What the KNoT?
KNoTs are the interactive workshops and learning experiences that make up the SoCIETIE Initiative.
Our classes are called KNoTs (referring to the ANU Motto Naturam Primum Cognoscere Rerum, to Know the Nature of Things). Most KNoTs are generally interactive workshops that focus on building your skills and knowledge in specific areas of Knowing, Being, and Doing. These are flexible learning experiences that you can use as building blocks based on your interests and goals in the course.
Types of KNoTs
The University is a place of knowledge and learning, and students in the McCusker Institute have an all-access pass to learning opportunities across the university.
| Type | Delivered by | Counts toward requirements | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoCIETIE KNoTs | McCusker Institute & partners | Yes — direct and designed for this course | No limit |
| Campus KNoTs | Other university areas | Yes — if they align with your learning goals | Max 2 |
Counting KNoTs
A typical KNoT is about 5 hours
- Preparation task (~1 hour)
- Live participation — event, project, or workshop (~3 hours)
- Completion task — reflection, output, or short assignment (~1 hour)
A KNoT only counts toward your requirements if you complete all three parts: the preparation task, live participation, and the completion task.
Limits
- Maximum 2 Campus KNoTs can count toward your requirements
- Maximum 2 KNoTs can be counted from a single learning activity
Sometimes a learning activity is longer or shorter than 5 hours. In these cases, multiple shorter activities can be combined to make up a full KNoT, or a longer activity can count as more than one KNoT.
If you’re unsure whether a KNoT counts towards your requirements, please check with the course convenor as part of your Course Pathway Plan.
Meet our Mascot, Knox
Knox (they/them) is our mascot, and was brought to life by students (Jordyn, Hugo and Moby) as a DESN3011 project (S2, 2024). You’ll see Knox around the place, but their design holds great meaning to the origins of SoCIETIE.
Knox, obviously, is a knot, but there are two distinctive features:
- Knox’s body/head is a representation of a Giordian Knot. The metaphor represents a problem that tightens the more you pull at it—an intractable challenge requiring a shift in thinking to resolve. As is the legend, we need great leaders to ‘cut through the Giordian Knot’, breaking free from the complexity it represents.
- Above Knox’s head is a representation of Gödel’s Loophole. The metaphor highlights how initial breakthroughs are the hardest to achieve, but once done, subsequent solutions become easier.
This mirrors SoCIETIE’s mission: addressing intractable challenges in social impact requires us to think differently, challenge conventions, and create pathways for lasting change.
Need help planning your KNoT pathway? Talk to your course convenor