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Two students have become the first graduates of the ���Ҵ�ý’s (UWTSD) innovative MA in  - a programme that encourages a fresh perspective on our connection with the natural world.

Launched in 2023, the course draws inspiration from Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World, a thought-provoking book co-authored in 2010 by the University’s patron, then HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, alongside Tony Juniper Juniper (then head of Friends of the Earth UK) and Ian Skelly. The book offers a timeless, yet timely framework based on the classical principle of Harmony - the idea that everything in the world is interconnected and applies it as a guide to environmental and social renewal.

The first graduates, Markus Schlotbohm and Jennifer Williams, have each contributed fresh and meaningful perspectives to the growing field of Harmony studies.

Dr Nicholas Campion, Associate Professor of Cosmology and Culture and Director of the University’s Harmony Institute, who developed the MA programme, said:

“It’s a privilege to be able to help realise the then Prince of Wales’ practical vision of a better, more connected world. Markus and Jennifer’s work shows how relevant and needed this way of thinking has become.”

For Markus Schlotbohm, the concept of Harmony has had a transformative impact. His research explored how it could underpin a more ethical and integrated approach to corporate social responsibility.

“The concept of Harmony has profoundly shaped my approach to both personal and collective well-being,” he said. “In a world where division and fragmentation are increasingly common, I see Harmony as essential for creating the interconnectedness that enables true sustainability.”

Jennifer Williams turned her focus to the relationship between children and the natural world, investigating ways to address what’s often referred to as ‘nature-deficit disorder’.

“Exploring the relationship between Harmony and Sustainable Development helped me see that Harmony offers a grounded and human-centred approach to tackling complex global challenges,” she reflected. “I’ve come to believe that lasting, sustainable change must be driven by self-motivation, and Harmony nurtures that by connecting the personal and the planetary in a meaningful way.”

David Cadman, the University’s Peace and Harmony Professor of Practice and a key figure in shaping the programme, emphasised the broader significance of Harmony in today’s world:

“Through the study of Harmony, and its two key principles of wholeness and connection, we begin to see the nature and quality of relationships - whether in economics, education, health, or ecology. What is now needed is a new language of connection, and the study of Harmony helps us find it.”

As UWTSD marks this milestone, the University invites others to join in this visionary journey - one that weaves together ancient wisdom and contemporary thinking, and places relationship, balance, and care at the heart of sustainability.

Interested in studying Harmony?
Email Dr Nicholas Campion at n.campion@uwtsd.ac.uk
Visit the Harmony Institute: 
Learn more about the book Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World: 

Further Information

Arwel Lloyd

Principal PR and Communications Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email:  arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467076