Capability building and related courses
New skills and mindsets are needed to advance the transition to a circular economy. We bring a capacity building mindset to all our research projects and partnerships, and offer academic and professional courses, to help you develop the insights and critical inquiry necessary to collaborate, lead and deliver change towards circular futures.
Our world leading experts and researchers in sustainable development bring their latest knowledge and innovation from research and fieldwork into the classroom. Through our programs, we’re creating a global network of leaders and thinkers who develop solutions to sustainable development challenges.
Circular t-shirt guide
We believe that many producers, retailers, marketers and consumers in Australia are faced with a knowledge gap about how to take up an alternate, better way to make, shop and use clothing and textiles.
We therefore formed the Circular Stories Working Group, a collective of designers, distributors, re-users, recyclers and researchers committed to raising awareness of what a circular textiles approach means in the Australian context. Together we produced the Guide to set out clear and practical principles and steps at each phase of the clothing lifecycle to guide action towards a circular fashion industry.
Using systems thinking to unpack problems
Professional development
This online, one-week course teaches students to apply systems thinking in a practical way to drive transformative change by first understanding a problem and revealing the social, economic and environmental factors that may contribute to it. With these insights, students will be able to make better decisions about where to intervene and know which behaviours to target.
The course is aimed at those wanting to tackle complex issues like transitioning to a circular economy. To get the most out of the course, students are encouraged to bring their own particular problem to apply a systems approach.
Master of Environment and Sustainability
Graduate degree
Within this Master’s degree, MSDI's Leadership for Sustainable Development specialisation teaches how to lead and deliver transformative change for sustainable development. Leadership is vital in order to change to a circular economy, and this innovative degree is for those who know the pressing challenges we face locally and globally can only be solved with interdisciplinary solutions.
Graduates will have globally-sought skills and experience, and invaluable networks through MSDI experts, industry professionals and peers.
Graduate Research (MSDI PhD Program)
PhD
The MSDI PhD program enables you to undertake a substantial, rigorous and theory-informed research project with a practical or policy focus on real-world problems. Research can deeply explore an issue relating to circular economy in a stimulating, supportive and professional environment alongside others looking at climate change, sustainable cities, inclusion and other sustainability facing society today.
Current and recent circular PhDs have focused on avoiding food waste, reducing single-use plastics, increasing repair of electronic products, improving both household and hospital recycling and materials flows in urban sustainability transformations.
Applying behavioural science to create change
Professional development
Behavioural science can help where solving a problem requires someone to do something differently. This microcredential helps students understand human behaviour and how to influence it, creating change towards more circular futures.
This fully-online, 8-week course guides students through each stage of the behavioural process, with the opportunity to apply learnings to understand, design, and deliver a successful behaviour change project.