MODULE TITLE
CREDIT VALUE 15
Grand Challenges: Confronting the complex security
challenges of the future
MODULE CODE
MODULE CONVENER
GRC1102 / GRC2102
Dr Martin Robson
TERM
1
2
3
Number Students
DURATION
Taking Module
WEEKS
Yr 2, 11 weeks
Yr 1, 2 weeks
(anticipated)
70
DESCRIPTION – summary of the module content
Grand Challenges modules provide you with an opportunity to tackle some of the world's greatest contemporary
issues in a week of interdisciplinary research in the Summer Term of your first year, culminating in a showcase of
your ideas. You will have the chance not only to work with industry heavyweights and local businesses as well as
some of our top academics and external specialists, but also with other students from across the University.
You will follow up the work you have done in Grand Challenges Week by finalising your project during the Autumn
Term of your second year – which could include, for example, developing an app, organising an event, setting up a
charity or implementing a social media campaign. The module will help provide you with both practical and
academic skills to take forward into your degree and future career.
This Grand Challenge module will challenge you by placing you in decision making roles in one of five key
challenges identified by the SSI. You will be required to show understanding of your specific complex challenge
before assessing the range of potential measures to address them to formulate policy decisions. You will be
‘immersed’ in the challenge by key-note lectures, facilitated and independent group study and applied, practical,
simulation exercises. You will become strategists for the duration of the challenge providing long-lasting and
transferrable analytical and decision making skills. By the end of this module you will be able to articulate your
reasoning, deal with complex situations, analyse incomplete and uncertain information, and propose novel solutions
to the most pressing security issues we currently face.
MODULE AIMS – intentions of the module
In this module, we aim to provide you with a research-inspired, innovative, multi-disciplinary, enquiry-led learning
experience and encourage you to improve your employability and academic skills whilst tackling one of the world's
greatest contemporary issues. The module is student-led, enabling you to work with fellow students to shape your
own educational experience.
The module aims to allow you to use and develop your skills and knowledge to make a real difference in a
challenging, fun and engaging environment, whilst working and networking with employers, alumni, honorary
graduates, local businesses and the local community.
This module will challenge your perceptions and preconceptions of the global challenges facing the world today and
in the future. By doing so it will open up the full potential for self-reflection and analytical development. Providing you
with an enhanced understanding of the world’s problems also provides the opportunity to equip you with an
enhanced employability skill set to think your way through the implications and potential solutions to those problems.
This will enhance your transferable analytical skills through the gathering and processing of data and information.
You will be asked to fulfil a number of roles, as decision makers and policy formulators and implementers, but also
in terms of the challenges of organising, task setting, working in, and at times leading, groups and teams in
collaborative exercises. In addition, the outputs will provide you with the opportunity to further enhance your written
and oral presentational skills.
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Module Descriptor Template Revised October 2011
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
Module Specific Skills and Knowledge:
1
Identify important problems and challenges facing our world today from an interdisciplinary perspective
2
Prioritise and process relevant information in order to critically evaluate and propose potential solutions to
problems
3
Complete group projects successfully, including collection of information and presentation via a chosen method
4
Understand the process and challenges of effective policy and strategy formulation and implementation
5
Produce confident and relevant policy focused outputs in the form of policy briefing documents and traditional
and new media presentations, briefings and activity
6
Manage individual and group tasks effectively
Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge:
7
8
9
Display a detailed understanding of contemporary and future complex global challenges
Understand and apply the core elements of ‘thinking strategically’
Understand and apply relevant concepts from international relations, social science and historical theory
Personal and Key Transferable/ Employment Skills and Knowledge:
10
Communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively and fluently using a variety of formats in a manner
appropriate to the intended audience
11
Collect and interpret appropriate information and complete research-like tasks, drawing on a range of
sources, with limited guidance
12
Undertake independent/self-directed study/learning (including time management) to achieve consistent,
proficient and sustained attainment
13
Reflect effectively on learning experiences and summarise personal achievements, including recognising and
articulating employability skills gained during this module
14
Work in a small team and deal proficiently with the issues that teamwork requires (i.e. communication,
motivation, decision-making, awareness, responsibility, and management skills, including setting and working
to deadlines)
SYLLABUS PLAN – summary of the structure and academic content of the module
Confronting the complex security challenges of the future will consist of five enquiry group areas to which you will be
assigned, each will be led by an SSI academic or experienced SSI PGR student.
The five challenges are:
The Causes of War – Professor Patrick Porter
Strategic futures: Britain in 2050 – Dr Martin Robson
The future of nuclear weapons – Dr David Blagden
The Citizen and the state – PGR
Terror – PGR / Dr Katherine Boyd
While each of these five main themes is a stand-alone topic in terms of the work undertaken and outputs expected,
given the complex nature of the challenges each also interlinks with the others providing much scope for plenary
sessions of relevance to all groups. In addition, SSI will deploy SSI staff and PGR facilitators to float between
groups bringing their specific areas of expertise to each of the challenge streams. Plenary activities will include a
mix of skills based sessions and key note addressed. Each day of Grand Challenge week will commence with a
subject matter plenary session to provide additional focus and clarity for the remainder of the day as well as helping
to build a good esprit de corps amongst all of the students undertaking the challenge.
For those students following up on the term portion of this module, an academic will provide guidance and
supervision through group meetings (these will be coordinated between the academic and the group) providing up
to six contact hours.
