Jul 17, 2026
EM49 Successfully Concluded: Knowledge, Exchange, and Joint Action for Sustainable Development
After six intensive months in Dresden, the participants in the 49th UNEP/UNESCO/BMUKN International Postgraduate Course on Environmental Management for Developing Countries (EM49) received their Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Management. The festive graduation ceremony marked the conclusion of a course that combined specialized knowledge, international perspectives, and hands-on learning.
Since mid-January, these experienced environmental professionals have been exploring key topics in sustainable environmental management—ranging from nature conservation and restoration ecology to water, soil, and land resources, as well as the circular economy, renewable energy, climate change, and sustainable urban and regional development. Particular emphasis was placed on the intersection of science and policy, as well as on skills such as policy advising, project planning, and intercultural communication.
Prof. Karsten Kalbitz, Scientific Director of CIPSEM, congratulated the EM49 cohort and encouraged the graduates to apply their knowledge and new perspectives to advance sustainable change in their home countries.
In his address, Prof. Karsten Kalbitz, scientific director of CIPSEM, praised the participants’ great dedication and their active contribution to the course discussions. He encouraged the graduates to apply scientific approaches, interdisciplinary thinking, and practical skills in the future to support evidence-based decision-making and sustainable change in their home countries.
Prof. Peter Krebs, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, conveyed the Rectorate’s congratulations and recognized the active exchange that characterized the EM49 cohort.
On behalf of TU Dresden, the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Prof. Peter Krebs, emphasized the special value of collaborative learning: The course not only imparted knowledge but also facilitated exchange between academia, politics, and professional practice. The final papers and post-training action plans demonstrated how participants can apply their experiences from the course to specific environmental challenges in their professional contexts.
In his remarks, Julien Glaser of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety emphasized the importance of trust and long-term relationships in international cooperation.
Julien Glaser from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety also underscored the importance of long-term international cooperation. He noted that the lasting value of CIPSEM lies not only in the knowledge imparted but also in the connections, mutual understanding, and network that will endure beyond the course.
Representing the EM49 cohort, Zibrina Salifu from Ghana and Carolina Velásquez Arias from Panama share their experiences during the course.
Particularly moving were the words of Zibrina Salifu and Carolina Velásquez Arias, who spoke on behalf of the EM49 cohort. They looked back on a time when a group of professionals with diverse professional, cultural, and regional backgrounds had become a community united by a common goal: to translate environmental knowledge into concrete and effective change.
With the completion of EM49, the graduates become part of the international CIPSEM and TU Dresden alumni network. We thank all participants for their openness, dedication, and professional contributions. We also extend our gratitude to the numerous facilitators and partner institutions who enriched the course with their expertise and support.
Congratulations to the EM49 cohort—and best wishes for your continued work toward sustainable development worldwide.
For more highlights from the EM49 graduation ceremony, read our post on LinkedIn.