Food and Water Security in a Changing World
Interdisciplinary research school with two parallel PhD courses on Food- and Water Security with a focus on the UN's Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals. Apply by 30 September 2022.
Main content
The Makerere–Bergen Research School is a unique collaboration with the University of Bergen, Norway, in honour of the 100 year anniversary of Makerere University.
Food and Water Security in a Changing World
28 November to 9 December 2022
Makerere University (with a hub for particiaption in Bergen)
The research school offers two PhD courses:
The courses will focus on the UN's Agenda 2030 and the associated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and use transboundary ecosystems like Mount Elgon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Lake Victoria Basin, and the semi-arid Karamoja region in Uganda and Kenya as empirical cases.
The world is currently facing multiple challenges caused by human action in the Anthropocene. The impacts of a changing climate, increasing populations, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation pose complex challenges for humanity and all other living beings. These courses will discuss interconnected threats and opportunities to the food system and water security from a sustainability perspective, with particular emphasis on challenges and possibilities for the Global South.
Workload
This courses are mainly based on active learning methods, where the students play a key role as they will participate in groupwork and self-study, with individual and group assignments, including:
- preparing a case study prior to course start
- submitting a reflection note prior to course start
- written daily course log
- group discussions/presentations
- peer reviews of their fellow students’ assignments
- participation in debates
- individual essay
One week prior to arrival please submit:
- Description of an empirical case from your home region or your work area, outlining a Food or Water case that you would like to present and discuss in class (max 2-3 pages).
- A reflection note describing your expectations for this course and what you think you can contribute in this course (max one page).
During the course:
- Course log: A daily reflection note of max one page on what insights and new knowledge you have gained during the day and your reflections on the implications of the day. The notes will build up to be your diary of the course and will be evaluated and count for ¼ of the course. The course log is compulsory.
- Afternoon forums: There will be four afternoon forums which are joint forums for the two courses where students will present their case studies for each other in 15 min presentations and 30 mins for debate. Participation in the forums is compulsory.
- Excursion: A one-day excursion will be arranged on Tuesday 29 November for all participants and lecturers. It will showcase examples of the problems that are to be discussed during the research school.
- All classes and keynote lectures are compulsory.