilityContinue reading “Policy Coherence and the Sustainable Development Goals”

MEAT OR VEG ?ANOTHER WICKED SUSTAINABILITY ISSUE!

A new dilemma for those who advocate Veganism is on the agenda of the forthcoming Oxford Farming Conference. Farming and other interests are now arguing that it is vital we eat more lamb and beef because some crop plants and fish are being drained of essential nutrients.A heart specialist who is speaking at the conferenceContinue reading “MEAT OR VEG ?ANOTHER WICKED SUSTAINABILITY ISSUE!”

Once upon a time there was a little Dutch boy who discovered a leak in a North Sea dike in Holland( a story of flooding risk and its remedy adapted from the true story!)

What should he do? From a single leak, a terrible breach might grow. The whole country could be flooded, and everyone he knew would drown.Like any well behaved and responsible boy he did the only thing he could think of. He stuck his finger in the dike, and the leak stopped.Of course, now he wasContinue reading “Once upon a time there was a little Dutch boy who discovered a leak in a North Sea dike in Holland( a story of flooding risk and its remedy adapted from the true story!)”