New course puts sustainability into practice

Press release issued: 8 March 2013



Eden Project, Change Agents UK and Anglia Ruskin working in unique partnership to deliver new MSc

Anglia Ruskin University has launched a Masters course, MSc Sustainability: Working for Positive Change, in partnership with the Eden Project and Change Agents UK. Students will have access to leading research in the area, experience sustainability first-hand at the visionary Eden Project and practice their new skills in real, work-based settings.

The Eden Project (photo: Tamsyn Williams)

The Eden Project (photo: Tamsyn Williams)

The new course is the first time that the Eden Project, the world-famous educational charity and visitor attraction in Cornwall, and Change Agents UK, an international sustainability and education charity, have partnered with a university on an academic programme.

The course has been designed to provide graduates with the knowledge, skills and abilities to act as a catalyst to inspire and effect change towards sustainable living. The course will be taught through a combination of week-long residential workshops, held at Anglia Ruskin's Cambridge campus and at the Eden Project in Cornwall, and comprehensive online learning support.

Anglia Ruskin is providing the academic content of the course and, through its Global Sustainability Institute, access to state-of-the-art research and expertise. Students will contribute to a wide range of research projects being undertaken including the impact of resource constraints, the communication of climate science, and issues surrounding climate finance.

The Eden Project provides an inspirational case study of 'what is possible'. Through experience of running world-class social and environmental projects, their experts will discuss how sustainability, good business practice and the citizenship values of the future can be complimentary.

Students will also have the opportunity to apply their learning in a practical setting during a work placement. Change Agents UK will support the work-based component of the course, enabling students to learn how to apply their skills in the workplace.


Professor Michael Thorne, Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University said:

"The new MSc is another example of our commitment to embedding sustainability in the curriculum as well as guiding our development as an institution.

"Our unique partnership with the Eden Project and Change Agents UK has brought an exciting dimension to the course. Our students will literally live and breathe Eden during their studies, and we will ensure they are prepared for key jobs when they graduate."

Professor Stephen Martin, President of Change Agents UK, said:

"This new Masters has all the ingredients of a high quality postgraduate programme. It combines the real life experience of several high profile organisations involved in the integration of sustainability in the public and private sectors and, perhaps most importantly, puts a strong emphasis on ways to enhance employability within a sustainability context."

Dr Tony Kendle, Creative Director at the Eden Project, said:

"We're very excited to be working with Anglia Ruskin University and Change Agents UK on this new MSc. The qualification will cover a wide range of subjects that will become increasingly important as we continue to adapt to our changing world. We hope that students will be inspired by the course and that they will use this inspiration to create the transformational projects of the future."

The MSc in Sustainability, which begins in September, is open to students from any discipline wanting to become sustainability professionals or change how their existing profession functions.

Through a combination of residential taught sessions and online learning, students can study full-time (one year) or part-time (two years) from anywhere in the country. For further information, visit www.anglia.ac.uk/mscsustainability

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