The certificate giving ceremony of the online short certificate course titled “Global Climate Change Negotiations: Follow COP without going to the COP” was held online on February 8, 2024. Led by esteemed experts like Prof. Mizan R. Khan, Senior Advisor, ICCCAD, the course, being offered by IUB for the second time since 2022, aimed to provide professionals in the environmental field with insights into COP negotiations.

The course proceedings kicked off in conjunction with the COP 28 (the United Nations Climate Change Conference) which took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30 to December 12, 2023. As the name suggests, the idea behind this course was to give those, who could not go to the COP but are interested in the proceedings, a clear idea about what happens at these conference of parties.

Conducted from November 27, 2023 to February 06, 2024, the course comprised nine online sessions, providing real-time updates on COP 28 proceedings and side events. Daily briefings during COP 28 thematic days ensured participants remained informed about the latest developments.

The course was offered by the Outreach, Extension and Continuing Education (OECE) unit of the Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor of IUB in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Science and Management (DESM), School of Life Sciences (SELS), and International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD). Eight participants from Bangladesh (4), Madagascar (1), Sierra Leone (1), Vietnam (1), and Pakistan (1) received certificates. Among them, six hold master’s degrees in various fields; five are currently employed, including roles in managerial positions and research and policy roles in organizations like CCDB, Trocaire Sierra Leone, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development in Madagascar, CCHPU in Bangladesh, and UNDP in Vietnam.

Participants engaged in interactive lectures, online interactions, videos, and participatory learning methods to gain insights into essential topics such as Adaptation, Resilience, Capacity Building, Climate Finance, Loss and Damage, and so on. The curriculum covered pre-COP activities, technical discussions during COP sessions, and the final outcomes of the conference. Assessment included formative evaluations and a summative assessment in the form of presentations and essays on selected topics.

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