Image: Vhembe Biosphere Reserve practitioners, University of Venda students, mini-TILL students, and TRANSECTS members with a Vhembe Biosphere Reserve sign in Kruger National Park.

TRANSECTS Newsletter - May 2023

View the May 2023 newsletter here for program news and updates.

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Image: Certificate awarded to TRANSECTS from the Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development.

Recent Recognition Award for TRANSECTS

TRANSECTS has received a Recognition Award from the Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCE Saskatchewan) for its work to advance sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals in Saskatchewan and internationally. RCE Saskatchewan is an organization which promotes sustainable development education and capacity building in Saskatchewan and around the globe. Dr. Maureen Reed attended the Recognition Event on May 3rd, where she presented on TRANSECTS and its efforts to support sustainable development by providing learning opportunities and building capacity for students, academics, and practitioners in social-ecological landscapes. The TRANSECTS team intends to apply for another Recognition Award later in the program.

 

First Micro-Credential Offered by TRANSECTS a Success 

The first micro-credential offered by TRANSECTS, Foundations in Collaborative Research, was successfully completed by students in early 2023. This micro-credential was developed in partnership with The Resilience Institute and the University of Saskatchewan’s Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning. Positive feedback was received from the students who participated in the micro-credential, and TRANSECTS intends to continue offering micro-credentials and continued education opportunities.

 

Program Handbook Coming Soon

The Program Managers are currently developing a handbook for TRANSECTS. The handbook will include an overview of the program, including policies, procedures, and details for each of the three main audiences: students, practitioners, and educators.

 

Annual Reporting for Years 1 and 2

TRANSECTS has finalized the Annual Reporting for year one of the program (April 1, 2022-March 31, 2023) with the help of all Partner Organization representatives submitting their contribution and financial reporting statements. TRANSECTS is now in year two of the program (April 1, 2023-March 31, 2024) and will continue data collection for years one and two, documenting certain metrics to report to our funding agency at the program’s mid-point.

Image: Dr. Maureen Reed accepting the Regional Centre of Expertise Saskatchewan award for TRANSECTS.

RECENT ACTIVITIES

Image: Students on presentation day at the TILL hosted by HNEE and Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve.

2023 TILL Wrap-up

The 2023 Transdisciplinary International Learning Lab (TILL), hosted by Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) and Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve in Germany concluded on March 9th. The TILL students presented their findings to HNEE personnel, Biosphere Reserve partners, and local shared responsibility holders. The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Team (MELT) is currently conducting Focus Groups and Interviews with mentors, instructors, coordinators, and Biosphere Reserve partners. Dr. Tillmann Konrad has been hired by HNEE as an external consultant to conduct Focus Groups and Interviews and compile the data into a summary report. The MELT will review this report and incorporate key findings into future TRANSECTS offerings.

 

Image: Vhembe Biosphere Reserve practitioners, University of Venda students, mini-TILL students, and TRANSECTS members explore Kruger National Park during a site visit for future TILLs.

South Africa Site Visits 

Dr. Maureen Reed (Program Director), Dr. Wendy James (Teaching and Learning Expert), Marlis Merry (Program Manager), and Jana Gengelbach (Program Manager) travelled to South Africa in March of 2023. Dr. Eureta Rosenberg and Dr. Maureen Reed presented to students at the University of Venda, with Dr. Reed’s talk discussing relationships with Indigenous Peoples in Canada’s Biosphere Regions. 
Image: Nelson Mandela University student presents his research on human-wildlife conflict on campus to the TRANSECTS team.
The TRANSECTS team also visited Rhodes University and Nelson Mandela University. A student from Nelson Mandela University presented his research to the group on the human-wildlife conflict involving baboons on the George campus. Throughout the trip, TRANSECTS members were hosted by Vhembe Biosphere Reserve and Garden Route Biosphere Reserve to visit sites for future TILLs.
Image: The Fisherladies meet with Garden Route Biosphere Reserve practitioners, mini-TILL students, and TRANSECTS members.

TRANSECTS members heard from community partners and South African National Parks representatives on human-wildlife conflict, conservation issues, user groups and value sharing, and pollution and inequalities. They were grateful to meet local shared responsibility holder groups in each Biosphere Reserve, including the Saselemani Adopt a River project in Vhembe Biosphere Reserve and the Fisherladies in the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve.

