Summer school on Transboundary nature conservation and sustainable regional development

The Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management (Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Germany) will implement a joint summer school on the topic of ‘Transboundary nature conservation and sustainable regional development’ in collaboration with the University of Tirana (Albania), University of Donja Gorica (Montenegro), University of Prishtina (Kosovo), University of Ioannina (Greece), University of Thessaloniki (Greece) and the University of Skopje (North Macedonia) (funded by the German Academic Exchange Service/DAAD).

Location:

The summer school will take place in the Buna/Bojana-Skutari/Shkodra lake region, located in the border area of Montenegro and Albania. This region is a part of the Balkan Green Belt, representing one of the most important regions for biodiversity in the Balkans and for Europe. It is characterized by a large-scale intact landscape with ecosystems that provide vital ecosystem services to the local population, as well as to the wider region. Local NGOs and youth environmental initiatives from both countries (e.g. EDEN in Albania, EnvPro in Montenegro, “Together for Buna” initiative, etc.) are engaged in cross-border cooperation for nature conservation with the long-term vision of establishing a UNESCO Transboundary Biosphere Reserve in the Buna region.

Topics and format:

Main topics that will be covered during the summer school are related to transboundary ecosystem management, ecosystem-based development, and strategic conservation planning.  The students will work in groups and develop an initial transboundary management plan for the case study area using the Conservation Measure Partnership (CMP) Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (Version 4.0 2020).  The summer school is taught in combination of theoretical lectures, excursions to the case study area, interviews with local stakeholders, practical group work, and peer-reviews.

The final exam consists of a project presentation at the end of the summer school.

Lecturers:

The presentations during the summer school will be delivered by members of the Conservation Coaches Network (CCNet) as well as lecturers from all partner universities.

Available places and funding:

Two places are reserved for students of the University of Ioannina. Participants will be provided with a travel allowance and supplementary international insurance; accommodation and food will be covered by the project.

Dates and application:

The 10-days summer school program will take place in the second half of September 2023. The exact dates still need to be confirmed.

Interested candidates need to submit a motivation letter and a CV (both in English language) to the BET program coordinator, J.M. Halley (Αυτή η διεύθυνση ηλεκτρονικού ταχυδρομείου προστατεύεται από τους αυτοματισμούς αποστολέων ανεπιθύμητων μηνυμάτων. Χρειάζεται να ενεργοποιήσετε τη JavaScript για να μπορέσετε να τη δείτε. ), by 4.6.2023. A good command of English is crucial for a successful participation in the summer school.

Attached you can find a summary slide and the official module description.