And the CHARM alliance becomes a master…
It will be innovative, interdisciplinary, and firmly focused on major environmental and societal challenges. This master’s program—the only one of its kind in Europe—is the result of a collaboration between the University of Montpellier and its four partners in the CHARM-EU alliance, and will launch in the fall of 2021. A small educational revolution presented by Gilles Subra and Patricia Cucchi of the University of Montpellier.
Imagine a master’s program bringing together students from all over the world and from fields as diverse as law, biology, the humanities and social sciences, sports, and management. Imagine that this master’s program is jointly run by several leading European universities and that all these young minds pool their expertise to tackle concrete issues such as world hunger or water management. A dream? No, but “a very ambitious, unique, and completely new project,” emphasizes Gilles Subra, Professor Chemistry at the University of Montpellier and project manager within the CHARM-EU alliance.
Meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow
This master’s program, which will launch in Montpellier in the fall of 2021, is not the result of a magic wand but rather of a long-term effort, begun over a year ago within the CHARM-EU alliance, which brings together Trinity College Dublin and the universities of Barcelona,Utrecht,Eötvös Loránd in Budapest, and, of course, Montpellier. Five major European institutions have chosen to join forces to tackle the environmental and social challenges facing our societies with a unified approach.
Three major themes, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, have thus emerged from this initial phase of collaborative work: water management (SDG 6), global health—encompassing human health (SDG 3) and environmental health (SDGs 14 and 15)—and, finally, food (SDGs 2 and 12). “We don’t want to compete with existing master’s programs,” explains Gilles Subra. “We won’t be training economists or hydrologists, but rather new transdisciplinary professionals geared toward European careers—managers of cross-cutting projects.”
Developing European profiles
A total of about 100 students will be recruited by the five universities, or about 20 at each campus. They will benefit from an innovative educational program based on active learning. “It can be summed up in two words: ‘challenge-based.’” “Our goal is for students to acquire skills that will help them tackle challenges related to the major themes proposed,” explains Patricia Cucchi, a lecturer and researcher in organismal biology at the University of Montpellier and a member of the working group on teaching and learning strategies within CHARM-EU.
Students will therefore be called upon to tackle challenges from civil society, the business world, or the research sector, always with a scientific approach and rigor as the cornerstone. “They may come with their own project or choose to develop one, individually or as a group, but always in close collaboration with laboratories, companies, or organizations,” adds Patricia Cucchi. Exam procedures will also be revised. Here, there will be no traditional midterms, but rather “a progressive, student-centered assessment adapted to the student’s pace, utilizing a wide range of methods from simple quizzes to portfolios.”
While mobility will of course be a standard feature of this program, a digital learning environment shared by all five universities will also be made available to students, and distance learning resources will be developed. This means that a student enrolled in Dublin will be able to take courses offered in Montpellier or Barcelona. “This is a wonderful opportunity for faculty and researchers to introduce their laboratories and research to international students,” emphasizes Gilles Subra. Upon completion of this program, which can be completed in 12 or 16 months, students—initially recruited after completing their first year of a master’s degree—will receive degrees from all five partner universities.
The "Knowledge Creation Team"
In preparation for the start of the 2021 academic year, the focus is now on forming teams known as KCTs , short for “Knowledge Creation Teams.” On June 15, some 50 faculty members andProfessors Montpellier and 175 from the five universities in the alliance participated in an orientation seminar on this upcoming CHARM-EU master’s program. “To develop the content for these transdisciplinary courses, we need to form international, multidisciplinary knowledge creation teams composed of researchers and faculty members,” explains Gilles Subra.
These international KCTs will meet regularly and will be responsible for developing educational content aligned with the three main themes selected, as well as identifying relevant speakers from the worlds of research, business, and civil society. Finally, providing guidance to students during their final-year projects will be a key focus. “This is the kickoff for creating a truly different kind of education,” continues the CHARM-EU representative. “But we’re only at the beginning, and the teams are meant to evolve. Anyone who wishes to join us along the way is welcome to do so.”
Tools have also been developed to support and guide teachers in selecting innovative teaching methods and using new technologies. Moreover, teaching approaches must themselves be part of a responsible and sustainable framework. Issues such as the environment, gender equality, multiculturalism, and accessibility “must not merely be principles but must be integrated and applied across all practices,” emphasizes Patricia Cucchi.
A "win-win situation"
Researchers are particularly encouraged to participate in this project, since beyond the master’s program, the CHARM-EU alliance aims to forge strong ties not only between universities but also between laboratories, as Gilles Subra points out: “The themes of the master’s program align with the MUSE themes, and we hope this will help generate new research projects and expand everyone’s networks within this multidisciplinary framework.” Start-ups and corporate partners of the universities will also have an important role to play in this endeavor, as will associations and local communities . “We want to create a synergy that benefits everyone,” concludes Patricia Cucchi.