Closing the loops of fast-moving consumer goods

The Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) sector aspires to transition to a Circular Economy (CE) but there is a lack of knowledge and support methods. This research has investigated how material resources flow in FMCG systems and developed new design support for the sector. Initially, the research focused on the moment when resources become obsolete which can disrupt flows. Consumers were found to have critical roles to ensure resource revalorisation and the findings of this study can inform the design of future revalorisation services. Further, it explored Product-Service Systems (PSSs) and studied the elements that could help overcome obsolescence and enable closed loops resource flows. A framework presents these elements, mapped against requirements for PSSs that close loops. Subsequently, the research focused on investigating the resource flow-system, which encompasses all the system elements in place to produce a resource flow. A new modelling method is proposed that describes the movements and transformations of resources and helps configure FMCG sector-specific system elements. The model can be used to explain how FMCG systems work. Finally, a tool called the Flow Mapper is presented, which embeds the modelling method as well as the process to apply it and analyse the model. The tool enables industrial users to develop a holistic view and an in-depth understanding of the resource flowsystem informing the development of future systems solutions.Open Acces

Serres on Education

In this latest contribution to Temple Continental: Philosophers for our Time, Iris van der Tuin and Anouk Zuurmond introduce readers to the French philosopher Michel Serres, and his thinking on education. They cover the ‘disparateness’ of knowledge in an internet age, the ‘voyage’ of pedagogy, the inequalities inscribed in institutions, the need for education outside as much as in a library, and the importance of interdisciplinarity. For Serres, education is perhaps best compared to swimming mid-stream as one attempts to cross a river

Serres on Education

In this latest contribution to Temple Continental: Philosophers for our Time, Iris van der Tuin and Anouk Zuurmond introduce readers to the French philosopher Michel Serres, and his thinking on education. They cover the ‘disparateness’ of knowledge in an internet age, the ‘voyage’ of pedagogy, the inequalities inscribed in institutions, the need for education outside as much as in a library, and the importance of interdisciplinarity. For Serres, education is perhaps best compared to swimming mid-stream as one attempts to cross a river

Opening up towards children’s languages : enhancing teachers’ tolerant practices towards multilingualism

Mainstream teachers struggle with linguistic diversity, often leading to restricting multilingualism. Scientific research, however, recommends including pupils' home languages in school. Various qualitative studies have evaluated implementations in schools and indicated possibilities for improving teachers' attitudes towards multilingualism. This paper evaluates an experimental implementation targeting an increase in tolerance towards multilingualism. The implementation was facilitated by external school coaches and consisted of 3 experimental tools affecting the school. Data originated from 62 Flemish primary schools (of which half were experimental schools) that participated in 3 survey waves (2012 and 2014; 763 teachers completed both waves). We used multilevel regression. We concluded that the implementation leads to higher rates of tolerance. The fulfilment of the basic conditions needed for a successful change was important, and the linguistic diversity of the pupil population and the investment by external school coaches did not affect the tolerant practices of teachers towards multilingualism