Problems and innovation at the University of Bristol

There are problems, big and small, at all levels of society. Here at the University of Bristol, research institutes have been set up to pool ideas and knowledge from different disciplines and fields to try and tackle some of these problems and challenges.

We asked the directors of some of those research institutes what they think the biggest problems or challenges are to society, what opportunities they see developing from those challenges, and what scares or excites them about the future. Before you watch, note down some of your own initial responses to these same questions.

In this video, you hear from the following people:

• Tim Cole, Professor of Social History, is the director of the Brigstow Institute, which brings researchers from different disciplines together with a range of partners across the city and beyond to experiment in new ways of living and being.

• Professor Rachael Gooberman-Hill, Professor of Health and Anthropology, is the director of the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute. She talks about local problems in terms of health, and how we as a society can move towards tackling those problems.

• Professor Richard Pancost is director of the Cabot Institute, which explores approaches to understanding and responding to environmental uncertainty. Richard talks about environmental and sustainability challenges and what we can do to move towards a more sustainable future.

Thinking about what’s been said in the video, consider these big questions and discuss your ideas in the comments section:

• What will society look like in 50 years?
• What will cities look like in 50 years?
• What will institutions like universities look like in 50 years?