Strengthening Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development in Myanmar and Vietnam (CLIDEV)

Funding programme: HEI ICI – The Higher Education Institutions Institutional Cooperation Instrument (HEI ICI)

Funding source: The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Funding period: 1.9.2020-31.8.2024

Main coordinating Institution: University of Helsinki 

Partner institutions: Yezin Agricultural University and University of Forestry and Environmental Sciences (Myanmar); Hue University and Vietnam National University of Forestry (Vietnam) and Laurea University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

Associated partners: RECOFTC-The Centre for People and Forests, Thailand; FAO Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, Thailand; and Joint IUFRO-IFSA Task Force on Forestry Education 

Project brief

CLIDEV project for Strengthening Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development in Myanmar and Vietnam has received 4-year HEI ICI funding from Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The project aims to empower an ever-increasing number of students with improved climate change knowledge and skills to make a positive contribution to the needs of society.

The project’s main intended outcome is the enhancement of the forest and agriculture related climate change higher education systems in Myanmar and Vietnam. This will be achieved by-

  1. Improved links and relationships between Finnish and southern partner HEIs for the development of institutional partnership and areas for cooperation for project implementation
  2. Institutionalize the inclusion of stakeholders in curricular upgrades, defining desirable academic outcomes, and co-creation of knowledge
  3. Practical and innovative Climate Change educational tools and pedagogical methods, through ToTs capacity building activities and the upgrade/creation of strategic courses.
  4. Improving accessibility of education by encouraging open educational resources –OER- (data collection, GIS, collaborative tools) and MOOCs – owned and maintained by partner HEIs
  5. Providing tools and materials (IT, equipment upgrades) to support implementation of project activities and incorporation of new tools and methods into curricula

These outputs of the project will lead to increased understanding of climate change to support fact-based decision-making resulting in increased resilience of vulnerable communities. It will also support partner countries to pursue sustainable development pathways.

Thus, domestic capacity to sustainably manage natural resources will be improved, for the benefit of the local people and the environment, while at the same time enabling Myanmar and Vietnam to effectively respond to the demands and opportunities of international processes e.g. Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement on Climate Change, Bonn challenge.

Coordinating HEI University of Helsinki contacts:

Dr. Eshetu Yirdaw, Project leader, eshetu.yirdaw@helsinki.fi

Mr. Dipjoy Chakma, Project coordinator, dipjoy.chakma@helsinki.fi

Nicholas Hogarth, Research Fellow, nicholas.hogarth@helsinki.fi

Partner HEIs contacts: 

Laurea Universtiy of Applied Sciences, Finland 

Dr. Tuija Hirvikoski, Project co-leader, tuija.hirvikoski@laurea.fi

Ms. Tarja Laakkonen, Project co-coordinator, tarja.a.laakkonen@laurea.fi

Hue University, Vietnam 

Dr. Ho Dac Thai Hoang, Project co-leader hoanghdt@hueuni.edu.vn

Dr. Dinh Tien Tai, Project co-coordinator, dinhtientai@hueuni.edu.vn

Vietnam National University of Forestry 

Dr. Bui The Doi, Project co-leader

Dr. Do Anh Tuan, Project co-coordinator, dotuan71@yahoo.com

 

Yezin Agricultural University, Myanmar 

Dr. Hla Than. Project co-leader, hlthan1986@gmail.com

Dr. Yarzar Hein, Project co-coordinator, yarzarhein@yau.edu.com

University of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Myanmar

Dr. Rosy Ne Win, Project co-leader, rosynewin@gmail.com

Mr. Zaw Win Myint, Project co-coordinator, zawwinm2001@googlemail.com

CLIDEV project Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Clidev-project-103542688194412