Text

Datum 2022-09-02
Artikeltyp News

Mälardalen University is helping Barbados to improve its environment

It is always relevant to enhance one's lifelong learning. As a professional it’s important to have flexible studies to be able to manage your job. Lianda Chapman works at the Ministry of the Environment in Barbados. Despite being 8000 km away and five different time zones compared to Sweden, she was able to take a distance learning course at Mälardalen University (MDU).

Lianda Chapman's duties at the Ministry of the Environment's Environmental Protection Department is to provide guidance on various environmental aspects related to air and noise. Other sections in the ministry handle issues related to water, marine, solid waste and approval of building development applications.

One of her specific tasks is to review Barbados' air quality legislation, which is in dire need of improvement. In conjunction with this, she took the opportunity, together with four colleagues, to apply for a course to deepen her knowledge in this area. Despite the distance to Sweden, she decided to do the distance course Ambient Air Quality Management at MDU.

– After a good deal of research, we were happy to have found this course. And although I prefer face to face learning and personal meetings, the fact that the course was held online made it possible for more people to participate. The travel costs from Barbados to Sweden alone as well as the accommodation costs would have prohibited a group like ours from attending the course, says Lianda Chapman and continues:

– I certainly learnt quite a bit from the course. It provided us with a good basis for developing our legislation in Barbados and gave us an insight into another country’s approach to ambient air quality management, particularly the Swedish/ EU approach, which is a rather progressive approach with respect to air quality. Because the course was designed for professionals, I was able to combine my studies with my full-time job.

Investing in your lifelong learning

This course is one of several continuing professional development courses offered by MDU. The University's ambition is to offer flexible and innovative courses and study programmes which stimulate lifelong learning, both nationally and internationally.

– We are delighted that Lianda and her four colleagues chose to study at MDU, our university. We hope that more people see the possibilities and take the opportunity to invest in their own lifelong learning. There are many possibilities based on one's own circumstances, regardless of where one is located in the world or what the needs are. This is exactly why we exist as a University – to promote development and learning. Everything from continuing professional development, further education or a career change, says Eva Maaninen Olsson, Strategic Director of Studies at MDU.

Continuing professional development with FutureE

Mälardalen University offers online courses in the areas of AI, Environmental and Energy Engineering, Software and Computer Systems Engineering.

FutureE