Transforming universities for a changing climate
Climate change is widely recognised as the most critical challenge of our time. However, the many effects of climate change are felt most strongly in the poorest communities of the world. To avoid devastating impacts, the world needs urgent action in the next decades, with radical shifts by 2050 (IPCC 2018).
Higher education has a crucial role to play in responding to the climate crisis, not only through carrying out research, but also through teaching, community engagement and public awareness. This forum aims to foster a dynamic exchange of ideas, research findings and interdisciplinary perspectives from prominent speakers and decision makers in climate and education.
In doing so, it will build on the experiences of fifteen higher education institutions in Brazil, Fiji, Kenya, India, Indonesia, and Tanzania in a GCRF-funded project (Climate-U), developing participatory action research that brought together local communities with universities to address climate change.
Please note that this is an in-person and by invitation only event.
Programme
Morning session: Celebration with regional focus
| 09:30 - 10:00 |
Registration and photography exhibition |
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| 10:00 - 10:05 | Welcome from the ACU | Professor Colin Riordan CBE, Secretary General and Chief Executive, ACU |
| 10:05 - 10:10 | Welcome from UCL | Professor Lynn Ang, Pro-Director, Institute of Education, University College London, UK |
| 10:10 - 10:15 | Welcome from Climate-U | Professor Tristan McCowan, Climate-U Principal Investigator, University College London, UK |
| 10:15 - 11:00 |
Transforming universities for the climate crisis: key findings from the Climate-U project |
Dr Luciana Brandli, Climate-U Co-Investigator, University of Passo Fundo, Brazil Dr Rosiana Lagi, Climate-U Co-Investigator, University of the South Pacific, Fiji Dr Jackline Nyerere, Climate-U Co-Investigator, Kenyatta University, Kenya Dr Alexandre Frediani, International Institute for Environment and Development |
| 11:00 - 11:30 |
Coffee and regional discussion tables |
Brazil, Fiji, Kenya, Indonesia, India, Tanzania and the UK |
| 11:30 - 12:30 |
Institutional change for climate action – breakout discussions |
Co-facilitated by Prof Salomão Hage (Federal University of Pará, Brazil) and Dr Bibhu Nayak (Tata Institute for Social Sciences, India)
Co-facilitated by Sowmya Balasubramaniam (Hooga Seed Keepers Collective, India) and Dr Almas Mazigo (University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
Facilitated by Dr Aslam Saja, ACU Commonwealth Futures Climate Research Cohort |
| 12:30 - 13:30 | Lunch |
Afternoon session: Looking forward
| 13:30 - 14:00 | Keynote address | The Honourable Aseri Radrodro, Minister of Education, Fiji |
| 14:00 - 15:00 |
Climate justice in practice: breakout discussions
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Co-facilitated by Sereima Takiveikata (Fiji National University) and Dr John Muchiri (Kenya Methodist University)
Co-facilitated by Joanna Socha (University College London, UK) and Amanda Lange Salvia (University of Passo Fundo, Brazil)
Facilitated by Aidatu Abubakari, ACU Commonwealth Futures Climate Research Cohort |
| 15:00 - 15:15 |
Refreshment break |
|
| 15:15 - 16:30 |
University leadership for climate action: an international dialogue |
Dr Tracey Harjatanaya (Chair), Vice Chancellor of Satya Terra Bhinneka University, Indonesia Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole, Secretary General of the Association of African Universities Professor Wendy Thomson CBE, Vice Chancellor of University of London, UK Professor Emmanuel Zagury Tourinho, Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Pará, Brazil Professor Paul K. Wainaina, Vice Chancellor of Kenyatta University, Kenya |
| 16:30 - 17:00 |
Plenary discussion, next steps and launch of Climate-U network |
Professor Tristan McCowan, Climate-U Principal Investigator, University College London, UK |
| 17:00 - 18:00 |
Networking and drinks reception |