The University as Constructive Disruptor || Mieke Lopes Cardozo

In this episode of The (Re)generative Education Podcast I chat with dr. Mieke Lopes Cardozo, senior researcher and lecturer at the University of Amsterdam where she focusses on the intersection of development studies, educational studies and peacebuilding. She is dedicated to designing and enacting a regenerative education within universities. Mieke is passionate about (international) challenges of equality and the power of education to play an active role in tackling these challenges. She used to focus on international development in far away places but recently switched to a more local focus with her teaching. She is one of the founders of the field of peacebuilding education. At the University of Amsterdam she leads the critical development & diversity explorations (CDDE) community which is founded on regenerative principles with a thematic focus inspired by student actvism for further democratization of the university.   

Mieke argues passionately for a more life-affirming approach to the university that places a focus on local transformation with deep critical thought and engagement with the broader society. This translates into a co-creative and co-design approach to designing and enacting higher education.   

In this discussion the following systemic barriers and opportunities emerged:  

1. The importance of having space(s) for real and deep critical and creative thinking.  
2. The difficulty of navigating mechanical-like bureaucracy of modern organizations, including universities.   
3. She highlights the importance of rolemodels and mentors, but also the time to grow into your role as a teacher.  
4. She highlights learning as going beyond the brain to  be a whole human being process.  
5. The importance of co-design not only as a methodology during a course, but to design the course through co-design as it emerges.  
6. The power of presence and balancing your own life around inner and outer processes of whole person health also translates to the quality of your educational process.  
7. The need for spaces within the system but outside the curricular structures to explore, play and understand education for social justice and regeneration.   

External Links:  

dr. T.A. (Mieke) Lopes Cardozo - University of Amsterdam (uva.nl) 

Mieke Lopes Cardozo | Education and Development (wordpress.com) 

Mieke Lopes Cardozo | LinkedIn 

‪dr Mieke T.A. Lopes Cardozo‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬ 

Mieke Lopes Cardozo (@MiekeLopes) / Twitter 

Critical Development & Diversity Explorations (CDDE) - Social Sciences - University of Amsterdam (uva.nl)