Coventry University and the RSA are enhancing Creative Futures and Social Change

Coventry University is continuing its commitment to the Arts by launching an innovative new module that will explore the changing world of work and give students skills to help them adapt and thrive in the modern workplace.

The module, Creative Futures and Social Change, was co-designed with the RSA (royal society for arts, manufactures and commerce and uses RSA research to help students understand changes in work and business at a local, national, and global level in relation to their own professional journey.

Students who take the module will be given the tools and resources they need to apply enhanced research and design methods to specific economic, social and environmental problems, which will enable them to reflect on and embrace emerging challenges and opportunities.

Dr Al Mathers, Director of Research and Learning at the RSA, said:

“Our societies and our economies have undergone vast changes as a result of advances in technologies, both positive and negative, that have led to a significant evolution of jobs and skills.” 

“This co-created module both addresses the deepening concern about the social and economic impact of technology and provides students with different emergent methods and practice skills needed to navigate and thrive in the changing world of work and create positive social change.”

“Using key RSA learnings, the module has been designed to give the students at Coventry University the freedom and the power to turn their ideas into reality.”

The module aims to empower students to realise their potential in the evolving world of work and to participate in creating a better future for people, place and planet. It offers a tangible recognition of the skills gained by the students and graduates of the relevant courses will become part of the RSA’s global community of 30,000 Fellows, unlocking a range of professional opportunities, networking and support. They will also receive RSA digital badging recognising their achievement.

Dr Shaun Hides, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH) at Coventry University added the re-development of the university’s creative facilities and this module are examples of its commitment to the Arts sector.

Dr Hides said:

“The benefits of creative education are felt by everyone in a community, our aim is that graduates will design and create the sustainable products of the future, will lead innovative thinking and will produce films, games and experiences that will move, inspire and inform us all.

“Whilst some universities have recently cut Arts courses, you can see with the Delia Derbyshire building which begins its phased opening this month, we are actively investing in the Arts; the co-creation of an RSA endorsed module is another example of our commitment towards the sector.

“The future of work is exciting, ambiguous and precarious, but we continuously review and enhance our courses to ensure they remain attractive to students, and so that our graduates and are prepared for the demands of the future workplace.

“The Creative Futures and Social Change module reflects this by enabling our students to think critically about current and emerging trends and to see how they can make a difference in their future careers and vocations.

“By exploring possible futures for the world of work and how to situate their own professional identity within them, our students will be exposed to unique insights and entrepreneurial competencies to help them successfully navigate the continually evolving job market.”

The module will initially be available to all Master’s students in the School of Media and Performing Arts, with plans to expand the offer across the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in the future.