How Aalborg University flips complex, wicked problems to catalysts for integrating disciplines in education
The Experimental Pedagogies (XP) Framework, developed at Erasmus University Rotterdam by Dr. Ginie Servant-Miklos, offers a bold response to the limitations of traditional education in addressing today’s environmental crises. By integrating insights from cognitive science, philosophy, group dynamics, and critical pedagogy, the framework guides students through five dimensions of learning — from the individual to the global — to foster resilience, agency and a sense of purpose.
Put into practice in the Action Education for Social Change & Sustainability Minor, the XP Framework combines theory with experiential methods such as problem-based learning and collaborative projects. Students are encouraged to confront the realities of climate collapse, move beyond fragmented knowledge and techno-fix solutions, and embrace creativity, reflection and solidarity. The result is an inspiring model of education that prepares the next generation to engage critically and constructively with the challenges of a changing world.
Ready for more?
Aalborg University’s renowned Problem-Based Learning model is transforming how students learn through real-world problems and collaborative inquiry. To continue this exploration of education as a catalyst for systemic change, check out our conversation in our podcast episode Transforming education and designing a sustainable future with Dr. Leyla Acaroglu, a designer and educator reshaping how we imagine a sustainable future through creative, systems-thinking methods that activate deep learning and societal impact .
Déspina Kortesidou (author) is a senior consultant at UIIN and holds an MSc in Behavioural Neuroscience Sciences and a BSc in Molecular Biology. In her work, she supports institutions on topics relating to social innovation, institutional transformation and strategic partnerships.
