A pioneering multi-country consortium comprising Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Maastricht University in the Netherlands, and the University of Heidelberg in Germany, has been awarded the prestigious ERASMUS grant for capacity building in higher education for "Adapting Climate Change Education, Skills and Sustainability for Advancing Locally-Led Solutions"  -  ACCESS4ALL.

The project officially commenced on November 1, 2023, and is set to unfold over a two-year period. The initiative aims to co-design and co-develop innovative, practice-based short courses on climate change education and green skills in order to advance contextualized knowledge and locally-led solutions. 

K Ayaz Rabbani, Ph.D, Head of IUB’s Department of Environmental Science and Management and the university’s point of contact for the project, said: “ACCESS4ALL seeks to address climate change education and sustainability in Bangladesh to prevent vulnerability to the impacts of climate change due to the country’s deltaic nature. The project takes a unique approach by tapping into indigenous knowledge and proven techniques from local communities.”

The key activities include on-the-ground research to identify green skills, organizing field events to engage stakeholders, and creating a portal for knowledge dissemination. To engage with local communities and raise awareness about climate change, the project plans to conduct roundtable discussions and conferences, building on initial discussions held at a pre-project conference at ULAB. The main action is set to begin in the field, where real data will be extracted and processed. The anticipated outcome comprises publications, in-depth stakeholder engagements, and the creation of a Green Hub - an online portal that will make knowledge on locally-led adaptation and green skills accessible.

As IUB, along with BRAC, ULAB, Maastricht University, and the University of Heidelberg, embarks on the "ACCESS4ALL" project, the consortium of universities continues to play a pivotal role in advancing climate change education, fostering sustainability, and creating locally-led solutions to address the challenges posed by a changing climate.

This marks the third grant received by IUB’s Department of Environment Science and Management  in the past few years. This achievement follows the recent grants for the COLOCAL and RISK-E-SCAPE projects, solidifying IUB's commitment to advancing research and academic initiatives

BDST: 1646 HRS, NOV 20, 2023
MSK