Spaces to Flourish

Developing Eco-Reflexivity through Composting

Dr Rosalyn Marron, Dr Kate Seymour and Dr Helena Kettleborough secured funding in January 2024 from the UN PRME UK and Ireland Chapter Seed Funding Competition for Developing Innovative Pedagogic Approaches and Teaching Practices. The aim of the project was to nurture eco-centric reflexivity, pro-environmental attitudes, and inter-organisational dialogue by ‘exploding’ management learning beyond the classroom. Fostering relationships and connections between communities, biodiversity and ecosystems that surround us in our inner-city lives can advance transformative learning about human and non-human others, training future decision makers to contribute to ecologically sustainable development.

The project was created with partners at Manchester Urban Diggers (MUD), who offered our students a hands-on composting workshop at the Market Garden in Platt Field Park. To promote long-term impact, the pilot was the subject of a research project, with findings supporting the development of a second educator-focused workshop on approaches to eco-reflexive learning.

Student Composting Workshop

In October 2024, we took our MSc Management and Sustainability students to MUD to learn about the project and the challenges of running a sustainability-focused community-interest company. Through a hands-on workshop, we experienced the more-than-human process of composting and learnt about the central importance of composting within circular systems.

‘More than making compost, this time with MUD was useful to realize how keeping a link with nature is fundamental. We tend to forget how nature is the basis of everything, and how amazing it is. It felt nice to be outside, in a garden where you can sense nature and a creative energy. It also allowed us to connect as a group, by sharing a different experience together, and collaborating in the activity.’ (Student Reflection)

‘The highlight of the visit was feeling the natural warmth of the compost, which made this process feel alive and dynamic… Experiencing the warmth of the compost was specifically transformative, making me realise the power of nature due to my thought of it being alive. This complex and self-sustaining system made me feel deeply connected with the natural world.’ (Student Reflection)