Welcome to our Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Himalayan Sustainability! This course offers a comprehensive exploration of the unique challenges and opportunities for sustainability in the Himalayan region. Through a multidisciplinary approach, we delve into the environmental, socio-economic, and cultural dimensions of Himalayan sustainability, aiming to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of this critical ecosystem.

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Learning Outcomes

  • Comprehensively understand sustainability challenges systematically, integrating interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary perspectives.
  • Critically analyze sustainability issues, evaluating the synergies and trade-offs among social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
  • Identify and apply effective practices and strategic approaches to drive sustainable transformations across diverse contexts.

Course Outline

  • Basic concepts of development and sustainability
  • Limits of growth
  • Safe and just corridor for people and the planet

  • Regional performance on the global sustainability agenda
  • Transboundary sustainability for regional development
  • Regional cooperations for sustainability

  • Integrated nature of SDGs
  • Synergies and trade-offs across SDGs
  • Importance of understanding SDG synergies and trade-offs

  • Importance of qualitative analysis
  • Methods for qualitative analysis of SDG interactions, SDG tracking
  • Mixed methods combining quantitative and qualitative analysis

  • Energy Sustainability Analysis
  • Food Sustainability Analysis
  • Water sustainability Analysis
  • Urban Sustainability Analysis

  • Evolution of global sustainability agenda
  • Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
  • Sustainable Development Goals- a holistic approach of the economic, social and environmental dimensions.
  • Transition from MDGs to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its progress
  • Current achievements and future trends in SDGs

  • National performance on the global sustainability agenda
  • National development plans and sustainability
  • Role of local and traditional knowledge for sustainability

  • Data on SDG indicators from global to local scales
  • Methods for quantitative analysis of SDG interactions and measuring the progress toward meeting the SDGs

  • Basic concepts of policies-planning and investment needs for SDGs
  • Evidence-based approach in policies and planning for sustainability
  • Exemplary tools for sustainability analysis, including investment, needs assessment for  achieving SDGs Data on SDG indicators from global to local scales

Course Offering

  • Understand the concepts and principles of sustainability in the context of the Himalayan region.
  • Analyze global, regional, and national sustainability issues and propose solutions.
  • Develop skills in advanced sustainability analysis techniques, including quantitative and qualitative methods.
  • Explore practical applications of sustainability principles through study visits, workshops, and group projects.
  • Prepare to contribute to sustainable development efforts in the Himalayas through informed decision-making and advocacy.

Who Should Attend

  • Students and researchers interested in Himalayan studies and environmental sustainability.
  • Professionals working in environmental conservation, sustainable development, and policy advocacy.
  • Government officials and policymakers involved in regional development planning.
  • NGOs and community organizations engaged in grassroots sustainability initiatives.
  • Anyone passionate about preserving the unique ecosystems and cultures of the Himalayan region.

Enrollment

Open to all interested individuals. No prerequisites required. (Detail Form and Other Process)

Certification

Participants who complete all three modules and pass the assessment will receive a certificate of completion

Trainer / Instructor

Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal

Professor, Asian Institute of Technology Thailand

Dr. Prajal Pradhan

Professor (Assistant) at University of Groningen

Prof. Sunil Prashad Lohani

Professor at Kathmandu University

Dr. Shachi Truong

Secretariat Lead, The Himalayan University Consortium

Prof. Praveen Kumar Pathak

Professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University

Prof. Juergen Kropp

Professor, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research/Urban Transformations

Prof. Sanderine Nonhebel

Associate Professor at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

Prof. Yaunchao Hu

Associate Researcher at Wuhan University in Wuhan University.

Dr. Winnie Leenes

Researcher University of Groningen

Prof. Dinesh R. Bhuju

Hon. Professor and Executive Director at MU Institute of Cooperation and Development, Mid-West University

Saurav Dhakal

Co-founder & Curator
Story Cycle

Prof. Dilip Khatiwada

Associate Professor at KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Anne Warchol

PHD student at University of Groningen

Dr. Babar Khan

ICIMOD

Rakesh Kumar Shah

Senior Associate- Disaster Risk Management and Agriculture Global Green Growth Institute

Dr. Pallav Purohit

Senior Research Scholar, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)

Prof. Saeed Ahmad Asad

Associate Professor, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan

Prof Raya Muttarak ​

Professor​, Department of Statistical Sciences,​ University of Bologna, Italy

Dr. Isabelle Providoli

Senior Research Scientist, Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Switzerland

Saloni Pradhan Singh

Former member, National Planning Commission

Prof. Nalini Chhetri

Clinical Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society and the School of Sustainability, College of Global Futures

Dr. Swarnim Wagle

Member of Parliament, Nepal

Dr. Xin Zhou

Research Leader at the Integrated Sustainability Centre at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

Dr. Diego Rybski

Researcher at Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER)

Dr. Hafeez A Jamali

Director General (DG) of Balochistan Civil Service Academy Q

Dr. Tista Prasai

Senior Scientist at Nepal Academy of Science and Technology

Dr. Mani Nepal

Lead Economist at ICIMOD

Dr. Ram Kumar Phuyal

Former Member, National Planning Commission

Prof. Brijesh Mainali

Associate Professor /Docent at Linnaeus University

Prof. Parigi Gian Battista

President Center for International Cooperation at University of Pavia

Course Partners

MOOC Himalayan Sustainability is developed as part of the ForHimSDG Project

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In Collaboration with

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Enrollment Open to all interested individuals. No prerequisites required.

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