Dear Professor Larner, President and Vice Chancellor of Cardiff University,

We are writing this open letter to express our disappointment at the recent decision by Cardiff University not to run its Applied Environmental Geology MSc programme for the academic year 2024/2025. We are concerned that this decision may have a tangible negative impact on the economic sectors populated and supported by geoscience graduates should the course remain permanently closed.

The Applied Environmental Geology MSc programme at Cardiff University has, for over three decades, produced high-calibre graduates that have gone on to work across a vast range of sectors across the UK and abroad, particularly in geotechnical, environmental, natural resource management, industry regulatory and business development roles. The broad scope of subjects covered on the course, combined with the requirement for a project dissertation blending on-the-job experience and academic standards, has produced students that are well placed to become engaged and productive employees upon graduation.

Across the UK (and internationally), growing project portfolios drive demand for novel approaches, technologies and skills to support major construction projects requiring ground engineering and geoenvironmental skills [1]. This demand is apparent in organisations of all scales, from multinationals to SMEs, and across the private and public sectors. Although the number of geoscience graduates is currently in decline, there is continued and growing demand for such skilled practitioners to drive innovation and best practice. Numerous initiatives are currently underway to try and tackle enrolment decline [2] [3] [4] [5], and many across industry and beyond believe that these numbers can and will recover to meet demand. The skills that these graduates possess contribute to tackling some of the biggest challenges facing our global society. Chief amongst them are those posed by global warming and the resulting need to find sustainable solutions to achieve net zero emissions whilst also adapting our infrastructure, our cities and our economy so that they are resilient to the effects of the earths’ changing climate [6]. Geoscience graduates are particularly well placed to tackle these issues thus supporting all 17 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals [7].

Given the high demand for, and current shortage of, students with these essential skills, we feel it is shortsighted of the university to suspend the course for this academic year. Furthermore, considering the fundamental role of geoscientists in tackling long-term societal challenges, the decision to close Wales’ premier MSc in Applied Environmental Geology runs contrary to the ambitions of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, a unique and groundbreaking piece of legislation that seeks to secure a sustainable future for all.

We hope that this decision can and will be reversed in future years, and provide this open letter to the university to demonstrate the level of support from alumni and industry representatives for the continuation of the MSc Applied Environmental Geology course at Cardiff University in the very near future.

Yours sincerely,

Jim Whiteley BSc MSc PhD CGeol, Engineering Geophysics Lead, AtkinsRéalis

Stuart Archer BSc MSc CGeol RoGEP, Principal Engineering Geologist, AtkinsRéalis

Professor James S Griffiths BSc PhD CGeol CEng RoGEP FIMMM FGS PFHEA, Emeritus Professor of Engineering Geology & Geomorphology, University of Plymouth

Paul Maliphant BSc MSc FGS CGeol (ret), Business Development Advisor, Mott MacDonald Ltd and former member of the External Advisory Board of the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University

Ryan Barrett BSc MSc FGS GMICE, Weather Resilience & Climate Change Adaptation Specialist, Network Rail

Dan Raynor BSc MSc FGS CEng MICE, Associate Director, Arup

David Giles BSc (Hons) PhD CGeol FGS FHEA Registered Ground Engineering Adviser 80674415, Technical Director, Card Geotechnics Ltd, Council Member Geological Society and Former Applied Environmental Geology MSc Examiner

[1] Kajastie, N. 2023. GE100 2023: Ground engineering skills in demand. Ground Engineering Magazine. emap Publishing. geplus.co.uk/features/ge100-2023-ground-engineerin...

[2] GSL-UGUK, 2019. Enrolment in crisis: A UK-wide strategy for exciting, engaging and retaining students in the geosciences. Joint report by the Geological Society of London and University Geoscience UK. geolsoc.org.uk/~/media/shared/documents/education%...

[3] BGA, 2024. British Geophysical Association Geophysics Questionnaire. geophysics.org.uk/bga-geophysics-questionnaire/...

[4] Anderson, A., 2023. Global Geoscience Enrolment. Geoscientist Magazine. geoscientist.online/sections/unearthed/global-geos...

[5] Menteth, T., 2024. Geoscience alliance launches to attract more students into industry. Ground Engineering Magazine. emap Publishing. geplus.co.uk/news/geoscience-alliance-launches-to-...

[6] Bevan., J.2021. More than Zero: why Net Zero alone won’t save the planet - and what will. [Speech]. 16 March 2021, Whitehall and Industry Group. gov.uk/government/speeches/more-than-zero-why-net-...

[7] Gill, J. C. 2017. Geology and the Sustainable Development Goals. International Union of Geological Sciences, 40, 70-76.10.18814/epiiugs/2017/v40i1/017010. episodes.org/journal/view.html?doi=10.18814/epiiug...