FUTURE21

Multidisciplinary socio-ecological education in South Africa for sustainability

Project information

Project	Multidisciplinary socio-ecological education in South Africa for sustainability (FUTURE21)
Duration	1 January 2026 – 31 December 2028
Partners	South Africa: Nelson Mandela University, University of Mpumalanga, Forestry South Africa, Garden Route Biosphere reserve, Kruger to Canyons Biosphere region Finland: Häme University of Applied Sciences Norway: Inland Norway University
Funders	Erasmus+ CBHE
Budget	1000 000 € (HAMK’s share 194 031 €)

We equip HEIs to develop and implement competence-based multidisciplinary curricula, foster collaboration and to enhance HEIs responsiveness to global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, socioeconomic inequalities, circular economy and sustainable industries.

We aim to achieve this by advancing multidisciplinary socio-ecological systems (SES) education. Through the project, we will develop and implement SES-focused curricula, short learning programmes, and educational materials. We will provide professional development for higher education institution (HEI) staff in pedagogy, systems thinking, and digital learning. In addition, we will facilitate multisectoral collaboration among academia, industry, civil society, and policy makers.

We will also establish an SES education platform to support multidisciplinary learning, continuous professional development, and knowledge sharing for HEI staff and students, industry professionals, civil society actors, and policy makers.

These activities will enhance the visibility, impact, and long-term sustainability of SES education through targeted outreach and dissemination.