Twenty students are looking forward to starting the MSc in Human Ecology at the end of September. They will be the first under our new arrangements which see the MSc offered through a partnership with the Department of Geography and Sociology at Strathclyde University.

The MSc content and ethos will remain largely unchanged from the course we have successfully offered with Open University validation since 2000. We have taken the opportunity to evolve the structure of the course, but the main difference for students is that the course will be based at Strathclyde University in Glasgow, and they will be fully matriculated students of the University. The course will continue to be taught however by same people from CHE.

Students and staff at the Well of the Holy Women, Isle of Eigg © Alastair McIntosh

The invitation from Strathclyde University to collaborate with them in this way has been welcome and timely as our validation arrangement with the Open University comes to an end. The MSc was originally developed in the early 90s when CHE was part of Edinburgh University.

The Department of Geography and Sociology has research interests which resonate closely with CHE’s work, and include globalisation; lobbying and corporate power; spin and political communications; identities and social action; diaspora and citizenship; ethnicity, nationalism and displacement.

I see the partnership as a tremendous opportunity for CHE to develop new strands of research and new courses for different types of students – we hope this will in the future include a PhD programme and a range of continuing professional development courses.

CHE will however remain a fully independent organisation, with a strong presence in Edinburgh, working with a variety of partners and clients taking initiative and responsibility for sustainability and justice.