Global Sustainable Development News
How my GSD MASc got me to where I am: Ubayd鈥檚 Story
In this blog series, we sit down with some of our GSD Masters alumni to discuss their experiences of the course and some of the ways studying GSD has helped benefit their career. Ubayd graduated from our MASc course in 2025 and is currently on the Operational and Environmental Leadership Graduate Scheme at Severn Trent. We spoke to him to find out more about his journey from GSD to employment and how his postgraduate studies help build his new career.
Please click here to read Ubayd's story.
GSD student shares his experience on UFMG Summer School
The Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) Summer School on Brazilian Studies aims at providing students from around the globe with a solid background in Brazil and Brazilian studies, shedding light on crucial aspects of South America鈥檚 giant country and the region in itself. GSD student Kieran Hibbert attended the programme in 2025 - he shares his experiences in this blog.
My University Journey - Professor Chris Dolan
In the latest of our University Journey series – where members of our GSD teaching faculty discuss what they picked for their undergraduate degree and why – we speak to Professor Chris Dolan, who convenes on our modules Violence, Peace, and Sustainable Development, Taboo Topics, and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. He shares his experiences of his university days; from switching degrees in his second year of study to his research on internally displaced persons struggling to survive conflict in Northern Uganda.
Life Sciences and GSD student researching Hungarian sandy forest steppes under the URSS project shares his experience and key findings
I am Vince Bal谩zs, a third year Life Sciences and GSD student, and I spent a summer under the URSS project, researching the effect of climate change on the vegetation of sandy forest steppes in Hungary.
To read more about the experience and key findings of Vince Bal谩zs' research, click here
My University Journey - Dr Ed Loveman
In this piece, Dr Ed Loveman discusses how a significant turning point in his life would eventually lead to him becoming one of the first members of teaching staff at 糖心TV鈥檚 newly established Design Studies division.
My University Journey - Dr Romain Chenet
In our University Journey blog series, the team behind our Global Sustainable Development department share their personal experiences of university and how it helped them get to where they are today. Dr Romain Chenet is GSD鈥檚 Senior Teaching Fellow, as well as our Director of Undergraduate Studies and Admissions. Romain here shares early experiences of university and how GSD has developed to prepare students for the modern world.
Why I chose the GSD MASc - Ilaria's Story
On our flexible GSD MASc course, you will combine academic learning with practical action and applied thinking to tackle problems of global sustainable development. We caught up with GSD MASc student Ilaria to discuss her experiences of postgraduate study and why she would recommend the GSD MASc programme to others.
Service Design with UX for Social Impact: Experiences from our first student cohort
Our new introduces students to Service and UX Design from a digital development angle. We recently sat down with our first ever student cohort in a roundtable session to talk about their experiences of the module.
Why I chose the GSD MASc - Karolina's Story
Our innovative MASc in Global Sustainable Development offers a unique opportunity to join a community of transdisciplinary experts and practitioners with a passion for research and teaching. We spoke to one of our current students Karolina, to understand why she pursued postgraduate study and find out more about her experiences of the course.
There has been a prominent and growing realisation that the current 鈥渞eal鈥� global food prices – as adjusted for inflation - are high, relative to the past.
Example headlines include:
鈥淧rices are at the highest since 2014, risking faster inflation鈥� ().
However, this representation is inaccurate. Based on simple observation of the United Nation鈥檚 Food and Agriculture Organisation鈥檚 (FAO) publically available graphics (), it is more accurate to say that:
鈥業t is on average harder to buy food today in 2021, than it has been since 2014, and in fact for most of the noughties, the entire decade of the 1990s, and the 1980s; most of the 1970s, and every year of the 1960s! Food is more expensive today than it has been for the vast majority of modern recorded history.'
While significant media attention on the impact of COVID-19 has empirical justification, most FAO crop reports cite unpredictable weather to explain supply contraction.
This might not be the beginning of the end of the world; but if and when that does come, it will very likely look something like this.
The dual issues of chronic food shortage and inequality currently driving social unrest in South Africa offer further insights into potential futures where the injustice of our global Climate Emergency remains unchallenged.