University Programme: An Overview

Introduction/ Background:

The ongoing climate crisis has refocused the attention of educators all over the world towards the potential of education as an agency of change. Education for sustainable development seeks to provide learners the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes that can foster a commitment towards sustainable and equitable development.

As a logical extension to the successful Green Schools’ Programme that has made a mark on schools across the country for over a decade, CSE launched its University intervention in early 2016. Following the Supreme Court’s directive to introduce environmental studies in all colleges, the University Grants Commission (UGC) made it compulsory for all colleges to introduce a six months module on environment. The module is titled 'Environmental Studies' and is now offered as an interdisciplinary course at the undergraduate level across all disciplines in India. Focused and meaningful environmental education is a key priority for a sustainable and equitable future.

Vision: CSE’s vision is to reach out and nurture the youth of the country through faculties teaching environment by making them more aware about the science and politics of environmental issues. This, in turn, is bound to stimulate them to question the prevailing developmental patterns, lifestyle, and governance systems.

Objectives: 

• Capacity building of EVS faculty
• Providing ready reference material to enrich classroom discourses
• Engaging educators and young students in relevant discussions on sustainable and equitable development
• Providing platforms such as the Green Educators' Network, Knowledge Conclaves, online lectures to develop the capacity of faculty, students as well as young environmental professionals and to bring alive the vast subject of environment.

Components of the University Programme:
Green Educators’ Network:  The network was launched in January 2016 to create a platform for like-minded educators to interact with others committed to the cause of education for sustainable development. CSE’s Green Educators’ Network (GEN) aims to enhance their knowledge about the intersection of environmental issues and politics as well as to empower them to look for contextually relevant solutions. The network consists of more than 500 educators who teach environment-related courses at different levels in universities across India.

During the last two years, network members have been actively sharing nominations of faculty members from different institutions, teaching papers related to environment. Should you like to nominate another faculty member of environment, please write to us at sakshi.uniyal@cseindia.org.

Knowledge Conclaves: This forum provides the GEN members access to CSE's vast network of environment educators, scientists, activists, policy makers, regulators, lawyers and journalists. The focus of the Conclave is environmental education for a sustainable and equitable future. CSE has organised two Regional Knowledge Conclaves and six National Knowledge Conclaves over the years.

Readers for Universities: Based on the feedback by network members that topical resource material was limited, CSE introduced its first Environmental Reader for Universities aimed at providing a well-rounded perspective towards the various environmental issues with the help of case studies, current data, infographics, etc. CSE’s GEN members are actively using and recommending the Reader as part of the curriculum or are planning to propose the inclusion of the same from the next session onwards.  

EarthWise, the GEN Newsletter: E-newsletters are released every month to the faculty members of CSE’s Green Educators’ Network. The content of the newsletter is based on the case studies/articles/blogs/ videos of the Down to Earth magazine and the DTE TV. These newsletters help our educators stay updated and also provide teaching assistance during their daily lectures.  

Environmentally Speaking: GEN members get exclusive access to our monthly lecture series — Environmentally Speaking. Every month, we call in experts to discuss a burning issue that has far-reaching implications. The lecture is followed by QnA wherein educators actively interact with the resource person and develop a deeper grasp over various pertinent issues.  

Agenda for Survival: CSE’s youth engagement programme, Agenda for Survival, offers a range of experiences to participants such as study of issues, interaction with policymakers, field work and interaction with communities. It has alumni well placed in premier institutions of this country. It gives the youth of India an opportunity to evaluate issues that lie at the interface of environment and development, poverty, democracy, equity and justice. This interactive programme has a number of assignments weaved in to make learning experiential and to help participants polish their communication skills, field-based reporting and writing to understand contemporary environmental issues and their impacts. 

For any queries, contact:

Sakshi Uniyal
Programme Officer
Environment Education Unit, CSE
sakshi.uniyal@cseindia.org