Student Reflexive Workshop on Green Skills for Sustainable Future

Highlights and testimonies from a reflexive workshop on green skills for a sustainable future which took place on the 24th of February 2024 at Independent University, Bangladesh.

On 24th February 2024, Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) organized a reflexive workshop on Green Skills for Sustainable Future in collaboration with BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH) and University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) as a part of the ACCESS4ALL (Adapting Climate Education, Skill, and Sustainability for advancing locally-led Solutions) ERASMUS+ CBHE (Capacity Building for Higher Education) Project funded by the European Union.

The workshop started with an introductory session, followed by outcomes expected, and an icebreaking session of participants by Dr. K. A. Rabbani, Head of the Department of Environmental Science, School of Environmental Science and Management at Independent University, Bangladesh. As the workshop commenced, Ishrat Jahan, Research Fellow at BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University gave a presentation on the purpose and motive behind ACCESS4ALL to set the context for participants. The following session was conducted by Dr. Rumana Sultana, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Management, School of Environment & Life Sciences at Independent University, Bangladesh on “Green Skills” in the context of Bangladesh, and the next steps for the upcoming sessions in the workshop.

After a brief tea break student focused session started. Almost 25 students, from varied public and private universities, of different majors joined the workshop. They mapped out the “Green Skills” deemed necessary to get into jobs in a changing time and make them more eligible and capable for the future. Students shared their insights and ideas on five different themes on Green Skills from five different tables. The themes are Basic Climate Science - What are the current situations and challenges in the job market, Adopting Southern Led Solutions, Climate Action, Gender, Intersectionality, and Social Inclusion and Anticipate and overcome climate uncertainties

Each theme had three specific questions to the students:

What are the gaps experienced in working on CC issues?
What skills and knowledge are needed?
How can they be learned?

In each table, there was a facilitator and a note taker. The tables were suggested to work on the first two questions for 30 minutes and on the last one for 15 minutes. The facilitators had a moderated discussion with students on future green job prospects and the role of environmental sustainability in their career.

The first 30 minutes went on mapping out the knowledge gaps to identify key learning priorities and the next half an hour on mapping out the needed skills focusing on the skill gaps. The mapping of the skill gaps was suggested in three area:

Skills for green jobs and circular economy
Soft skills and managerial skills (skills that overlap)
Skills for transformative adaptation and championing locally led solutions/actions

After the discussion, each table presented their brainstorming session which resulted into listing down the skills needed. Each group got 5-10 minutes to present. After the presentation of the groups, Dr. Rabbani summarized the whole session and delivered his concluding remarks. The curriculum aims to advance the existing method of designing while simultaneously empower the next generation of climate activists.