Boundary Crossing Competence Development for Environmental Professionals

Professionals in the environmental domain require boundary crossing competence, i.e. the competence to learn from and work together with others outside one's own scientific domain, institute, and/or culture, in order to respond better to emerging global challenges. The aim of this MSc thesis is to gain more insight in how boundary crossing competence develops in students and is best supported by teachers and learning environments. The focus will be on the contribution of environmental systems analysis (education) to boundary crossing competence development.

In this research a systematic literature review can be combined with empirical research within the Environmental Systems Analysis group and/or the BSc- or MSc- programmes in the environmental sciences field (e.g. BES, MES, MUE, MCL). Examples from our own educational practice can be used to operationalize and illustrate literature-based findings, and empirical research among existing courses can be used to monitor and measure the impact of specific teaching or learning activities.

This research contributes to the WUR-wide project:Boundary Crossing as modus operandi at Wageningen University, and is done in close collaboration with the Education and Learning Sciences chair group. More information see: https://www.wur.nl/en/education-programmes/boundary-crossing.htm.

Interested? Please contact dr Fortuin (karen.fortuin@wur.nl) for more information.