Erda RTE

On 3 April, 2015, Vicebsk State University (Vicebsk, Belarus) hosted a workshop "Contents of a graduate course on climate change" organised under UNDP project “Linking Environment and Security in Belarus”. The course was presented by experts developing the syllabus, learning materials and a textbook on climate change for Belarusian universities. The suggested course will consists of four modules encompassing procceses in the physical system, concepts and methods of climate change adaptation and mitigation, climate-related risks and adaptation issues for Belarus, and climate change policy. Anton Shkaruba took part in the discussion and presented his module on theories and concepts of climate change adaptation and mitigation, together with practical excercise on climate data visualisation and ecosystem modelling developed by Viktar Kireyeu.

This year, in cooperation with the European Environment Agancy, we offer a summer school at Central European University on the precautionary principle and its applications across sectors and disciplines (June 27-July 4. 2015). The application deadline is March 14, 2015. We will be glad to see you there, and we would also greatly appreciate if you could spread the information and/or recommend good candidates. Here's the link: http://www.summer.ceu.hu/precautionary-2015.

We are happy to report that Erda members are teaching a course on transitions in environmental governance to students from V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University and A.N. Beketov Kharkiv National University of Urban Economy. The turnout is not as great as we expected, as many students were from the area affected by the conflict in south-eastern Ukraine.

In January 19-23, 2015, Erda RTE jointly with Central European University (Budapest, Hungary) had run an intensive training in development and preparation of syllabi and learning materials on climate change for a group of university teachers from Belarus. The 40 hours training was commissioned by UNDP (tender RFP /913/2014). It included lectures, workshops and a field visit, and encompassed the whole range of climate change-related issues, including processes in the physical system, climate change adaptation and mitigation, use of ICT tools for communicating climate change information and uncertainties. All the participants received certificates issued by Central European University and countersigned by Dr. Anton Shkaruba, the director of Erda RTE.

The first try of our Jean-Monnet course in Pskov run by Erda's members Anton Shkaruba and Viktar Kireyeu is over, and only two things are left - grading and student evaluation. Looking forward to reading course final essays and evaluation forms! This was an enjoyable experience, and we are looking forward to coming again to the great city of Pskov with its great people!