Each year, a group of international postgraduate students from the University of Cambridge swaps their lecture theatres for the living laboratory at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT). We talked to Cambridge Lecturer Dr Dai Morgan about their recent visit.

Surrounded by woodlands, organic gardens, renewable energy systems, and sustainable building projects, CAT provides visiting school, university and other groups a unique chance to experience sustainability in action, beyond what a classroom can offer.

For Dai Morgan, a longstanding lecturer on the MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development, this annual visit has become a cornerstone of the student experience-offering not only practical insight into sustainability but also inspiration and a fresh perspective.

Connecting with real-world sustainability practices

“The visit to CAT comes at the perfect time,” says Dai. “Our students have just completed two terms of intensive lectures. They’re about to begin their dissertations, and this is the moment to step away from the classroom, connect with real-world sustainability practices, and reflect on their learning.”

The one-year course attracts a diverse group of early-career engineers from across the globe, with students representing up to 20 different nationalities. Their academic and professional backgrounds are equally varied, spanning mechanical, civil, electrical, and chemical engineering, bringing with them a wide range of perspectives and expertise.

“CAT offers something unique,” Dai explains. “It’s immersive and integrative-a real example of sustainability being worked out in real time. Being in that environment, around people who are doing things differently and showing what’s possible, creates space to reflect and reconnect with what really matters.”

Experiencing sustainability in action

Throughout their visit, students explore CAT’s site and systems-renewable energy installations, low-impact building techniques, woodland and water management, and more. They learn from experts who have spent decades experimenting, adapting, and sharing lessons from the front lines of change.

Importantly, those lessons include not only what has worked but also what hasn’t.

“What I really appreciate about CAT is the honesty,” says Dai. “There’s a willingness to share what hasn’t worked as well as what has-to say, ‘this was difficult’ or ‘this didn’t work out the way we hoped.’ That kind of openness is rare, and it’s incredibly valuable for students heading into the realities of sustainability work.”

Many leave the experience not only better informed but genuinely inspired. Some return to volunteer; others find renewed purpose in their work or studies.

“One student finished her dissertation early so she could come back to CAT as a volunteer for two more weeks,” Dai recalls. “Another, who was a Scout leader, said it really changed the way she worked with young people back home. It’s inspiring to see how these experiences spread, as students take what they’ve learned and put it into action in their communities.”

Inspiring hope for a sustainable future

Now a CAT member himself, Dai plans to return for the summer Members’ Conference. For him, like many others who bring groups to CAT, a visit isn’t just a field trip-it’s a place that sparks fresh ideas, fosters connections, and inspires hope for a sustainable future.

As Dai’s students continue their studies and prepare for careers shaping the future of our planet, they leave CAT with a clearer understanding of sustainability-and the tools and inspiration to be part of practical, lasting change in the world.

To learn more about CAT’s group-visit offer and to make an enquiry, please visit cat.org.uk/groups-learning or email education@cat.org.uk.

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