2024 School

Who could apply?

PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, early-career researchers, practitioners (e.g., employees at relevant government or non-governmental agencies and private sector employees) who are engaged with, working in a sector threatened by, or generally interested in learning about, climate risk, resilience and action. Other applications (from, e.g., Master's students) were considered on an individual basis. We had a transdisciplinary cohort with a rough 50/50 balance of participants from Africa and elsewhere, and an equitable gender balance.

Cost

The course itself was free of charge for eligible, selected students. Full board accommodation, activities (National Park visit, etc.), and return transport from the course venue to Arusha were covered.

Not covered: Travel costs to Arusha before the course and from Arusha after the course, visa costs, insurance, and airport transfers.

However, it was possible to apply for one of a limited number of stipends to cover these costs using the application form. Stipends were only awarded to applicants from low and middle-income countries.

Practical details

The course was conducted in English. The school had a mix of lectures, project assignments, activities, free time and outings. Both prior to the school and after the event, students engaged with lecturers and followed up assignments and seminars. 100% attendance was expected during the school and the across the remote engagements before and after the school.

Accommodation at the course venue was in shared twin rooms.

Upon completion of the CATER School the students were awarded a certificate, certificating participation in 65 hours of learning and practical skills building.

For those collecting ECTS as part of an academic program this translates to approximately 5 ECTS upon the submission of the CATER School certificate to your respective institutions. N.B.: Different institutional requirements may cause some variation.

School Topics 2024

• An introduction to changing climatic risk, with an emphasis on Africa.

• Interrogate what ‘risk’ is in climate vulnerability and adaptation; and explore climate vulnerability and adaptation options through transdisciplinarity.

• Learn about transdisciplinary theory, processes and practice.

• Gain understanding of the complexity of decision-contexts and the plurality of knowledge in climate adaptation.

• Learn about using different types of evidence and ways of knowing for decision making under uncertainty.

• Use game-based participatory methods to share knowledge and evaluate the potential of climate adaptation services   

• Discuss principles, ethics and values in climate services, and in transdisciplinary approaches to climate services.

• Climate justice, and considerations when working with vulnerable groups: gender, indigenous peoples, populations living in precarity

• Job relevance: what skills are required for a successful career in climate adaptation?

• Learn about climate literacy for educational purposes.

• Improve communication skills - write better papers and better proposals as well as develop science-society relationships and facilitate transdisciplinary and/or co-production processes.

Lecturers 2024

• Erik Kolstad, NORCE/Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Norway

• Rondrotiana Barimalala, NORCE/Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Norway

• Mathias Venning, NORCE/University of Bergen/Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Norway

• Jesse Schrage, NORCE/Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Norway

• Peter Johnston, Climate System Analysis Group, South Africa

• Jennifer Joy West, NMBU, Norway

• Alessandro Craparo, CIAT and NORCE, Norway

• Emmanuel Sulle, Aga Khan University, Tanzania

• Erlend Eidsvik, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway

• Aida Arik, Institute of Environmental Geosciences, France

• Ingrid Vigna, Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Norway

• Chipo Mubaya, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe