This week (5-9 June 23) the University of Warwick welcomes its first cohort of early career researchers (ECR) to its newly developed Sustainability Training School (STS). The school has been created by the university’s Institute of Global Sustainable Development (IGSD) in partnership with Eutopia, a university alliance that brings together 10 European universities, and with the support of the Enhancing Research Culture Fund.

Working with people at the beginning of their professional careers, IGSD will look to explore new research agendas and methods for sustainable development. It will seek ways to make research more impactful for the policy and to support communities impacted by environmental challenges. The school hopes to build lasting networks for the future and raise a new generation of scholars advocating for the wellbeing of the planet.

The theme of the first programme for the training school is ‘Resilience and Sustainable Development’. Through their individual and group projects, attendees will be given the opportunity to work seek solutions to global and local challenges such as the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, war in Ukraine and flooding in Pakistan.

Professor Elena Korosteleva, Director of the IGSD, said: “Through the launch of this first ECR Sustainability Training School at the University of Warwick, we hope to connect, equip and mobilise Early Career Researchers working on sustainable development across the globe, to help us advocate with a collective voice, for change in how we think and act, and how we can protect our planet”.

“We are equipping our ECRs with skills and ways of thinking innovatively and creatively, and to become a network to support our future Sustainability Training Schools across our partner institutions. We want our cohort to use this time to engage in conversations around sustainable development and what can be done to support communities on all levels to deal with adversity and impact of environmental challenges around the globe.”