Innovative education for wicked problems: An impact study of the Wageningen University Honours Programme

ABSTRACT Despite the growing consensus that academic curricula should play a crucial role in addressing wicked problems, academic curriculum designers often find themselves entering uncharted waters. This impact study addresses a number of challenges in the search for how innovative ways of learning affect students’ ability to deal with wicked problems. The empirical research focuses on the case study of the Honours Programme of Wageningen University and draws on interviews with early career alumni. The concepts “agency” and “boundary spanning” are considered guiding principles to prepare students to cope with complexity and uncertainty, unreliable information, conflicting interpretations and non-transparent cause–effect relationships. This study finds that participation in the Honours Programme resulted in students developing agency in (1) ownership; (2) self-reflexivity and (3) shaping focus and boundary spanning between (1) disciplines; (2) people and (3) theory & practice. The study concludes that innovative education characterized by freedom, long-term projects, and real-life challenges can contribute to students developing agency and boundary spanning capacities.