Environmental Sciences, Human Development, Poverty Reduction, Sustainable Development

Sustainable Human Development: From International Frameworks to Regional Policies

Application deadline:

February 15, 2010

The application deadline has expired. Late applications are reviewed on a case by case basis.

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Course Directors:

Alexios Antypas, Central European Univeristy, Environmental Sciences Department, Budapest, Hungary Andrey Ivanov, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, Bratislava, Slovakia Mihail Peleah, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, Bratislava, Slovakia

Faculty:

Jacek Cukrowski, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, Bratislava, Slovakia Dan Dionisie, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, Bratislava, Slovakia Balazs Horvath, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, Bratislava, Slovakia Jaroslav Kling, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, Bratislava, Slovakia Viktor Lagutov, Center for Environment and Security, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary Susanne Milcher, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, Bratislava, Slovakia Ruben Mnatsakanian, Center for Environment and Security, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary Maria Olshanskaya, UNDP Bratislava Regional Center, The Regional Environmental Center, CO Slovakia, Bratislava, Slovakia Michal Sedlacko, Ministry of Education, Bratislava, Slovakia Stephen Stec, Center for Environment and Security, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary

The course is the fifth edition of the summer courses conducted jointly by the Central European University and the United Nations Development Programme alongside with other Human Development (HD) / Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related activities being implemented or managed by UNDP. The course in 2010 will have an explicit policy focus and will bring together practitioners, mid- and high-level policy makers, academia, and civil society activists from countries in the region as well as experts on issues of HD and MDGs, both from UNDP, CEU and other European institutions.

The overall aim of this summer school is to address the deficits in understanding and applying the concept of sustainable human development to development challenges in the region. It will consist of several mutually reinforcing topics and will be conducted involving a wide range of actors - experts from Bratislava Regional Centre, universities in the region, and UNDP country offices. Experience so far suggests that a combination of theoretical exposure and practical experience makes the course unique and interesting for participants not just from Europe and CIS but also beyond the region.

In 2010 the main purpose of the course will be to equip participants with deep understanding of sustainable human development, MDGs and their policy relevance in respective countries in a creative, out-of-the-box manner. It is an important objective of the course to expose its participants to different development paradigms, help understand the rationale behind them and understand their relevance in specific development context.

The course will consist of two modules: an on-line self-learning module (conducted in March-April 2010; fee- paying participants should pass this module in May) and an in-residence course at CEU (June 28-July 9, 2010).


Module 1, online, self-learning course, March-April, 2010

The self-learning module helps participants to familiarize them with the main theoretical approaches in the area of sustainable human development in a guided manner, in interactions with course faculty. It also prepares participants for in-campus assignments, both group and individual. It will be structured by thematic areas moderated by individual Lecturers. Each thematic area has its electronic library and forum as a vehicle for exchange of views and discussions among the participants. The Lecturers will be moderating the on-line forums and will be assessing the quality of individual participants' contributions.

During Module 1 applicants will be required to

• develop a country case study which, if they are accepted, they will use later on throughout Module 2;
  
• participate actively in discussions; and
  
• pass a multiple-choice test
  
  
(See more details about the two Modules in the course description.)

Selection of participants for the in-residence course in Budapest will be made based on the qualifications and performance of participants who have successfully completed the on-line self-learning Module 1.


Module 2 - in residence, Budapest, June 28-July 9, 2010

During the in-residence module through advanced lectures and practical exercises the participants will extend their knowledge acquired during Module 1 bridging it with practical dimensions using the experience of practitioners from the region. Each day of the in-residence course will be devoted to one topic and will be structured in two parts - one devoted to theoretical aspects of the topic and the second addressing practical dimensions and experience (how theory translates or does not translate into policy practice). Broad involvement of participants is envisaged and practical exercises will be based on country case studies elaborated during and after Module 1.