The School for Cross-faculty Studies is delighted to announce that it has been successful in its application for the Athena SWAN Bronze Award. We are now engaged in implementing our five-year Athena SWAN Action Plan.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s leading authority on climate, published its latest report on Monday 9 August 2021.

The IPCC report represents a red alert and an immediate call to action. Among the key points to be drawn out of the report are the concerns that extreme weather events are on the rise; carbon dioxide levels are at their highest in 2 million years; and changes to ice, ocean and sea levels could be ‘irreversible for centuries’.

• Hear from Professor João Porto de Albuquerque, Director of the Institute for Global Sustainable Development, on the "two crucial and immediate take home messages from the report"
• Hear from Dr Marta Guerriero, Deputy Head of the School for Cross-faculty Studies (GSD), on the “unequivocal” evidence presented by the report and the "urgent" need for collective action

We are delighted to have welcomed several new members of staff to the School for Cross-faculty Studies this month. We look forward to seeing the impact that Dr Xiaodong Lin, Dr Nikoleta Jones, Sam Gane, Sheree Thompson, Shehzadi Azis, and Ella Jones have in their new roles.

^{Image credit: Dr Marco J Haenssgen}

At the end of last year, Universitas Indonesia (UI) released the result of UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2020. The University of Warwick was awarded 4th in the UK, ranking 29th of the 912 participating universities across 84 countries.

• New PhD scholarships in Global Sustainable Development at the University of Warwick available to UK and EU students, thanks to £1,350,000 from Leverhulme Trust
• Scholars will receive transdisciplinary training: expertise from different academic faculties, as well as mentorship from front line organisations, such as UN Habitat
• Researchers will be trained to be "as comfortable analysing data on human-environment interactions as liaising with governments and empowering communities" -- Professor João Porto de Albuquerque

We are excited to be opening our doors for the first time to postgraduate students as we launch our new MASc in Global Sustainable Development and MPhil/PhD in Global Sustainable Development.

Last month saw the publication of a new paper in the Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals about 'Tourist Traps: Assessing the Role of Tourism in Sustaining Life Below Water', authored by Dr Jess Savage, Senior Teaching Fellow (GSD); Dr Godwin Yeboah, Senior Research Fellow (IGSD); and Dr Sarah Cook, Research Fellow (Warwick Water Group.

Registration for the World Innovation Challenge is currently open until Monday 5 October 2020.

This is a great opportunity for Warwick students to work in international teams with Monash University students. The aim is to create a business idea that tackles a key sustainability challenge. The Challenge starts on Friday 9 October 2020 at 9:30 am (BST). Participants will work online for 48 hours (including sleep/resting and other work) to make a business plan.

On Friday 25 September 2020 at 12-1pm (UK time), Warwick will be launching its inaugural report on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report will highlight the University’s progress towards the SDGs, covering case studies on various initiatives that are contributing towards the goals.

This first report of its kind is the product of collaboration between academics across the University and the Sustainability team in Estates. From the School for Cross-faculty Studies, the working group has included the Head of School, Dr Stéphanie Panichelli-Batalla; and the Director of the Institute for Global Sustainable Development (IGSD), Professor João Porto de Albuquerque.

During the event, the University’s Provost, Professor Christine Ennew, will introduce the report before handing over to members of the group who’ve been involved in its production to expand on some of its key areas. There will be time for discussion, and the event aims to offer an opportunity for the Warwick community to reflect on the progress to date and contribute to a discussion on what might come next.

How to register

This event will take place on Microsoft Teams and is open to all. You can register for the event here. By registering for the event you will be sent the link to the event and a copy of the report.

Find out more about the event.