The 21 expert participants of the 47^th UNEP/UNESCO/BMUV International Postgraduate Course on Environmental Management for Developing Countries have joined the Centre for International Postgraduate Studies of Environmental Management (CIPSEM) at TUD Dresden University of Technology to begin a six-month adventure of learning about critical sustainability and environmental management issues.

The course will follow an integrated and interdisciplinary approach in line with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement, covering several topics such as conservation and restoration ecology, water and atmosphere, soil and land resources, sustainable urban and regional development, sustainable waste management, circular economy, renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate change, and natural resource governance. An overarching science-policy interface frames all disciplines.

In addition, participants will receive training in basic cross-sectoral skills such as policy advice, presentation skills, project planning and management that can be applied in their local contexts, communication across disciplines and cultures, participatory governance practices, and understanding geospatial information. As the participants are already experts and leaders in public governance and administration at the national, regional, and local levels, with overall competence in environmental matters, the new knowledge gained will contribute to individual and institutional capacity building in their home countries.

On January 12, during the festive opening ceremony, CTIO Prof. Dr. Tetzlaff and CIPSEM’s Scientific Director Prof. Dr. Uta Berger encouraged participants to make the most out of their time at TUD Dresden University of Technology and to forge connections for continuing collaboration in this Decade of Action to deliver the Global Goals. Isabel Bunce, as a representative of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), stated how well the course fits with current key issues being addressed by the BMUV at the national and international levels and also expressed the desire of BMUV for future collaboration.

Furthermore, Zamira Naimanbaeva (Kyrgyz Republic) and Joseph Kwasi Afrifa (Ghana) shared personal expectations and insights as spokespeople of the EM47. In addition, the alumnus Vaibhav Aggarwal from India shared insights and advice, framed by a festive atmosphere through baroque music presented by Uta-Maria Lempert (baroque violin) and Katrin Meingast (baroque cello).




The cohort of EM47 participants is looking forward to creating waves of positive environmental change and putting the Sustainable Development Goals into action!

The training is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection through the German Environment Agency as a contribution to the United Nations Environment Programme and is supported by UNESCO.

CIPSEM is grateful to the facilitators of this course: https://tud.link/8jqi