A groundbreaking educational scheme aims to develop global sustainability leaders.
St Clare’s has partnered with the University of Surrey’s CIFAL centre to launch a course at its newly opened Merrist Wood site near Guildford.
The Leadership and Sustainability Summer Programme caters to students aged 15 to 17, equipping them with knowledge and abilities to address complex environmental and social challenges.
This initiative forms part of the Teenagers: Merrist Wood Summer Programme.
Simon Talbot, head of summer schools and brief courses at St Clare’s, said this marks an exciting development for the new Merrist Wood campus. He noted that the University of Surrey leads in sustainability research and their multidisciplinary team displayed great enthusiasm for involvement in this programme. He added that the UN Sustainable Development Goals can only be fulfilled through educating and motivating young people to champion them. This programme seeks to achieve that ambition while also providing students with leadership capabilities to become effective sustainability advocates and international collaborators in the future.
The curriculum was developed collaboratively and is being delivered by St Clare’s and Surrey’s Institute for Sustainability. It offers interdisciplinary education rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Participants will investigate how leadership and sustainability intersect in real-world contexts and develop practical approaches to global challenges.
A University of Surrey spokesperson noted that the Institute for Sustainability brings together outstanding multidisciplinary expertise and advances practical, systematic solutions for enduring prosperity. Additionally, CIFAL Surrey, their UNITAR-affiliated sustainability training hub, delivers accredited programmes aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, enabling them to provide internationally recognised sustainability and leadership development to young people and professionals. With leading sustainability academics specialising in biodiversity, behavioural transformation, and environmental systems, the University of Surrey Institute for Sustainability is ideally positioned to jointly deliver an engaging and meaningful summer school experience.
University of Surrey academic staff will lead workshops and presentations throughout the programme. Sessions will be delivered by Dr Roberta Discetti, Dr Melissa Marselle, Dr Valentine Seymour, Dr Matteo Giusti, and Dr Madeleine Bussemaker. Participants will additionally tour the university grounds, take part in a university admissions workshop, and undertake supervised research-based learning.
The initiative runs for two weeks, starting on July 12 and July 26 this year. Students receive a UNITAR certificate upon completion. The venue is Merrist Wood, which offers 400 acres of countryside and natural habitats. The programme is open to students with English language proficiency ranging from B2 to C2. Class sizes are limited to a maximum of 12 students.