The purpose of the course is to advance the understanding and experience of students from around the world who are learning about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), sustainability, and the environment, as well as 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 of students to use environmental assessments.
Based on a pilot initiative by Peking University, the course will provide students and GEO fellows with a structured learning opportunity that exposes them to multilateralism and the use of science to produce actionable knowledge, with the GEO as the focus.
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. It aims to inspire them 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-week 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 policymaker
6. Motivating policy change
7. Case study on plastic waste pollution of the Oceans (Midterm Exam)
8. Getting the word to policymakers PART 1: The art & science of accurate simplicity
9. Getting the word to policy makes Part 2: Using narrative story
10. Enabling policymakers 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) an interactive part (e.g. guest speaker inclusive, 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 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, Peking University will pilot the course, which will then be 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.
