Abstract:  Standard university disciplines, which were largely constructed in the West in the 17-19th centuries, are no longer fit for purpose in university curricula preparing graduates for work in a global knowledge economy, or for many contemporary research careers. This talk will present the philosophy, design and implementation of University College, London's innovative, interdisciplinary and highly successful Bachelor of Arts and Sciences (BASc). The talk will recount student outcomes as well as challenges met and future plans. It aims, further, to open a dialogue around the intercultural transferability of such concepts as 'interdisciplinarity' and 'knowledge economy'.

About the Speaker:  Carl has degrees in Maths, Physics and Philosophy and was a professional opera singer before joining UCL in 2002. He taught physics at UCL and served as Principal to UCL’s UPC courses until 2010. InSeptember 2010, he was appointed as Programme Director, Arts and Sciences (BASc) to lead the development and launch of UCL’s major new interdisciplinary liberal Arts and Sciences BASc degrees. Carl is a regular speaker at events on interdisciplinarity and liberal arts and sciences both in the UK and abroad, including the 2015 Harvard-AUC conference in Shanghai, the Global Leaders in Arts and Sciences event in Tokyo and as a keynote speaker for the HEA. He researches and writes about many themes related to contemporary liberal and interdisciplinary education, including the future of work, notions of expertise and the history of education. Hehas recently been appointed to the British Academy Working Group on Interdisciplinarity.