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

 

Target audience

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 field of Science-Policy 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 students’ own responsibility to validate this course for credit at their home university previously to the summer school, as specified in our Regulations.