To mark the end of the Leaders in Sustainable Development programme 2021-22 next month, we are hosting a special panel that examines the Climate Change and Sustainability Nexus. This session will provide a forum for Scholars to discuss the problems, solutions, and next steps in addressing the climate crisis in their home countries and beyond.
As a global challenge that affects countries across the Commonwealth, Scholars will consider how their expertise can be best used to reduce the harms to vulnerable ecosystems, the natural environment, and human lives and livelihoods. They will also be encouraged to challenge established thinking and look to bold, innovative ideas to address these most pressing issues.
The discussion will be framed around four sub-themes:
- Developing countries at their most vulnerable: threats in your home country, mitigation, adaptation, and climate change prioritisation.
- Global decision making under uncertainty: what is your home country doing in the wake of COP26, and what cross-border initiatives need to be shared?
- The impact of climate change and sustainable development on the research field: what’s next for academics, scholars, and leaders?
- The moral obligation of researcher engagement: where does your personal responsibility lie? What actions will you take from this session?
Facilitated by our training partners at AccessEd, this session will provide a lively and engaging exploration of the issues involved in climate action and sustainable development, situating a route towards practical goals for Scholars as future leaders in sustainable development.
The Climate Change and Sustainability Nexus panel will be held online as a virtual session on Wednesday 15 June. Current Scholars should look out for more details about the session coming soon!
Supporting future leaders in sustainable development: about the programme
The CSC’s Leaders in Sustainable Development programme runs throughout the academic year to equip Commonwealth Scholars with the knowledge and skills to effect real development impact and become change-makers in their home countries.
Through online training, interactive workshops, and resources for personal study and reflection, the Leaders in Sustainable Development programme complements Scholars’ academic work and provides a unique opportunity to gain critical development skills and an understanding of how to make a difference post-scholarship.
The online training course on ‘Understanding Development Impact’ hosted on FutureLearn supports Scholars’ foundational learning in the key concepts and ideas underpinning development today. With the blend of virtual and in-person workshops which follows, Scholars can then choose a particular area of development practice or professional skill that they wish to improve.
Collaboration is a crucial element in the Leaders in Sustainable Development programme, and during the online training and workshop sessions Scholars partner with and learn from each other across a range of activities, from peer review exercises to group discussions.
Learning, Recording, and Reflecting on key learnings
As we approach the end of this year’s Leaders in Sustainable Development programme, Scholars will be able to reflect on their key learnings to consolidate the skills and knowledge they have gained whilst progressing through the programme.
The Development Training Record brings together the work from the ‘Understanding Development Impact’ course and the workshop sessions to support Scholars in their future impact work.
If you are a 2021 Scholar, you can revisit the ‘Understanding Development Impact’ on FutureLearn to refresh your learning and complete any steps you might not have completed. Don’t forget to look out for information about completing the Development Training Record later this month.
