Location

Solitude

Event Website

http://www.cpe.vt.edu/cuenr/index.html

Start Date

3-26-2010 2:00 PM

End Date

3-26-2010 2:30 PM

Description

Sustainable development and accordingly sustainability in the manifold relationships between humans and the environment have become integral rules of conduct in politics, the economy and society. One of the major challenges to the implementation of sustainable development concerns effective governance processes between various stakeholders regarding the wise use of environmental resources within companies, administrations, organizations, and society at large. The international MSc Program ‘Environmental Governance’ (MEG) responds to this special need. Launched at the University of Freiburg, Germany, in 2005, the program’s focus is on facilitating the institutionalization of context‐ effective environmental governance arrangements that combine market, state and civil society regulation for sustainable development. MEG is designed as a two‐year, full time program under the European Bologna system. A maximum of 30 students are selected each year in a highly competitive procedure based on criteria of excellence and geographical representation (industrialized countries, countries in transition, developing countries as well as global regions). Teaching is organized in three‐week block modules, comprising core and elective modules aiming at: (i) the development of a sound knowledge basis of the most pressing environmental issues facing the planet and their underlying societal causes (‘realizing’), (ii) the comparative discussion of different analytical frameworks from social, economic and political science perspectives against the background of fundamentals in natural sciences (‘understanding’), and (iii) the provision of methodological knowledge and skills for the context sensitive design and management of environmental governance processes (‘managing’). The aim of the paper is to demonstrate the (increasing) need for training in environmental governance and the related challenges in its implementation. We use the experiences gained in the first five years of the MEG program to critically reflect on the barriers towards realizing interdisciplinary study programs in an institutional environment that is still very much aligned along disciplinary traditions, and we stress the need for international networking as one option to overcome some of those barriers.

Comments

Citation: Pregernig, M., M. Shannon. 2010. Developing leadership for sustainable environments: the international, interdisciplinary master of science 'Environmental Governance" (MEG) at the University of Freiburg, Germany. UENR Biennial Conference, Session International Graduate Education, Paper Number 3. http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cuenr/Sessions/International/3/.

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Mar 26th, 2:00 PM Mar 26th, 2:30 PM

Developing Leadership for Sustainable Environments: The International, Interdisciplinary Master of Science ‘Environmental Governance’ (MEG) at the University of Freiburg, Germany

Solitude

Sustainable development and accordingly sustainability in the manifold relationships between humans and the environment have become integral rules of conduct in politics, the economy and society. One of the major challenges to the implementation of sustainable development concerns effective governance processes between various stakeholders regarding the wise use of environmental resources within companies, administrations, organizations, and society at large. The international MSc Program ‘Environmental Governance’ (MEG) responds to this special need. Launched at the University of Freiburg, Germany, in 2005, the program’s focus is on facilitating the institutionalization of context‐ effective environmental governance arrangements that combine market, state and civil society regulation for sustainable development. MEG is designed as a two‐year, full time program under the European Bologna system. A maximum of 30 students are selected each year in a highly competitive procedure based on criteria of excellence and geographical representation (industrialized countries, countries in transition, developing countries as well as global regions). Teaching is organized in three‐week block modules, comprising core and elective modules aiming at: (i) the development of a sound knowledge basis of the most pressing environmental issues facing the planet and their underlying societal causes (‘realizing’), (ii) the comparative discussion of different analytical frameworks from social, economic and political science perspectives against the background of fundamentals in natural sciences (‘understanding’), and (iii) the provision of methodological knowledge and skills for the context sensitive design and management of environmental governance processes (‘managing’). The aim of the paper is to demonstrate the (increasing) need for training in environmental governance and the related challenges in its implementation. We use the experiences gained in the first five years of the MEG program to critically reflect on the barriers towards realizing interdisciplinary study programs in an institutional environment that is still very much aligned along disciplinary traditions, and we stress the need for international networking as one option to overcome some of those barriers.

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cuenr/Sessions/International/3