This week, 28 February – 4 March, the IUCN Academy is conducting its first course on Advanced Training the Teachers in Wuhan, China. The five-day course has been developed by a team from the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law, in close partnership with the Research Institute of Environmental Law (RIEL) at Wuhan University.
The course is being led by a team from the IUCN Academy and from RIEL. Professor Rob Fowler of the University of South Australia (and Chair of the Governing Board), Professor Ben Boer of the University of Sydney and Professor Mark Latham of Vermont Law School (USA) represent the IUCN Academy. Professor Wang Shuyi, Professor Qin Tianbao, Professor Li Zhiping and Professor Zhou Ke represent RIEL. RIEL has provided financial support for the course. Vermont Law School is also partnering with the Academy to design and deliver the course in China, and has been provided with financial support by USAID for this project.
The course has 24 participants from 20 different cities across China. These two photos include the official photo of the course participants, instructors and hosts at Wuhan taken just after the opening ceremony at the law school at Wuhan University and the unveiling of the official plaque with Professor Wang Shuyi, Director of RIEL, Professor Xie Hongxing, Vice-President of Wuhan University, and Rob Fowler and Ben Boer, IUCN Academy course leaders
Over the past year, the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law has developed the “Training the Teachers” Program, with a view to delivering the course in China, Colombia, Indonesia and India.
The course has been designed to be offered at two levels: a Basic course for legal academics who have not previously taught environmental law; and an Advanced course that will prepare legal academics who already teach environmental law to deliver the basic course to colleagues in their country or region who have not previously taught environmental law. The objectives of this initiative are:
- to increase the capacity to teach environmental law within law schools in developing countries where such capacity currently is lacking or is inadequate, by providing expert training to law professors who have limited or no experience in the teaching of environmental law.
- to support, through building capacity in relation to the teaching of environmental law, the implementation and enforcement of environmental law by widening the knowledge and understanding of environmental law amongst legally-trained professionals
Participants to this program will acquired or improve the skills and knowledge require to design and deliver a high quality course in environmental law within their law school’s law degree or program and in other institutions.