Summer SCENE 2025 at Oxford University Smith School: Fully Funded Sustainability, Climate & Environmental Education

The Oxford Smith School is thrilled to announce that applications are now open for its low-carbon summer school programme, Summer SCENE 2025! This immersive online course runs from 7 July to 18 July 2025, Monday to Friday, and aims to engage youth and early-career professionals from the Global South in shaping sustainability policies.

Course Overview

Summer SCENE 2025 is designed to empower participants to explore critical sustainability topics and develop impactful policy recommendations. By the end of the course, these recommendations will be published and shared with world leaders, amplifying the voices of emerging leaders in the Global South.

The course provides:

• Live webinar sessions led by Oxford faculty and guest experts.
• Networking opportunities with peers, Oxford MSc student facilitators, and sustainability professionals.
• A platform to engage with cutting-edge research and policy discussions.

Sample Day Schedule

Time (BST)	Session
11:00	Net Zero Live: Net Zero & Climate Policy (Sam Fankhauser)
12:00	Podcast: CO2 Removal (Steve Smith & Caitlin McElroy)
14:00	Guest Speaker: Climate Activist Interview (Aline Sotteroni & Zaya Guarani*)
15:00	Watch & Reflect: Eating Our Way to Extinction (Preparation for session with Mike Clarke & Harriet Bartlett)

*Guest speakers for 2025 to be confirmed.

Course Details

Dates and Timing

• Duration: 2 weeks (Monday to Friday)
• Dates: 7 July – 11 July 2025 and 14 July – 18 July 2025
• Times: 11:00-13:00 BST and 14:00-16:00 BST

Who Can Apply

The course is open to 50 graduate students and early-career professionals from the Global South who:

• Are interested in sustainability and policy development.
• Have started their careers in the third sector.
• Are eager to transition into sustainability policy development.

Applications are encouraged from individuals with diverse skills and experiences, particularly those aspiring to become future leaders in sustainability.

Key Topics

Participants will:

• Develop an understanding of sustainability issues.
• Collaborate on a group policy recommendation relevant to:
  • Local or shared issues across Global South nations.
  • UK government policies under consultation.

Applications & Fees

Thanks to generous funding, 50 fully funded places are available. To secure your spot, a refundable £100 retainer fee is required upon acceptance.

Application Process

• Deadline: 12:00 GMT, 24 January 2025.
• Required: An up-to-date LinkedIn profile is essential for selection.

Apply now using the application form to join this transformative experience.

Course Director

Dr. Caitlin McElroy
Departmental Research Lecturer, Enterprise and the Environment
Programme Director, Executive Education

Summary

• Applications Open: 13 – 24 January 2025
• Duration: 2 weeks (7 – 18 July 2025)
• Location: Online
• Fees: Fully funded (with £100 refundable deposit)
• Times: 11:00-13:00 BST, 14:00-16:00 BST

Contact Us

For more information, reach out at:
Email: summerschool@smithschool.ox.ac.uk
Follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter.

Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment
School of Geography and the Environment
University of Oxford
South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1865 614963

About the Smith School

Learn more about our commitment to sustainability, cutting-edge research, and educational initiatives at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.