Students increasingly feel the need for education that prepares them for a meaningful career. The new generation of students attaches more importance to meaningful jobs, ethics, and contributing to a healthy planet. Students across all fields of study see the climate and ecological crisis as the most significant contemporary challenge for humanity. However, they often experience a lack of influence and control to actually contribute to its solution. This can lead to feelings of powerlessness, cynicism, and climate anxiety, further burdening mental health. Therefore, students particularly value education in this area that is current, applied, and solution-oriented.
With this in mind, we will redesign and implement courses for the VU bachelor programs. These courses focus on planetary health, co-developed by the students themselves and tailored to each specific program. In this way, important themes such as climate change, inequality, and biodiversity can be more effectively integrated into the curriculum.
In this course, we'll delve into the intricate connections between neuroscience, cognitive development, economic and social change, management, technology, and education. We'll dissect the characteristics that define impactful courses. Most importantly, you'll collaborate with fellow innovators to craft new courses, providing a unique opportunity to shape your own educational experience!
Drawing inspiration from the success of past editions where students created courses like Law and Love, Planetary Health, and Climate Justice—now integral to the VU Honours Programme—our mission this year is to guide you in developing more meaningful and impactful courses.