The purpose of the course is to advance the understanding and experience of students from around the world who are learning about STEM, sustainability and the environment to the importance of the use of science to ensure that deliberative processes and decisions are informed by evidence. Using the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) to demonstrate how science can inform decision making, as well as to deepen the abilities by students to use environmental assessments.
Based on a pilot initiative by Peking University, the course will provide a structured learning opportunity to students and GEO fellows that exposes them to multilateralism and the use of science for actionable knowledge using the GEO as the focus for learning.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in partnership with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and in collaboration with the Global Council for Science and the Environment (GCSE) have developed “From Science to Policy Translating Scientific Knowledge into Policy-Making Processes for the Environment”. The course is about motivating and empowering early career scientists to better inform policy decisions on the environment made on the global and national stages. The curriculum is designed for graduate students and early career professionals, globally, who—as a minimum—have an undergraduate degree in the physical or social sciences.
The curriculum is divided into 11 modules which could be taught in a traditional semester system or via an alternative format (e.g. an intensive two-weeks seminar course).
1.Introduction
2.Role of Science and Scientists in Environmental Decision Making: Ideals & Realities
3.What stops us from Translating Science into Policy?
4.Ensuring Credible Science informs policy
5.Thinking like a policy maker
6.Motivating policy change
7.Case study on plastic waste pollution of the Oceans (Mid term Exam)
8.Getting the word to policy makers PART 1: The art & science of accurate simplicity
9.Getting the word to policy makes Part 2: Using narrative story
10.Enabling policy makers to see the whole picture
11.Examination & Evaluation
In general, the modules are composed of four elements: 1) an overview of knowledge and skills to be gained, 2) core lecture (to be given by course instructor(s) for consistency), 3) interactive part (e.g. guest speaker incl. interaction with students, panel discussion, mock negotiations or other form of target-oriented group-work), and 4) an exercise (homework). Each course module builds on previous modules. The last modules of the course are designed for knowledge synthesis, skill application, and for evaluation (of students and the seminar). The exact form of the assessment and the examination might vary depending on the framework conditions and regulations of the university conducting it and can therefore have different formats.
With expert input from the Global Science to Policy Advisory Committee, the course will be piloted by Peking University and thereafter offered by institutions within the GEO network and GEO collaborating centres. The GEO-7 fellows will be the first recipients of this course which will then be developed further for wider distribution.
