About
The Consortium for Adaptive Futures is an interdisciplinary, transnational community of faculty and practitioners focused on the transformative potential of high-impact experiential pedagogies—like challenge-based and place-based learning and research—as critical tools for sustainability transformations for both students and communities.
Hosted by Notre Dame Dublin, the Consortium meets monthly to exchange insights from projects spanning sustainability, resilience, reducing community vulnerability, to health equity, community impact measurement, and sustainable funding resources.
History
The Consortium grew out of challenge-based learning initiatives facilitated by Notre Dame Dublin since 2021. In 2025, Eimear Clowry Delaney (Notre Dame Dublin), Danielle Wood (University of Notre Dame), and Susan Hegarty (Dublin City University) co-founded the Consortium to foster shared learning among faculty and practitioners.
A joint initiative of the University of Notre Dame and Dublin City University, the Consortium is building a broader community around challenge-based research and learning. Its work centers faculty, staff, and community partners as collaborators in creating meaningful, place-responsive learning experiences.
Join Us
The Consortium for Adaptive Futures has participating faculty from the following institutions:
- Clemson University
- Dublin City University
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Galway
- University of Louisville
- University of Notre Dame
- Youngstown State University
- Pontifica Universidade Catolica de São Paulo
- Wentworth Institute of Technology
We welcome new members and seek to grow a community that reflects a broad range of global perspectives. To learn more about our membership, email dublin@nd.edu.
Publications
Higher education must move beyond traditional, siloed teaching to prepare students for complex global challenges like climate change. This article argues that experiential approaches like challenge-based and place-based learning—supported by institutional investment and faculty development—are key to building the interdisciplinary, real-world skills needed for a sustainable future.