Image: Members of the Saselemani Adopt a River project visit with TRANSECTS members in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve.

TRANSECTS partners in each of these Biosphere Reserves are excited to host South African TILLs in 2025 and 2027, which will provide a cohort of international students the opportunity to engage in transdisciplinary research in collaboration with local practitioners and community partners.

Image: Those attending the Indaba in South Africa share their “tiny books” in a reflexive transdisciplinary activity.

Indaba – A Meeting to Discuss Important Things

TILL students, local practitioners, and TRANSECTS members from Canada, Germany, and South Africa attended the South African TRANSECTS team’s Indaba, a Zulu word meaning “a meeting to discuss important things.” Organized and hosted by Rhodes University, this three-day event served as their national Program Institute for 2023 in South Africa. The Indaba had five key themes, including (1) Landing and Locating, (2) Listen/Lalela/Mamela, (3) Load-shedding and Laughing, (4) Learning and Leveraging, and (5) Linking and Launching. Activities included presentations from TILL students, local practitioners, and TRANSECTS members, translating the TRANSECTS operating principles into various local languages, creating “tiny books” for reflecting on individual transdisciplinary journeys, and a “walkshop” to discuss current innovations and challenges with respect to transdisciplinary teaching, research, and learning in higher education. There were many important program outcomes from the Indaba, including discussions on ways to engage practitioners, how to keep students involved after completing a TILL, and a transition to curriculum-based design for upcoming learning labs.

 

Image: TILL students, local practitioners, and TRANSECTS members gather at the South African TRANSECTS team’s Indaba.

COMING UP

2024 TILL in Canada to be Hosted on Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island University (VIU) and the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR) will be hosting the next TRANSECTS TILL in May and June of 2024. We have recently released an Expression of Interest advert for TRANSECTS members and students wanting to apply for a mentor or peer mentor position at this TILL. The deadline to apply is June 12th. Please see the adverts for more information.

 

Upcoming Program Institutes in Canada and Germany

The Canadian and German TRANSECTS country teams are planning national Program Institutes in September and October of 2023. The teams are excited to gather in person to discuss TRANSECTS-related topics, including the 2023 TILL evaluation, curriculum design, transdisciplinarity in practice in different contexts, and engaging practitioners in TRANSECTS activities and offerings.

 

Grant Funding Opportunity for TRANSECTS

The TRANSECTS team has decided to pursue a Spencer Foundation Research-Practice Partnership Grant in 2023. Many excellent application ideas resulted from a program-wide meeting held on May 9th.

Image: Project Steering Committee members at the Indaba in South Africa.

MEMBER PROFILES

We are a socially and culturally diverse team that includes researchers and emerging scholars, local and Indigenous leaders, experts in sustainability practice, practitioners, and partner organizations. TRANSECTS has hubs in Germany, South Africa, and Canada, with five partner universities across these countries, including the University of Saskatchewan, Vancouver Island University, Eberswalde University of Sustainable Development, Rhodes University, and the University of the Witwatersrand. We also have wonderful partners and collaborators in Argentina, Ghana, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe. Each newsletter, we intend to profile a small sample. Please read about the great team members below.

 

Dr. Jim Robson is a faculty member at the University of Saskatchewan and UNESCO Co-Chair in Biocultural Diversity, Sustainability, Reconciliation, and Renewal. He is the Canadian Co-Director for TRANSECTS and leads the Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC).

Dr. Eureta Rosenberg is the Dean of the Faculty of Education and Research Chair of Environment and Sustainability Education at Rhodes University. She is the South African Co-Director for TRANSECTS and co-leads the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Committee (MELT).

Dr. Heike Walk is a faculty member at Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE). She is the German Co-Director for TRANSECTS and has overseen the 2023 TILL hosted by HNEE.

Dr. Jessica Cockburn is a faculty member at Rhodes University. She is co-leading the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Committee (MELT).

Dr. Corinne Schuster-Wallace is a faculty member at the University of Saskatchewan. She is the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) champion for TRANSECTS.

Dr. Duduzile (Dudu) Ngwenya has recently been appointed as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Rhodes University to work alongside the TRANSECTS team in South Africa. She has also joined the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Committee (MELT).