The challenges posed by global environmental change and an increasing demand for Earth’s finite resources underscore the dependence of future civilization upon improved Earth System knowledge. In Norway, this dependence is further complicated by our dual ambition to be both a global energy supplier and a world leader in environmental management. Identifying and addressing these future challenges therefore requires new thinking about the modern role for geoscience in society, and a corresponding re-orientation of our geoscience education to deliver it.
iEarth is a centre including the geoscience education and research institutions at UiB, UiO, UiT and UNIS, which will work together to create a future-oriented and innovative learning environment. Together with students, we will focus on teaching methods, new technology, and education adapted to the future labour market.
Objectives
iEarth has five process domains for development:
- Shaping the future - meeting tomorrow's social Challenges
- Focus on the importance of geoscience education in response to global challenges.
- Students' learning environment
- Focus on the student's learning process and active development of their generic skills.
- Teacher's learning environment
- Focus on building a collaborative culture within teaching and evidence-based learning practices.
- Field Learning
- Focus on the unique opportunities and challenges of field teaching and its integration into a coherent learning process.
- Alumni and dissemination
- Focus on establishing a close interaction between iEarth and potential employers in the private and public sectors to secure a dialogue and guarantee maximum relevance for our curriculum
Cooperation
Centre for Integrated Earth System Education – iEarth is a national centre and collaboration with partners from these Norwegian universities:
- Dept. of Earth Science, University of Bergen (host)
- Dept. of Geosciences, University of Oslo
- Dept. of Geosciences, University of Tromsø
- Dept. of Arctic Geology, University Centre at Svalbard - UNIS
Centres for Excellence in Education (SFU)
iEarth started up as a Centre for Excellence in Education (SFU) in August 2020.
"Academic communities with the status of 'Centre for Excellence in Education' (SFU) demonstrate excellence in teaching and education, and develop innovative practices in education. The ambition of the prestigious national initiative is to foster excellent research-based education." Retrieved from Diku.no.
The SFU funding scheme is financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. The scheme was established in 2010 and is administered by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills.