Multi-Competence Learning (MCL)
What is MCL?
Multi-Competence Learning (MCL) is a challenge-based learning program where multidisciplinary teams tackle real-life challenges provided by external partners. Industry reps and experts help students gain insights, while mentoring ensures innovative solutions. The program broadens student thinking and know-how in geographical and sustainable development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and geospatial-ICT.
Why does MCL exist?
Rapid urbanization, land degradation, and humanitarian are examples of crises that are complex challenges with environmental and societal dimensions.
The global adoption of geospatial-ICT is surging thanks to accessible open data and technology, fostering innovation and solutions. These tools can be used to offer a comprehensive solution to address different complex issues.
As the world changes, the demand for geospatial experts is increasing. Next-gen geospatial-ICT professionals need technical skills and the ability to bridge technology and society’s needs in multi-stakeholder environments.
To address this shift, the Multi-Competence Learning (MCL) program aims to create scalable geospatial and ICT e-learning services for diverse Global South contexts.
4 MCL Domains
The concept of MCL comes from the four core competence domains, which the program endorses for students’ competence growth and readiness for the future digital, agile, and still largely unpredictable labor market. We believe in students’ improved self-employment through these competencies:
1. Problem Domain Skills in Space and Time
Students are equipped with problem-solving skills that are relevant in solving real and complex spatiotemporal problems of the surrounding society and in relation to the challenges presented to them.
2. Geospatial Data and Technology Skills
Students are able to use digital geospatial data and open-source geo-ICT technologies in a novel, practical, and need-based manner.
3. Innovation and Entrepreneurial Skills
Students gain confidence to execute innovative and out-of-the-box solutions with an entrepreneurial attitude and the 21st-century skills in the front line: creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.
4. Climate, sustainability and resilience skills
Students are able to design climate-smart and resource-efficient solutions for social, environmental, and economic sustainability and improved resilience.
MCL 2022 Executions
Campaigns in 5 Tanzanian Universities
Students
Mentors
Umbrella Challenge
In each MCL program, participating higher education institutes define a regional socio-ecological challenge known as the Umbrella Challenge.
The Umbrella Challenge is a real-life, locally specific environmental and societal issue linked to sustainable development and climate concerns. Student teams within the program identify smaller, Actionable Problems related to the Umbrella Challenge and collaboratively apply geospatial and ICT methods to address them in multidisciplinary groups and build feasible Solutions for the problem.
Examples of Tanzanian Umbrella Challenges
- Poor Availability and Accessibility of Water and Sanitation Services in Dar es Salaam
- Forest Loss and Degradation at Kilimanjaro Mountain
- Urban Ecology Management and Its Implications on Climate Change Resilience
- Poor Solid Waste Management in Dar es Salaam
- Competing Coastal Livelihoods in Zanzibar
Pictures from Tanzanian MCL Campaigns
Participant Feedback from Tanzanian MCL Campaigns
I gained confidence in myself, that I can do things that others cannot do.
To learn the concept of geospatial data and how to use it.
Interaction with different degree programs and sharing different knowledge was one of the best things I liked the most.
I liked how we were cooperating with my fellow students, teachers, and mentors on addressing the problems.
Which I liked the most in the program is how it changed our mindset.
MCL taught me how to collaborate with my colleagues in groups and to combine different ideas to create one thing.
I have learned how to use various tools that I had no idea about at first.