The University of Glasgow has opened registration for a pair of online courses focused on climate solutions ahead of the arrival of the COP26 conference in the city.
 
The £799 continuing professional development courses, which begin on September 27, are available to learners around the world. As part of the University’s commitment to sustainability and education, the University has also made 200 places on each course available free of charge to learners domiciled in Scotland, supported by the Scottish Funding Council.
 
The 10-week ‘microcredential’ courses, called Climate Change and Carbon Literacy, and Systems Thinking – Climate Change and Sustainable Decision Making, aim to provide learners with new skills to address the climate emergency.  
 
Each course has been developed to equip learners with in-demand professional skills and insights and provide a springboard onto further study.
 
The Climate Change and Carbon Literacy microcredential course provides an introduction to sustainability skills and understanding through real-world examples of how various forms of action lead to sustainable practice. The course offers an active approach to learning, empowering participants to practice and reflect on opportunities to be an agent for change in their own lives and workplaces.
 
The Systems Thinking course explores tools and theories to help participants create solutions for a sustainable future understanding how individual components of society, the economy and the environment interrelate and interconnect. The course is intended for a wide range of learners who want to learn skills and understanding of the complexities of making decisions in a post-pandemic world in the context of the climate emergency.
 
Both courses require participants to learn for eight to 10 hours each week, and offer the opportunity to join a weekly question-and-answer session with the course instructors. Both courses have final assessments worth 10 credits.
 
Professor Jaime Toney, director of the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Sustainable Solutions, said: “The decisions made at the COP26 conference set to be held in the city in November will be critical to the future of our planet. The success of the goals set by world leaders will rely on effective action taken at every level of society.
 
“These courses are designed to help learners find new ways to do their part to make those changes happen in their own lives, communities and workplaces, and to better understand the global context of climate change.
 
“The University of Glasgow has already taken bold action to address climate change, including a pledge to reach net-zero by 2030. We’re committed to working with the city and beyond to help tackle the climate emergency and these courses are an important part of that effort.”
 
The courses which begin in September follow the successful launch of a series of microcredential classes in spring this year, which attracted more than 3,000 learners.  
 
One participant in the first round of the Climate Change and Carbon Literacy course said: “This course benefitted me as it showed me all the ways I can help lower my own personal carbon footprint, and ways I can help make my work-place more sustainable.
 
“Sustainability is an area I would love to pursue a career in and this course helped show me different ways I can do that and also gave me opportunity for more study and learning to improve my academic career. I thoroughly enjoyed the course, it was very educational and engaging and I would love to do another one!”
 
For more information on the upskilling microcredential courses, or to sign up to take part, visit the University of Glasgow's microcredentials page.

First published: 24 August 2021

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