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| Environmental
Change Institute - University of Oxford |
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| “Our
relationship with our environment poses a unique challenge
for humanity to build new partnerships. In our search
for solutions the most significant contribution will
come from better, more innovative and more diverse
partnerships between decision makers, entrepreneurs,
practitioners, researchers and ordinary people.”
Sir Colin Lucas, Vice-Chancellor.
How can today’s universities help in the search
for solutions to the problems of drought, desertification
and water scarcity? Traditionally, universities have
focused on research and teaching but in the face of
pressing environmental challenges, we need to go further.
What will be the distinctive contribution of Oxford,
the world’s oldest English speaking university
with an 800 year history, to the great environmental
challenges of the 21st century?
Can we find ways of integrating the physical and the
social sciences and of integrating scientific with
traditional knowledge that will open new pathways
to knowledge and change? How can we use our global
network of international students, teachers and leaders
to foster a new vision for social change in the wider
world and to become part of an international web of
individuals and communities willing to co-operate
and engage directly with one another on an unprecedented
global scale?
We would like to applaud the UNCCD initiative and
to support it through Oxford’s traditional research
strengths in the fields of desertification, drought
and water, which we can now complement with a new
environmental initiative, the most significant in
Oxford’s history: the creation of the Oxford
Centre for the Environment (OUCE) and an international
Graduate Environment school.
The huge increase in demand from international students
for environmental management and stewardship courses
has led to the creation of the new school which will
accommodate 250 students, and aims to inspire a new
generation of informed leaders for government, business,
and civic society. Students will join the Environment
Centre, with 100 researchers and 500 students, and
gain access to the full Oxford Environment network
of over 400 scientists in 50 departments engaged with
environmental and development issues, as well as to
the full collegiate network. |
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MASTERS
DEGREES IN THE ENVIRONMENT
Graduates can study for a 1 year masters degree in: |
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Water Science, Policy
and Management (New) www.eci.ox.ac.uk/water
This MSc combines the study of the science of
water with the complex political, cultural and
organisational frameworks within which management
decisions are made. The course is designed for
students from government and non-government water
and environmental agencies, statutory bodies,
public and private water providers and all interested
in pursuing further scientific research. |
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Biodiversity, Conservation and
Management (New) www.geog.ox.ac.uk/students
This is aimed at developing the analytical, management
and communication skills needed for a successful
career in biodiversity conservation, management
and research. Candidates will gain advanced knowledge
of these subjects within a framework of international
environmental, economic and social development.
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Environmental Change and Management
www.eci.ox.ac.uk/msc.html
At the UN Climate Change Summit in The Hague there
were 13 MSc alumni in professional attendance. |
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Nature, Society
and Environmental Policy www.geog.ox.ac.uk/students |
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APPLIED
RESEARCH IN DESERTIFICATION, DROUGHT, AND WATER SCARCITY
Oxford’s research capability in the issues addressed
by UNCCD include: |
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African Environments
Programme (New): history and politics of land
management, rangeland ecology, land tenure; |
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Arid and semi-arid zones: agriculture,
soil erosion, dust storms, drought and water management,
salinisation, weathering; |
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Climate change impacts, extreme
events, seasonal forecasting, climate prediction; |
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Desert sediments and luminescence
dating; |
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Ecoagriculture, biodiversity,
and community participation; |
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Land degradation and rehabilitation; |
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Oxford Centre for Water Research
(New) (www.eci.ox.ac.uk/water) |
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Groundwater quality and recharge; |
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Governance, water policy, and
citizenship; public and private sector finance
and the political economy of water; |
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Socio-economic migration, refugees,
and impacts on land degradation; |
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Vulnerable communities |
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PUBLICATIONS
Oxford environmental researchers have contributed
numerous titles in this area including: |
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World Atlas of Desertification
(Dr. Nick Middleton, Joint Editor with UNEP),
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Encyclopedia of Global Change:
environmental change and human society (Professor
Andrew Goudie), |
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Great Warm Deserts of the World:
landscape and evolution (Professor Andrew Goudie),
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| (All
published by Oxford University Press) |
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Environmental Science and Policy
(Editor, Professor James Briden), |
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| (Published
by Elsevier Science) |
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