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The Association of Commonwealth Universities | ACU

International Forum on Higher Education and the Climate Crisis

18th October 2023

09:30

Woburn House, London, UK

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.

Venue

Woburn House, London, UK
20-24 Tavistock Square
London WC1H 9HF
United Kingdom

Programme

Morning session: Celebration with regional focus

09:30 - 10:00

 Registration and photography exhibition

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

  1. Climate Learning (Woburn Hall)

Co-facilitated by Prof Salomão Hage (Federal University of Pará, Brazil) and Dr Bibhu Nayak (Tata Institute for Social Sciences, India)

  1. Community Engagement (UUK Boardroom, 1st Floor)

Co-facilitated by Sowmya Balasubramaniam (Hooga Seed Keepers Collective, India) and Dr Almas Mazigo (University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) 

  1. Collaborating Internationally (Commonwealth Room, 4th floor)

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

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

  1. Climate Learning (Woburn Hall)

Co-facilitated by Prof Salomão Hage (Federal University of Pará, Brazil) and Dr Bibhu Nayak (Tata Institute for Social Sciences, India)

  1. Community Engagement (UUK Boardroom, 1st Floor)

Co-facilitated by Sowmya Balasubramaniam (Hooga Seed Keepers Collective, India) and Dr Almas Mazigo (University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) 

  1. Collaborating Internationally (Commonwealth Room, 4th floor)

Facilitated by Dr Aslam Saja, ACU Commonwealth Futures Climate Research Cohort

12:30 - 13:30

Lunch