Environmental education specialist is first-ever Eden Project Learning chief

The Eden Project and The Cornwall College Group have appointed a Professor of Education, Robert Barratt, as the first-ever Head of Eden Project Learning.

 

Environmental education specialist Robert will take a lead role in establishing Eden’s expanding higher education programmes and learning and teaching activities in a far-reaching partnership between the Project and the College.

 

Robert was formerly Head of the School of Education and Professor of Education at the University of Gloucestershire. Prior to this he was Director of Education and Assistant Dean of Education at Bath Spa University. He has also held academic posts at the Universities of Oxford, Keele and Bath. 

 

Robert, who takes up his new post today (Monday March 20^th), is a geographer and teacher by training and researches in the field of children’s participation in environmental education.

 

Robert Barratt said of his new role: “I am delighted to be appointed as the Head of Eden Project Learning and to be joining such a talented team. This is a wonderful opportunity and privilege.

 

“The Eden Project and The Cornwall College Group are well placed to advance an inspirational and innovative global education offer. Our ambition is to attract the best students in the world and to provide an unrivalled education experience.”

 

Gordon Seabright, Managing Director of the Eden Project, said: “Robert has had a distinguished career in higher education spanning nearly 20 years. His passion for environmental education helped make him the perfect candidate for this exciting new role.  His appointment strengthens and develops our partnership with the College, enabling us to bring even more exciting educational opportunities to Eden and Cornwall.”

 

Raoul Humphreys, Acting Chief Executive and Principal at The Cornwall College Group said: “We welcome Robert with great enthusiasm and are looking forward to his impact on the beginning of an exciting new phase for Eden Project Learning.

 

“The relationship between The Cornwall College Group and Eden Project has blossomed over the years, providing learners with not only a groundbreaking destination in which to study, but leading, expert tuition. Robert’s arrival allows us to expand this offering further, which is great news for all those who travel from across the world to study at the Eden Project with The Cornwall College Group.”

 

Robert studied for his doctoral degree at the University of Sussex in the Faculty of African and Asian Studies, supervised by Professors Tony Binns (former President of the Geographical Association) and now Emeritus Professor Brian Short. At Oxford his doctoral supervision training was conducted by Professor Kathy Silva.

 

Robert’s research contribution spans almost 25 years. His initial PhD research developed innovatory and participatory approaches to researching young children’s experience of their local environment. He is currently researching the impact of the Anthropocene – Earth’s most recent geologic time period – on the school curriculum and children’s learning. Through this he is developing a theory: pedagogy of the particular. 

 

Over the last 20 years he has published extensively in the field of environmental education and has collaborated on large scale education research projects with colleagues from Australia, USA, Russia and Europe. He is currently involved in writing the new International Handbook on ChildhoodNature (Springer, forthcoming January 2018) with colleagues from the UK and Australia.

 

Robert is an active cyclist and has completed several long distance events for charity. He has already signed up for the Eden Classic mass-participation cycling event on May 7, which starts and finishes at the Project.