Yesterday afternoon, a group of 12 self-selected Masters' students from diverse disciplinary and geographical cultures designed and led a conversation with a group of self-selected staff. The group presented, in advance, a collective CV to the invitees - their supervisors and some familiar SCEPTrE friends and Fellows. They also provided a description of the project: an exploration of the possibility that Masters' students could be co-researchers of the 'Complex World' question that drives SCEPTrE's work. Invitees were invited to pose questions, in advance of the event, so that students / co-learners could prepare some responses over the few hours before 'going public'. The structure of this public 90-minute session was a balance between a 'market-place' (engaging people in the mid-point fruits of people's individual contribution to the project) and a 'conversation' with the whole group - around 30 people in all.
What I hope people were able to appreciate, over the afternoon, is the diverse experiences and expertise that these Masters' students bring to Surrey. Discussion certainly seemed to recognise the value of inter-disciplinary conversation, relationship and challenge. There was a sense that staff, as well as students, feel frustrated with the 'silo' culture and one of the students asked why we tolerate it. We are all learners. SCEPTrE was again identified as the place where these conversations CAN and do happen. I'd like to think that 'we' (the University / SCEPTrE / Faculty leaders and change agents) learned a little about the potential for 'the social life of information (Brown and Duguid, 2000).
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