University of Warwick welcomes a delegation from Universitas Gadjah Mada today.

Last week we had our first ever ECR Sustainability Training School at Warwick! It has been a huge success, thanks to all the support we had received and our participants!

The ECR STS brought together participants from 26 countries, of different age, religion, philosophy, and discipline - embodying the very spirit of future solutions to sustainable development for a more resilient world. The participants enjoyed a great hospitality that only Warwick can offer 😉, including the weather! They also shared their individual research, with in-depth feedback, and learned to work together through team-building skills and group projects. They were exposed to innovative methods, public and policy engagement; and enjoyed their sustainability trails, and engagement with sustainability champions and strategic partner-networks. Team IGSD - well done - you rock!

#research #sustainabledevelopment #training #EarlyCareerResearchers #IGSD #EUTOPIA #MONASHAlliance #TheGUILD #UNSDSN UK

IGSD Dr Feng Mao and researchers across the globe are collaborating to tackle the threat of climate change to humanity – thanks to the Futures Climate Research Cohort Programme established by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and the British Council.

An interview with Elena Korosteleva, the IGSD’s Director, about the role and function of the Institute.

I have worked hard here with Dr Sama Zefania head of IESM (University of Menabe) trying to make progress with our UoW-funded PSF project: Exploring policy pathways considering migration dynamics in the sustainable management of protected areas in Madagascar. IESM is our external partner in the implementation of this project. We are on the preparation phase of the project, meeting authorities, key partners and research assistants. Eights students from IESM will be engaged in data collection in Menabe and Androy interviewing migrants and local authorities to understand reasons of migration and its link with deforestation within Menabe Protected Area. I recall that Menabe protected area (210,000 hectares) has an exceptional biodiversity with very high rate of species endemism but has faced rapid deforestation hypothesised to be exacerbated by migration of people from Southern Madagascar, the driest region, located in the extreme south of the country. It is believed that migrants have fled from drought and hard life condition in South to squat in the forest or settle in villages near the protected area to practice slash and burn agriculture and grow maize and peanuts. In collaboration with local partners and authorities here in Menabe, our PSF project aims at unravelling socioecological complexities and increasing awareness in order to promote informed policy decisions.