Programme Overview

Science-Policy Interfaces for Environmental Solutions: Learning to Span Boundaries

WHO IS THE COURSE FOR?
Phd candidates, early career professionals (scientists, practitioners, policy actors). Master students might be allowed in the programme on a case by case basis if their background and motivation letter show strong commitment to the field of Science-Policy Interface. 
 
COURSE DESCRIPTION

From climate change to biodiversity loss or plastic pollution, environmental crises have become more complex and intertwined, calling for active engagement between scientists and policy actors towards science-informed solutions.

To achieve this, a great number of stakeholders need specific skills and capacities to navigate the science-policy interface related to environmental governance towards ecological transition. In this context, International Geneva is host to a rather unique ecosystem that creates opportunities for science to join the policy table and for policy to inform science on knowledge gaps, thus allowing to pair knowledge and action for the common good across a wide pool of expertise.

This Geneva Summer School offers a unique opportunity for early career researchers, policy professionals and civil society actors to:

  • Explore how science-policy interfaces work in practice in the environmental field
  • Learn about strategies, practices, and skills required to span the boundary between science and policy and apply these to the context(s) of participants
  • Get practical advice and experience from actors working at the science-policy interface   
  • Networking with experts and practitioners from the international Geneva ecosystem

The course will include interactive sessions, conceptual and methodological lectures, round tables and practical activities. It will involve experts and practitioners working at the science-policy interface.

Module 1: Environmental governance systems and the role of science

Module 2: Understanding the science-policy interface: models, functions and actors                              

Module 3: Boundary-spanning as a field of practice: key engagement skills                                  

Module 4: Practical and interactive case studies

Module 5: Career paths at the interface

 

COURSE CREDITS
Equivalence of 3 ECTS

Students will be provided with a Certificate of Completion for their course if they satisfy attendance. Students wanting to acquire 3 ECTS have the opportunity to do so on the basis of a written assignment.

Please note that this is not an official University of Geneva transcript. It is the student’s own responsibility to validate this course for credit at their home university previously to the summer school, as specified in our Regulations.

 

Junior professionals: CHF 1,000

External students (*): CHF 800

UNIGE students (*): CHF 200

(*) Bachelor and master’s degree-seeking students only. The tuition fees for lifelong learning students and Ph.D. candidates are subject to employment status.

 

Combined offer with a 20% discount for junior professionals (practitioners and researchers), who register also for "Leadership for Sustainability Transitions".

 

Academic Director:

Dr. Alexandre Hedjazi
Insitute for Environmental Sciences
Univeristy of Geneva

Administrative Director:

Dr. Frédérique Guerin
Geneva Science Policy Interface
 

Course Coordinator:

Mialy Rann
Geneva Science Policy Interface

Confirmed speakers :

  • Jennifer Allan, Senior Lecturer at University of Cardiff and Strategic Advisor at IISD
  • Michel Jarraud, Secretary General Emeritus – World Meteorological Organization
  • Julian Keimer, Policy Analyst – Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
  • Melanie Paschke, Education Director – Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center
  • Jose Romero, Former Chief Scientist – Swiss Federal Office for the Environment.
  • Martin Scheringer, Professor at Masaryk University and Chair of IPCP Board
  • Matteo Tarantino, Lecturer at University of Geneva
  • Diana Ürge-Vorsatz, Professor at the Central European University and Vice Chair of IPCC’s Working Group III
  • Augustin Harte, Programme Officer - Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions
  • Prof. Silke Beck, Professor at Technical University of Munich and Lead Author for IPBES
  • Karin Ingold, Professor at the Institute of Political Science, University of Bern
  • Diana Rizzolio, Coordinator of the Geneva Environment Network, UNEP
  • David Jensen, Coordinator of the Digital Transformation Task Force, UNEP

This course is new on the Summer School programme and, therefore, no testimonials are yet available.