More than 100 students from universities around the world discussed how to respond to climate change when UQ hosted the Universitas 21 Summer School this week.
Run by the School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management and supported by the Office of Undergraduate Education, the summer school brought together students from a network of 21 research-intensive universities from 13 countries.
This year’s theme was Climate Change Adaptation. Delegates discussed potential impacts on natural and human systems, including temperature changes, precipitation changes, severe weather events and sea level rise associated with thermal expansion and de-glaciation.
School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management head Professor Martin Bell said the summer school brought together top students from across several disciplines.
“This is a great opportunity for the school to showcase its talent and leadership in the field of man-environment relations, and the compass of our disciplines, from earth systems science to urban and regional planning,” Professor Bell said.
“We look forward to an exciting two weeks of international discussion and learning.”
As part of the summer school, students engaged in lectures, workshops and problem solving activities related to various aspects of climate change.
The 2009 Summer School ran from July 13 to 24, and focussed on some of the many areas impacted by climate change: water and energy, biodiversity and agriculture, social cohesion, economic wellbeing, and health, settlements and infrastructure.
Now in its 12th year, the Universitas 21 network comprises over 650,000 students, more than 130,000 staff and links to more than 2 million alumni.
Their collective budgets amount to over US$13 billion and an annual research grant income of over US$3 billion.
The network aims to facilitate collaboration and cooperation between member universities and to create opportunities on a scale that none would be able to achieve independently or through traditional bilateral alliances.
For more information, visit www.universitas21.com or www.uq.edu.au/u21
Media: Alex Osuch (07 3346 7406 ) or Tegan Taylor at UQ Communications (07 3365 2659).
