Cranfield University announces circular economy degree
One of the first degrees dedicated to the circular economy has been launched by Cranfield University.
Cranfield’s part-time MSc course, ‘Technology, Innovation and Management for a Circular Economy’, will cover expertise in engineering, logistics and environmental sciences, as well as topics in business and finance. It follows on from the ‘world first’ MBA in the circular economy, launched by Bradford University in 2013
To be delivered at Cranfield’s Bedfordshire campus and online from October 2016, the programme has been developed by Cranfield’s Centre for Creative Competitive Design alongside the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF), which also helps run the Bradford course.
Cranfield says that the programme will focus on ‘how business can be restorative and regenerative’, and will provide students with insight into new economic models that aim to maximise resources. Businesses working with the EMF will provide contributions to the course.
Cranfield University is a postgraduate, research-based university that specialises in science, engineering, technology and management. It is part of the EMF’s Pioneer Universities programme, which sees the foundation work with six institutions from across the world on work surrounding the transition to a circular economy.
Skills-building needed to meet circular economy’s full potential
Dame Ellen MacArthur, founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said: “The circular economy is emerging as the new paradigm for a system that can work in the long term. In order to achieve its full potential, it needs solid skills-building programmes and the involvement of leading international universities.
“The executive master’s course demonstrates Cranfield’s commitment to providing the right multi-disciplinary environment, in order to help accelerate the transition to this restorative and regenerative economic model.”
Professor Sir Peter Gregson, Vice-Chancellor of Cranfield University, said: “Cranfield has been leading thinking in the circular economy through our research on sustainable design and corporate responsibility for some time. The MSc in Technology, Innovation and Management for a Circular Economy will allow us to contribute substantially to making this an industrial reality.”
Dr Fiona Charnley, convenor of the MSc course at Cranfield, added: “The world of business has shifted dramatically. The circular economy is widely regarded as the most dominant trend for environmentally-responsible and innovative businesses. This unique postgraduate level course will help ambitious industrial professionals to accelerate this change through system-level understanding and application.”
More information on the course can be found on the Cranfield University website.
