Summer school on Transboundary nature conservation and sustainable regional development

The Centre for Econics and Ecosystem Management in Eberswalde is conducting a joint summer school on the topic of ‘Transboundary nature conservation and sustainable regional development’ in collaboration with universities in Germany, Albania ,Montenegro, Kosovo, Greece and 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 Albania and Montenegro. 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 (2) places are reserved for students at UOI. Participants will be provided with a travel allowance and supplementary international insurance; accommodation and food will be covered by the project.

Dates:

The 10-days summer school program will take place in Albania in the second half of September 2024. The exact dates still need to be confirmed.

Applications:

Interested candidates need to submit a motivation letter and a CV (both in English language) to the program coordinator at BET (JM 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 26/5/24. A good command of English is crucial for a successful participation in the summer school.