With many Commonwealth countries on the frontline of climate change, the Commonwealth Climate Resilience Network (CCRN) is working to build resilience within universities and their wider communities.
Established in partnership with Fiji National University (FNU), the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the University of the West Indies (UWI), the network links universities directly affected by climate change with those that have expertise in building resilience.
Through the sharing of knowledge and best practice, the network helps to directly address the practical needs of universities and communities, while providing a platform for universities to connect with policymakers and develop effective approaches to resilience and disaster preparedness.
Open to staff at ACU member universities, the Commonwealth Climate Resilience Challenge Grants support collaborative climate action and environmental projects.
Benefits
Our networks are spaces where knowledge, capacity and resources can be shared. Crucially, they are practical, with activities that have a direct impact on university practice and the wider world. Benefits include:
- Collaboration with network members, resulting in outputs that can be shared with the wider network and beyond. These collaborations may be supported by ACU grants
- Brokerage activities to create introductions between members, potentially resulting in new research connections, international guest lecturers, co-supervisors, virtual-mobility relationships, COIL relationships, or mentoring matches
- Attending or presenting at ACU events
- Advocacy to raise the profile of strategic or campaign issues. Through the accredited status that the ACU holds at the Commonwealth and United Nations, the networks can help amplify impact on high-level policy platforms.
Join the network
There are two main ways to be part of the network:
Network member
Networks are open to all staff members and students at ACU member universities - with over 400 member universities in 40 countries, that’s a potential group of 10 million students and more than 1 million academic and professional staff.
Whether you are a student, vice-chancellor, academic or professional at an ACU member university, by joining a network you will instantly become part of a global collaboration with a diverse set of potential partners. You can join as many ACU networks and communities as you like, at any time.
Steering committee
The steering committee sets the vision, strategic direction and delivery plans for the network. Some committee members also lead a thematic group that focuses on a mission-oriented or subject based theme for the network.
- David Smith, Director, Centre for Environmental Management, The University of the West Indies
- Jeremy Collymore, Consultant, Disaster Resilience, Office of the Vice Chancellor, The University of the West Indies (UWI)
- Nii-K Plange, Director, Fiji National University Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies and Sustainable Development
- Elisabeth Holland, Director, Pacific Centre for Environment & Sustainable Development, University of the South Pacific
Opportunities to join the steering committee will be advertised on this page.
There is a clear role for universities in the battle for adapting to a changing climate. The Commonwealth Climate Resilience Network provides a space for collaborative action among ACU members to assist in altering the trajectory of damage, disruption and loss resulting from climate hazards. This is a key step in supporting the communities we serve in mitigating and adapting to the challenges arising from climate change and the changing climate.