LEARNING AND TEACHING
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Module Descriptor Template Revised October 2011
LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning and 36
Guided independent
114
Placement/study abroad
Teaching activities
study
0
DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS
Category
Hours of study time
Description
Scheduled learning and teaching
5
Before Grand Challenges Week - preparation
including meetings, lectures and training sessions.
Scheduled learning and teaching
25
Grand Challenges Week – June of Year 1 lectures, debates, and guided facilitation led by
experts, staff and PGR facilitators and
complemented by key texts and references.
Course leaders will organise and oversee group
projects.
nd
Scheduled learning and teaching
6
2 Year – Contact time: this will include a plenary
nd
session to introduce the 2 year aspect of the
module as well as group facilitation / supervision.
Guided independent study
15
Before Grand Challenges Week - preparatory
reading, research and reflection.
nd
Guided independent study
99
2
Year - Additional reading, research and
preparation of group output and presentation
ASSESSMENT
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT - for feedback and development purposes; does not count towards module grade
Form of Assessment
Size of the assessment
ILOs assessed
Feedback method
e.g. duration/length
Participation in daily group tasks and
Ongoing throughout Grand
Oral, group and
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7,
discussion during Grand Challenges
Challenges Week
individual
8, 9, 10, 11, 14
Week
Continuous contribution during the
Ongoing throughout the
Oral and/or written,
2, 3, 6, 9, 13,
Autumn Term
Autumn Term
group and individual
14,
Group Presentation at the end of
Grand Challenges Week
10-20 minutes
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (% of credit)
Coursework
100
Written exams
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
10, 11, 12, 13,
14
0
DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Form of Assessment
% of
Size of the assessment
credit
e.g. duration/length
Group Output
75
An output as agreed with
the module convenor,
equivalent to 3000 words
Oral, group and
individual
Practical exams
0
ILOs assessed
Feedback method
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Written
Possible formats could
include, but are not limited
to a portfolio of applied
writing (including news
items, blog posts, opinion
articles etc), a video, a
social media campaign, the
design and business case
for an app, promoting and
organising an event for
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Module Descriptor Template Revised October 2011
external attendees or
setting up a charity
Group Presentation (max
25
A 20minute group
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Written
5-6 students)
presentation with 10
minutes of discussion,
feedback and reflection.
DETAILS OF RE-ASSESSMENT (where required by referral or deferral)
Original form of assessment
Form of re-assessment
ILOs re-assessed
Time scale for re-assessment
Group Output
3000 word essay
1-14
August ref/def period
Group Presentation
Presentation slides and
1- 14
August ref/def period
1000 word summary
RE-ASSESSMENT NOTES
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you
will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a reassessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first
attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be
required to fulfil the full reassessment criteria. The individual contribution to the module assessment is non-referable
due to its practical nature. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will count for 100% of the
final mark and will be capped at 40%.
RESOURCES
INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES - The following list is offered as an indication of the type and level of
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener.
Nikki Baker, Making Sense of War: Strategy for the 21st Century (Oxford: Oxford University Press 2006)
th
Baylis, B., J.J. Wirtz, C.S. Gray (4 edn 2013), Strategy in the Contemporary World (Oxford University Press).
Heywood, A. (2011), Global Politics (Palgrave).
Strachan, H. (2013), The Direction of War: Contemporary Strategy in Historical Perspective (Cambridge University
Press).
Cashman, G. 2013. What Causes War?: An Introduction to Theories of International Conflict. (Plymouth: Rowman
& Littlefield).
Joseph S. Nye, The Future of Power (New York: Public Affairs, 2011).
Michael Quinlan, Thinking about Nuclear Weapons, London: RUSI, Whitehall Paper 41, 1997
Chaliand and Blin, The History of Terrorism (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007).
Hans-Dieter Klingemann, Dieter Fuchs, Citizens and the State, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998).Web based
and electronic resources
University of Exeter Electronic Learning Environment (ELE): http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/
And might include for example:
Atlantic Council of the US: http://www.acus.org/
Chatham House: www.chathamhouse.org/
China Institute of International Studies, Beijing: http://www.ciis.org.cn/english/node_521155.htm
Council of Foreign Relations: http://www.cfr.org/
Critical Threats: www.criticalthreats.org/
Foreign and Commonwealth Office: www.fco.gov.uk/
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Module Descriptor Template Revised October 2011
IISS: www.iiss.org
Ministry of Defence, UK: www.mod.uk
RUSI: www.rusi.org
Stabilisation Unit: www.stabilisationunit.gov.uk/
US State Department: www.state.gov
Pentagon: www.defense.gov
USI in Delhi: www.usiofindia.org/
Other resources:
Various governmental statements, press releases and governmental policy documents. Links will be provided on
ELE
CREDIT VALUE
PRE-REQUISITE MODULES
CO-REQUISITE MODULES
NQF LEVEL (FHEQ)
ORIGIN DATE
KEY WORDS SEARCH
ECTS VALUE
15
7.5
None
None
AVAILABLE AS DISTANCE LEARNING
5
NO
LAST REVISION DATE
16/07/2015
27/10/2015
Grand Challenges
Strategy, security, global, globalisation, policy, nuclear, terror, Britain, war,
conflict, strategic, future, applied, practical, citizenship, citizen, state, non-state,
law, politics, history
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Module Descriptor Template Revised October 2011