Introduction to forum

The applications for the Global 2020 Climate Forum are now open. The Global University Climate Forum is an innovative approach to engaging, encouraging, and connecting the next generation of climate leaders. It is a great opportunity for college and university students to take action and empower themselves in the fight against climate change. The student teams will attend workshops conducted around the theme of the forum. Student teams (recommended size 2 – 5- multidisciplinary preferred) will conduct their projects around of the following four tracks for applying to the forum:

• Track 1: Inspiration and Empowerment
  build a creative approach to increasing awareness on climate change and persuading others using tactics such as video, art, writing, or social media.
• Track 2: Ideas into Action
  propose a student-run project on climate issues on campus or in the community that will lead to the calculable change over the course of six months, after the workshop has taken place.
• Track 3: Governance and Policy Innovation
  choose a local, national, or global climate policy or governance mechanism and conduct a study either on how it can be nurtured or how your college or university can contribute to its implementation.
• Track 4: Innovation and Imagination
  if your project falls into none of the defined themes, please choose your own path. You can include ideas in this category that are groundbreaking, entrepreneurial, and inventive. Nevertheless, they must be actionable and should be designed to bear measurable outcomes over the time of six months. Also, remember that all projects must have a sponsor that has an affiliation with your project.

Details

Application deadline: 30^th September 2020

Organizer: Global University Climate Forum

Announcement of selected teams: 15 October 2020

Forum type: Virtual

Forum dates: 9-13 November

Duration: 5 days

The final report will be due: 15 May 2021

Benefits

• Participants will enjoy the opportunity to attend a diverse and inclusive forum as it has been designed online to be accessible to a wide array of students.
• Successful participants will make contributions to a publication to be published at the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Glasgow, Scotland in
• Certificates will be awarded to students who complete all three phases of the program.

Eligibility criteria  

• College and University students from across the world, at any level of higher education, are invited to apply to participate in the 2020 Global Climate forum.
• Submitted projects should be action-based, and should lead to measurable change between December 2020 and May 2021. Student teams should make sure that projects meet the criteria “SMART” i.e., Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound.

Evaluation benchmarks

Possible factors for success include:

• A completed project such as a video or an event
• Number of clicks, likes, or impressions
• Number of members or applicants
• Estimated GHG reductions from project-inspired actions
• Signatories
• Survey outcomes
• Feedback from the intended audience or stakeholders

Participation in the forum will require three stages:

• Proposal development: they must be submitted via the official form, and may require modification based on reviewer feedback.
• Workshop attendance: each fellow of the team must partake in at the last three online sessions during the week of 9 November. There is no limit to the number of sessions a student can participate in and team members can attend various workshops, and
• Project Implementation: teams will be given 6 months to implement and examine their ideas. After six months, students will execute their ideas and report on progress and post monthly updates through the Forum’s website.

How to apply?

To apply for the 2020 Global Climate Forum, applicants may take the below points into consideration.

• Applications will only be accepted through the forum’s online form.

• Proposals may reflect projects and activities underway so far as they are the intellectual capital of the students applying and there is an expected measurable result during the duration of the Forum implementation period. In addition, new projects and ongoing projects may be subject to feedback from reviewers.
• Student teams must select an advisor from their Higher Education Institution (HEI). This can be a faculty member or an administrative staff member. Additionally, alumni mentors are also welcomed as additional advisors.
• And, the Forum can provide extra mentors upon request.

Apply now

For more information concerning the forum, visit the 2020 Global Climate Forum.